Will your negotiation skills back home equip you for negotiating in China? Well they’re important, but they’re not quite enough. You’ll also need a good grasp of the cultural differences or you’ll be mystified by unexpected responses and they’ll run circles around you. So here are a few key principles for negotiating in the land of the dragon.1. Be ObjectiveMany stories about China are exaggerated, one way or the other. We’ve heard of fabulous deals, providing goods and services at a fraction of local costs. We’ve heard of toxic Chinese products and business tycoons who will cheat you at the drop of a hat. But China is neither black nor white, and a successful business person needs to strip away the political agendas that get in the way of sound business decisions.We should also be wary of snap judgments by people who bail out impatiently with accusations of rampant deception and contracts never honoured. Certainly we should heed all warnings of danger, and be constantly on our guard. But we must seek a realistic view, neither wearing rose-coloured glasses nor seeing treachery in every misunderstanding.It’s important to be realistic regarding issues of honesty. As in any country, there is no…