Some of you that have had enough dealings within China can pretty much start to sense the patterns most Chinese people do. I have my own rules and my first and foremost rule in China is...

1) Don't trust the Chinese people (meaning Mainlanders)

I don't have this rule to be mean or say that all Chinese are cheaters or liars (however a lot are). But you will find that many Chinese just don't know what they are doing or talking about. So they will tell you things like... "no problem" "nope we don't have it"... "don't worry, it's okay" or be really good on presentation but when it comes time to deliver...

Just an example, I mentioned before me and my wife recently bought an apartment here. And while I knew the complex would be good, the design showed two man made rivers in the second and third row of buildings. I was extremely clear that our apartment ABSOLUTELY had to have a view of the water... if it didn't... I would freak out and I knew I would.

At the time, the buildings weren't completed yet and they kept telling me they would follow the design shown on paper and with those little housing models. I told them they better. After some time (about a year later), we discovered they were moving a bit slow and I simply didn't trust them. So I said we should move to the second row because I saw that that lake had already been built (even though it meant paying a little more). Also, it would mean a view of the lake in-front and behind us but guess what?

They screwed the entire third row out of the promised man-made river. Instead they threw in some parks and plazas and on top of that another developer is putting up buildings RIGHT behind the third row... nice view of concrete for them.

The complex is awesome but the people in the third row got severely screwed over just like I feared they would be...  I can't tell you enough how rule #1 has always saved me ass in China.

How about you guys? What rule do you live by when dealing with Chinese people?