Negotiating a Foot into the Chinese Door

For the West, the opening up of China has raised the prospect of a vast market for a range of goods and services and their associated technologies. For the interested observer, it has provided an opportunity to obtain answers to issues which, since 1949, have been a source of constant speculation. China, coping with one in four of the world's population and organised according to a unique political experience, can hardly fail to stimulate interest and curiosity. The open‐door policy, whilst undoubtedly providing answers to many questions, has also raised many more which show the degree of difference between East and West, indicating the efforts in understanding that will have to be made by anyone wishing to establish relations with the Chinese. A recent publication on Trade with China began with the following sobering comment: