Do you need to speak Chinese to work in China?

On what occasion does a foreigner actually uses Chinese?

Most of the time, Europeans on the Chinese workforce will use the local language only with the locals. According to Hélène Fontaine, recruiting agent for Eurochinajob, Chinese companies are often interested in bilingual candidates who have a good command of English on top of their native language, may it be German, French or Spanish for example. On a normal workday, Mandarin is only sometimes required. If a company absolutely needs Mandarin speaking candidates, recruiters will simply look for local immigrants.

On the other hand, if you are not located within an "international population" (lots of foreigners are established on the coast for example), you might find it useful to learn a few sentences to get by in your daily life. If a "Laowai" (stranger) is able to conduct a simple conversation with the locals, it can be considered as a sign of friendship. As a bonus, if you can negotiate in their language, you won't have to pay the "tourist price" for your day to day purchases.

What about executives who are in direct contact with Chinese speaking employees?

In some cases, foreign managers will rely on Chinese employees who can speak English. These "interpreters" have the important role of translating essential guidelines and technical information that need to be passed along to the Chinese employees. On the other hand, managers who are able to speak the language command respect and that makes a difference. Here are a few essential phrases in Chinese compiled by the BBC to get you started.

Examples of branches where the Chinese language is widely used

• Industries (food processing, mechanical engineering, etc.)
• Public works
• Transport (railway systems)

Examples of branches in France where you need to speak Chinese

• Export (for all communications with Chinese providers)
• Textiles (when the purchasing department is located in China)