To Understand China, You Need to Understand the Power of ‘Guanxi.’

We climbed the three stories to a small room, packed with ‘foreigners,’ of all shapes and sizes, each one of us eager to get the green light to stay in China. 

But unfortunately, there’s nothing eager about the pace with which we’re given the chop. (China’s regularly used word for the official stamp that certifies just about everything.)

People are waiting idly for hours on the straight-backed, sea green Formica chairs, gazing into space, while a bored ...