The business banquet is central to Chinese commercial culture; knowing the basics wins trust quickly.
Seating & Ordering
The seat of honor faces the door or sits center-most, reserved for the host or senior person. Order "hard" dishes like fish and soup; an even number of dishes is considered auspicious.
Toasting
Hold your glass rim slightly lower than theirs to show respect. After 干杯 (cheers), a small sip is fine; tea works as a substitute for alcohol.
Gifts
Avoid clocks (homophone of "end"), pears ("separation") and umbrellas ("scatter"). Well-packaged tea, local specialties or a pen are tasteful; reciprocity matters.
Taboos
Don't write someone's name in red; don't stick chopsticks upright in rice; avoid sensitive political topics in conversation.