1

FBLA International Recruitment Project: China

Nicholas McConnell

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Report

History……………………………………………………………………………….Page 3

Facts…………………………………………………………………………………Page 3

Geography and Climate……………………………………………………………...Page 4

Politics……………………………………………………………………………….Page 4

Economy…………………………………………………………………………….Page 5

Culture……………………………………………………………………………….Page 6

Cuisine……………………………………………………………………………….Page 7

Sports………………………………………………………………………………...Page 7

Business……………………………………………………………………………...Page 8

Education…………………………………………………………………………...Page 10

Travel………………………………………………………………………………Page 11

Benefits of FBLA on China………………………………………………………..Page 13

Social Media……………………………………………………………………….Page 13

New FBLA Project…………………………………………………………………Page 14

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………Page 15

Appendices

Appendix A: Itinerary……………………………………………………………...Page 16

Appendix B: Budget………………………………………………………………..Page 17

Appendix C: Budget Chart…………………………………………………………Page 18

Appendix D: Map of Beijing……………………………………………………….Page 19

Appendix E: Presentation Outline………………………………………………….Page 20

Appendix F: Brochure Inside………………………………………………………Page 21

Appendix G: Brochure Outside…………………………………………………….Page 22

Appendix H: Recruitment Ideas……………………………………………………Page 23

3

History

China is a country with a vast and rich history. China began as a Dynasty, and the first

Dynasty to leave historical records dates back to the 17th century BCE. Later on, many

independent states emerged in China and waged war on one another. The Warring States ended

in 221 BCE after one state conquered all the others. The emperor of that state declared himself as

“The First Emperor” and he imposed reforms such as the standardization of language,

measurements, and currency. Dynastic rule ended in 1912, and the Republic of China was

established. Major combat in the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949 and the Communist Party was

in control of mainland China. The Communist Party Chairman, Mao Zedong, proclaimed the

establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and it is still known by that name today.

Facts

China is home to more bird species than any other place in the world, and is also famous

for the giant panda (a Chinese national treasure). Just over 1,000 pandas still survive in the wild.

China, actually known as the People’s Republic of China, is also famous for being the world’s

most populous country with a population of over 1.3 billion. It’s population density 134 people

per square kilometer, which is roughly 4 times greater than the population density of the US.

China is also the second largest country in the world based on land area which totals to 9.6

million square kilometers. The country is quite complex being made up of 23 provinces, five

autonomous regions, four municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the special

administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao. Most of the people in China practice

Buddhism as their religion, and speak Standard Chinese or Mandarin.

4

Geography and Climate

China’s geography consist of mountains, high plateaus, and deserts in the west; plains,

deltas, and hills in the east. The highest mountain in China is the highest mountain in the world:

Mount Qomolangma. The mountain towers above all others at 29,035 feet or 8,848 m. China's

climate is mainly controlled by dry seasons and wet monsoons, which lead to significant

temperature differences between winter and summer. In the winter, northern winds coming from

high-latitude areas are cold and dry; in summer, southern winds from coastal areas at lower

latitudes are warm and moist. The climate in China differs from region to region because of the

country's highly complex topography. A major environmental issue in China is the continued

expansion of its deserts, particularly the Gobi Desert. Although barrier tree lines planted since

the 1970s have reduced the frequency of sandstorms, prolonged drought and poor agricultural

practices have resulted in dust storms afflicting northern China each spring, which then spread to

other parts of East Asia, including Korea and Japan. According to China's environmental

watchdog, Sepa, China is losing a million acres (4,000 km²) per year to desertification. Water

quality, erosion, and pollution control have become important issues in China's relations with

other countries. Melting glaciers in the Himalayas could potentially lead to water shortages for

hundreds of millions of people.

Politics

The Communist Party of China is the country's sole political party. Hu Jintao became

general secretary of the CPC at its 16th National Congress in November 2002. Founded in July

1921, the Communist Party of China today has more than 66 million members and over 3.5

million basic organizations. Besides the Communist Party, there are eight other political parties.

5

Compared to its closed-door policies until the mid-1970s, the liberalization of China has resulted

in the administrative climate being less restrictive than before. China supports the Leninist

principle of "democratic centralism", but the elected National People's Congress has been

described as a "rubber stamp" body. There have been some moves toward political liberalization,

in that open contested elections are now held at the village and town levels. However, the Party

retains effective control over government appointments: in the absence of meaningful opposition,

the Communist Party of China wins by default most of the time. Political concerns in China

include government corruption and the gap between the rich and pore. Nonetheless, the level of

public support for the government and its management of the nation is high, with 80–95% of

Chinese citizens expressing satisfaction with the central government, according to a 2011 survey.

Economy

China's economy has boomed since 1978, as a result of sweeping economic reforms.

China's economy continues to grow rapidly, with a GDP real growth rate of 9.1 percent in 2003,

and an annual industrial production growth rate of 11.6 percent between 1979 and 2000. As of

2013, China has the world's second-largest economy in terms of nominal GDP, totaling

approximately US$9.3253 trillion according to the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's

Republic of China. If purchasing power parity is taken into account China's economy is again

second only to the United States. Since economic liberalization began in 1978, China has been

among the world's fastest-growing economies, relying largely on investment- and export-led

growth. Its high productivity, low labor costs and relatively good infrastructure have made it a

global leader in manufacturing. However, the Chinese economy is highly energy-intensive and

inefficient; China became the world's largest energy consumer in 2010, relies on coal to supply

over 70% of its energy needs, and surpassed the US to become the world's largest oil importer in

6

September 2013. However, China's economic growth and industrialization has damaged its

environment, and in the early 2010s, China's economic growth rate began to slow among

domestic credit troubles—international demand for Chinese exports has weakened and this has

led to turmoil in the global economy.

Culture

Since ancient times, Chinese culture has been heavily influenced by Confucianism and

conservative philosophies. For much of the country's dynastic era, opportunities for social

advancement could be provided by high performance in the prestigious imperial examinations,

which have their origins in the Han Dynasty. The literary emphasis of the exams affected the

general perception of cultural refinement in China, such as the belief that calligraphy, poetry and

painting were higher forms of art than dancing or drama. Chinese culture has long emphasized a

sense of deep history and a largely inward-looking national perspective. Examinations and a

culture of merit remain greatly valued in China today. Today, the Chinese government has

accepted numerous elements of traditional Chinese culture as being integral to Chinese society.

With the rise of Chinese nationalism and the end of the Cultural Revolution, various forms of

traditional Chinese art, literature, music, film, fashion and architecture have seen a vigorous

revival, and folk and variety art in particular have sparked interest nationally and even

worldwide. China is now the third-most-visited country in the world, with 55.7 million inbound

international visitors in 2010. It also experiences an enormous volume of domestic tourism; an

estimated 740 million Chinese holidaymakers travelled within the country in October 2012

alone.

7

Cuisine

Chinese cuisine includes styles originating from the diverse regions of China, as well as

from Chinese people in other parts of the world. The history of Chinese cuisine in China

stretches back for thousands of years and has changed from period to period and in each region

according to climate, imperial fashions, and local preferences. Over time, techniques and

ingredients from the cuisines of other cultures were integrated into the cuisine of the Chinese

people due both to imperial expansion and from the trade with nearby regions in pre-modern

times and from Europe and the New World in the modern period. Styles and tastes also varied by

class, region, and ethnic background. This led to an unparalleled range of ingredients,

techniques, dishes and eating styles in what could be called Chinese food, leading Chinese to

pride themselves on eating a wide variety of foods while remaining true to the spirit and

traditions of Chinese food culture. The Eight Culinary Traditions of China are Anhui, Cantonese,

Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Szechuan, and Zhejiang cuisines. Prominent styles of

Chinese cuisine outside China include Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian and

American, but there is Chinese cuisine wherever Chinese people are found.

Sports

China has one of the oldest sporting cultures in the world. There is evidence that a form

of association football called cuju was played in China during the Han Dynasty. Today, some of

the most popular sports in the country include martial arts, basketball, football, table tennis,

badminton, swimming and snooker. Board games such as go (known as weiqi in China), xiangqi,

and more recently chess, are also played at a professional level. Physical fitness is widely

emphasized in Chinese culture, with morning exercises such as qigong and t'ai chi ch'uan widely

8

practiced, and commercial gyms and fitness clubs gaining popularity in the country. Young

people in China are also enjoy soccer and basketball, especially in urban centers with limited

space and grass areas. The American National Basketball Association has a huge following

among the Chinese youth, with ethnic or native Chinese players such as Yao Ming and Jeremy

Lin held in high esteem. In addition, China is home to a huge number of cyclists, with an

estimated 470 million bicycles as of 2012. Many more traditional sports, such as dragon boat

racing, Mongolian-style wrestling and horse racing are also popular. China has participated in

the Olympic Games since 1932, although it has only participated as the PRC since 1952. China

hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where its athletes received 51 gold medals – the

highest number of gold medals of any participating nation that year. China also won the most

medals of any nation at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, with 231 overall, including 95 gold

medals. China hosted the 2013 East Asian Games in Tianjin and will host the 2014 Summer

Youth Olympics in Nanjing.

Business

Doing business always involves meeting and greeting people. In China, meetings start

with the shaking of hands and a slight nod of the head. Be sure not to be overly vigorous when

shaking hands as the Chinese will interpret this as aggressive. The Chinese are not keen on

physical contact - especially when doing business. The only circumstance in which it may take

place is when a host is guiding a guest. Even then contact will only be made by holding a cuff or

sleeve. Be sure not to slap, pat or put your arm around someone's shoulders. Body language and

movement are both areas you should be conscious of when doing business in China. You should

always be calm, collected and controlled. Body posture should always be formal and attentive as

this shows you have self-control and are worthy of respect. Business cards are exchanged on an

9

initial meeting. Make sure one side of the card has been translated and try and print the Chinese

letters using gold ink as this is an auspicious color. Mention your company, rank and any

qualifications you hold. When receiving a card place it in a case rather than in a wallet or pocket.

Relationships in China are very formal. Remember, when doing business you are representing

your company so always keep dealings at a professional level. Never become too informal and

avoid humor. This is not because the Chinese are humorless but rather jokes may be lost in

translation and hence be redundant. When doing business in China establishing a contact to act

as an intermediary is important. This brings with it multiple benefits. They can act as a reference,

be your interpreter and navigate you through the bureaucracy, legal system and local business

networks. Unlike many countries, the giving of gifts does not carry any negative connotations

when doing business in China. Gifts should always be exchanged for celebrations, as thanks for

assistance and even as a sweetener for future favors. However, it is important not to give gifts in

the absence of a good reason or a witness. This may be construed differently. When the Chinese

want to buy gifts it is not uncommon for them to ask what you would like. Do not be shy to

specify something you desire. However, it would be wise to demonstrate an appreciation of

Chinese culture by asking for items such as ink paintings or tea. Business gifts are always

reciprocated. They are seen as debts that must be repaid. When giving gifts, do not give cash.

They need to be items of worth or beauty. Do not be too frugal with your choice of gift.

Meetings must be made in advance. Preferably some literature regarding your company should

be forwarded to introduce the company. Try and book meetings between April - June and

September - October. Avoid all national holidays especially Chinese New Year. Punctuality is

vital when doing business in China. Ensure you are early as late arrivals are seen as an insult.

Meetings should begin with some brief small talk. If this is your first meeting, then talk of your

10

experiences in China so far. Keep it positive and avoid anything political. Prior to any meeting

always send an agenda. This will allow you to have some control of the flow of the meeting. The

Chinese approach meetings differently, so rather than beginning with minor or side issues and

working your way up to the core issue, reverse this. The Chinese are renowned for being tough

negotiators. Their primary aim in negotiations is 'concessions'. Always bear this in mind when

formulating your own strategy. You must be willing to show compromise and ensure their

negotiators feel they have gained major concessions. Make sure you have done your homework

before doing business in China. The Chinese plan meticulously and will know your business and

possibly you inside out. One known strategy for Chinese negotiators is to begin negotiations

showing humility and deference. This is designed to present themselves as vulnerable and weak.

You, the stronger, will be expected to help them through concessions. Above all, be patient and

never show anger or frustration. Practise your best 'poker face' before negotiating with the

Chinese. Once they see you are uncomfortable they will exploit the weakness. Decisions will

take a long time either because there is a lack of urgency, simultaneous negotiations are taking

place with competitors or because the decision makers are not confident enough.

Education

Education is required and free for Chinese citizens age 6 to 15 though parents must pay small

fees for books and uniforms. Chinese children all get a primary and middle school public

education. Each class averages 35 students. After middle school, parents must pay for public

high school though the majority of families in cities can afford the modest fees. In rural parts of

China, many students stop their education at age 15. There are a growing number of private

schools in China for wealthy Chinese as well as dozens of international private schools. Most

international schools will only accept Chinese who hold a foreign passport, but Chinese public

11

schools are required by law to accept children of legal foreign residents. There are over 70

schools approved by China’s Ministry of Education to provide foreign instruction. Chinese

students attend classes five or six days a week from early morning (about 7am) to early evening

(4pm or later). On Saturdays, many schools hold required morning classes in science and math.

Many students also attend cram school in the evening and on weekends. Much like tutoring in

the West, these schools offer additional Chinese, English, science and math classes and one-on-

one tutoring. Aside from math and science, students take Chinese, English, history, literature,

music, art and physical education. China’s teaching methodology differs from Western education

methodology. Rote memorization and a focus on math, science, and Chinese studies along with

extensive test prep for middle school, junior high school, high school and college entrance exams

are standard practice. Schools in China have after school activities, like sports and music lessons,

but these activities are not as extensive as those found in international schools and schools in the

West, while team sports are becoming more popular, competition among schools is more like an

intramural team sports system verses a competitive style system. Schools in China have a break

lasting for several days or a week during China’s national holiday in the beginning of October.

During Spring Festival in mid-January or mid-February, depending on the lunar calendar,

students have one to three weeks off. The next break is for China’s labor holiday, which occurs

during the first few days of May. Finally, students have a summer vacation which is much

shorter than in the US. Summer vacation and typically begins in mid-July, though some schools

start their vacations in June. The vacation lasts for approximately one month.

Travel

Since the late 1990s, China's national road network has been significantly expanded through the

creation of a network of highways, known as the National Trunk Highway System. In 2011

12

China's highways had reached a total length of 85,000 km (53,000 mi), making it the longest

highway system in the world. Private car ownership is growing rapidly in China, which

surpassed the United States as the world's largest automobile market in 2009, with total car sales

of over 13.6 million. Analysts predict that annual car sales in China may rise as high as 40

million by 2020. A side-effect of the rapid growth of China's road network has been a significant

rise in traffic accidents, with poorly enforced traffic laws cited as a possible cause—in 2011

alone, around 62,000 Chinese died in road accidents. In urban areas, bicycles remain a common

mode of transport, despite the increasing prevalence of automobiles – as of 2012, there are

approximately 470 million bicycles in China. China's railways, owned by the state, are the

busiest in the world, handling a quarter of the world's cargo and passenger travel. Due to huge

demand, the system is regularly subject to overcrowding, particularly during holiday seasons,

such as Chunyun during the Chinese New Year. The Chinese rail network carried an estimated

1.68 billion total passengers in 2010 alone. More than 10,000 km of China's railway mileage—

over 100,000 km in total—are high-speed lines. In December 2012, China opened the world's

longest high-speed rail line, running from Beijing to Guangzhou. China intends to operate

approximately 16,000 km (9,900 mi) of high-speed rail lines by 2020. Rapid transit systems are

also rapidly developing in China's major cities, in the form of networks of underground or light

rail systems. China is additionally developing its own satellite navigation system, dubbed

Beidou, which began offering commercial navigation services across Asia in 2012, and is

planned to offer global coverage by 2020. As of 2013, more than two-thirds of airports under

construction worldwide are in China, and Boeing expects that China's fleet of active commercial

aircraft in China will grow from 1,910 to 2011 to 5,980 in 2031. However, 80% of China's

13

airspace remains restricted for military use, and Chinese airlines made up eight of the 10 worst-

performing Asian airlines in terms of delays.

Benefits of FBLA on China

Obviously, FBLA would benefit students in China by teaching them basic principles of

business. Business does not seem to have any importance in the current education system of

China. Students are taught primarily math and science. While some children stop their education

at age 15, Middle Level FBLA would be a great way to integrate FBLA into Chinese schools.

FBLA could also be integrated into high schools, although not all students continue into high

school. FBLA can teach students skills to become successful in the business world. Chinese

students could become a part of competitive events, workshops, conferences, community service,

and officer teams. Learning proper etiquette and leadership would be very beneficial to Chinese

students, considering China has the world’s second largest economy. Students need to be trained

in business so that when they get older they can become business leaders, and keep China in the

booming economic state it is currently in.

Social Media

Just like in the US, China has a large amount of the population who use the internet and

social media. Social Media is an outlet for FBLA that keeps people linked together and informed

of everything at all times. Using social media for FBLA in China would make it easy for all

members and advisers to be aware of necessary information such as the dates of conferences and

deadlines for competitions. Social media pages are frequently updated and would most definitely

be a huge asset for FBLA chapters in China. After all, they can keep in touch with chapters in the

US so that they keep on track with what everyone is doing to further the growth of FBLA.

14

New FBLA Project

A project that I think would be great for FBLA chapters in China would be something

beneficial to children who cannot afford to continue into high school. FBLA chapters could set

up a weekly activity where they “tutor” all the kids that do not attend high school. I believe that

more people would attend high school in China, but they simply are not able to because of the

costs. This project would allow those kids who cannot afford school to still receive a little bit

more education. If people attend this activity on a weekly basis, they will learn a lot.

15

Bibliography

"China." Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Wikipedia. Web. 23 Feb. 2014

"Doing Business in China." Kwintessential. N.p., 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

"Fast Facts about China." The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Los

Angeles. N.p., 2003. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

"School in China: Introduction to School and Education in China." About.com. N.p., 2014. Web.

23 Feb. 2014

16

Appendix A – Itinerary

Nicholas McConnell

June 9-14

Monday, June 9

5:00 a.m. Depart for Hartsfield Jackson International Airport

9:15 a.m. Depart on United Airlines Flight 5685

Tuesday, June 10

2:20 p.m. Arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport

2:50 p.m. Arrive at Capital International Airport Hotel and rest

Wednesday, June 11

10:00 a.m. Presentation at hotel conference center

Thursday, June 12

2:40 p.m. Depart hotel for Beijing Capital International Airport

4:40 p.m. Depart on United Airlines Flight 850

9:31 p.m. Arrive at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport

11:30 p.m. Arrive back home

17

Appendix B – Budget

Round trip flight (including taxes and fees) - $1,808

Hotel (2 night stay) - $51

Food (6 meals) - $60

Transportation - $30

Total - $1, 949

18

Appendix C – Budget Chart

19

Appendix D – Map of Beijing

20

Appendix E – Presentation Outline

1. Title Slide

2. Meaning of FBLA

3. Leadership

4. Experience

5. Competition

6. Competitive Events

7. Meeting New People

8. Benefits

9. Fun

10. Join Today

21

Appendix F – Brochure Inside

22

Appendix G – Brochure Outside

23

Appendix H – Recruitment Ideas

1. Speak to Students

2. Speak to Parents

3. Put posters up in schools

4. Invite students to fun activity if they join

5. Have guest speakers from local businesses

6. Tell students about how good it will look on a resume

7. Show students how much recognition you get in FBLA

8. Show students other people who have become very successful in FBLA

9. Membership drives

10. “Movie Night” for anyone interested in FBLA