A logographic language like Chinese characters, or kanji used by the Japanese, was incompatible with the typewriter. See earlier blog for more on the Chinese typewriter. Digital characters were not available when email initially became available. Besides, official documents frequently used name chops and seals in additional to hand signatures. In the 1990s, before the days of Google maps, it was quite common to receive a confirmation of an appointment along with a hand-drawn map with directions to the meeting location. For these reasons, the fax machine was a trusty office equipment for at least a decade longer than in the US. If you ever see a fax machine at your Chinese business partner’s office, resist the judgment that it is as obsolete as the cassette player. Your reaction may embarrass your counterpart and create awkwardness and tension. Contact Yvonne to avoid other mistakes.
Image downloaded from pixabay.com
