Harmony broker

Provided to China Daily

In bringing people together, understanding is more important than money, former envoy says

Just as many Western companies got it wrong when they started doing business in China, Chinese companies are making similar mistakes when dealing with African governments and enterprises, Lionel Vairon says. Understanding cultural differences is the most important thing when developing business relationships across continents, the French diplomat-turned-consultant says. It is a diplomatic art that Vairon's life and background make him especially suited for.

He grew up in South America and studied Russian and Chinese at university in France, before specializing in politics and East Asian history and undertaking 23 years of diplomatic service in Cambodia, Thailand and Iraq.

Then, having experienced many conflicts and changes among the various cultures, Vairon decided he could best serve international peace, harmony and development by setting up his own company in Luxembourg, called Cultural Education and Communication, or CEC Consultancy.

Specifically, and not surprisingly, he wanted to help create a better understanding between China and African and Arab countries.

"In African countries, I have seen many failed contracts between Chinese companies and local companies or governments - a huge loss for both sides," says the 52-year-old Vairon, adding that Chinese companies' investment in Africa is not running as smoothly as many people believe.

Since the financial crisis in 2008, China has gradually become the driving force of development in Africa. The continent's exports to China have also increased significantly, while the percentage of its exports to the US and Europe have dropped.

"The Chinese side usually believes that everything is based on economy, price, and so on, but more often, culture is the key point in such cases," Vairon says.

He gives an example of what can happen when Chinese and Arab companies are dealing with each other.

"Arab people are very spontaneous. If they disagree with you, they shout, they threaten, bang the fist on the table. But this doesn't mean that it is a personal and violent conflict. This is showing off.

"But if you do this with your Chinese partners, they will leave the room and never come back, saying 'We have been insulted'. This is the basic issue."

In another case that Vairon was involved in, Chinese companies and Arab companies were trying to communicate with each other over a contract. They all hired interpreters but that did not help.

"Around the table people were talking in one language - English, more or less - but they were not talking about the same thing at all. They use the same language but the culture is not the same, so the words they use are not linked to the culture," Vairon says.

Most Chinese companies he has dealt with in Africa do not understand this, he says. The business model for now is completely business-oriented.

Vairon admits that many European companies once had the same problem. When they first came to China in the 1980s, many failed for cultural reasons.

"For example, signing a contract has not the same meaning in China as it has in Europe, and that is why many have failed with contracts. When Chinese sign a contract, it is still something moving; when the Europeans sign a contract, it becomes the end. You cannot touch it anymore."

"It took the Europeans 15 years to understand this. I think China is going through the same process, but the process may take longer."

It was Vairon's father, an officer serving in the French Indochina War, who first inspired his interest in Southeast Asia. The exotic stories and souvenirs he brought home deeply influenced his son and attracted him to Eastern civilization and culture. Vairon wrote his PhD thesis on the history of Indochina's Communist movements in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

"We have lived in many places. I have seen wars in Cambodia and Iraq. And we believe that a lot of things can be done not just at the level of ministers and presidents, but at every level. Everyone can try to change things, try to change the way people see each other, when they are different."

His wife and cross-cultural consultant with CEC, Nicole Vairon-Khao, sums up their company's ethos.

"There are no backward cultures, only different ones," she says. "All people are people, are human beings, and there is no reason why people cannot work together and live together. This becomes difficult when politics enters, and things become difficult for people."

This is why Vairon created his own business.

"We want to come back to the essence of diplomacy, to focus on improving, or to contribute to the lower levels of society, to improve the relationship between people."

In his eyes, it is understanding, rather than making money, that brings people together.

"My job is to translate, not the language, but the message, to both sides, to make them understand what the other is talking about," Vairon says. "The role I play is to make both sides understand what is their win-win situation, what the others are willing to give, and what they cannot give."

With this belief, he and his company are advising Chinese companies in their business with Africa and the Middle East.

Following years of interest and researching on China, and helping it communicate with the rest of the world, Vairon is also an expert on Chinese issues.

Since 2008, when the debt crisis intensified, China has often been treated with suspicion by Europeans. Vairon believes this is a question of power. The West, he says, has controlled and dominated the world for five centuries, politically, economically, culturally and militarily. Now, in the space of 10 years, China is comparatively rich and on the verge of becoming a superpower.

But its development is surrounded by misunderstandings.

"One of the preparations (for China to become a superpower) is to be understood by the outside world, not to be misunderstood.

"I believe communication by China is still not right. The outside world doesn't understand, even culturally - and even some cultural concepts should not be used if you want to be understood abroad."

The concept of a "harmonious society from Confucian philosophy, for example, is as difficult to comprehend for Westerners and it is easy for Chinese", he says.

"You cannot find a single word about harmony in The Bible, which probably means to many Westerners that this word doesn't exist."

"Besides, Westerners like us are always in conflict, fighting, and we believe conflict and movement bring progress, which is not the case in China."

He says this is why many in the West suspect China's emphasis on promoting harmony aimed at covering up internal conflicts and wrongdoing, that China has something to hide.

Vairon and his wife came across many such misconceptions of China in Europe, especially in France, and they wanted to change that.

He has written a book and many papers on China, arguing that the concept of China as a threat must be re-evaluated. He also regularly gives lectures to Chinese officials, helping them to communicate better with Europeans.

The only way to correct misunderstandings is by talking and writing, he believes.

And that is what Vairon faithfully continues to do, acting as a bridge between different cultures and systems, traveling between China, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, talking and listening to people.

suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/03/2012 page27)