China is not a contract but a relationship society, and besides that almost everything is possible. It is one of the striking differences that set Western and Chinese (I would also include Korea and Japan, at least) society culturally so significantly apart.

OK, when we say that this is a cultural difference that is based on traditions centuries and even millenia old, what does it mean as China is modernising (xiandaihua) and catching up with the rest of the world to become a global player?

There is also difference between the old days and these days, you know. In the old days, China was not a global player but a self-sufficient nation that had some contacts with other parts of the world but not in such an intensive way as it has these days.

China also had been in relative isolation from the larger parts of the world at certain periods of history. It had a unique culture, it had much to give to others but it was not so much in need of what others could give in return.

Things are different these days. Agreements between two or more nations, contracts between international companies have become more important these days, and if China wants to be regarded as a reliable partner in these relationships, also China must accept that it is bound to the terms and conditions of an agreement and/or a contract.

It means if someone fails to honor the terms of a contract, there is no excuse for a cultural tradition where a written contract counts less than some relationships you may or may not have.

If that is correct, then the Chinese, if they want it or not, have to adopt to the Western way of taking contracts seriously - not because to do the West or a Westerner a special favour but because the rest of the world is handling it like that. Therefore, China cannot be "exempted" and claim exceptional status in this.

If that is not correct, then there is no other way than remaining very cautious and not trusting the Chinese as a partner at all, and this will not work for them and will be to their disadvantage. For, if they would claim that there would be no need to abide by the terms of a contract due to their old traditions, then nobody would bother to conduct any type of business with them. As simple as that. One cannot count on personal relationships alone, they come and go and may not be too stable - the unpredictable human factor....That is why in certain cultures of mankind, the need for more formal types "relationships"arose - the "contract culture".

Abiding to the terms of the contract and being accountable in this is a also a cultural habit that reasonably can be expected among civilised members of the human species. The law a nation has also is a kind of contract - society has agreed to follow these laws, and whoever does not, will face the risk of sanctions. After all, human nature is imperfect, and that is why law must be enforced with a set of sanction rules for those who do not abide by that law.

A contract between two parties also is a kind of law that both parties involved have agreed upon when concluding the contract. It is a society´s or nation´s law in form of a "microcomos" in terms of the scope to which it applies. A society or nation that cannot/does not want to enforce the law it has and which on top is incapable of sanctioning those who do not abide by it, is a "lawless" society that nobody could want. Not abiding by the terms of a contract, either because it is not considered that important by one of the parties involved or simply due to reasons of meanness and greediness, is also "lawless" that nobody could really want. Neither of the two parties could trust and rely on the other party anymore which would create a big mess.

We have got that mess in the crappy world of Chinese ESL industry these days - but not only here - because of that "lawlessness". This is what many FTs in China are facing these days, and may make them hate their job - to be given the feeling that they are acting as white monkeys in a big muppet show.

Do you think that this creates any feeling of respect towards the Chinese side in me? Their "contracts" are not worth the paper they are written on because they want to remain in their traditional "lawless" state and thus keep up with their backwardness in this!

So, it`s for China to wake up in this matter, the clock has already struck twelve!