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Area business for Chinese business connection
Chinese native serves as interpreter
Alma Products Company needed to find a way to stay competitive in the marketplace while working with its suppliers in China. So, who did the company turn to for this edge? Hua-Ming Xu, a Central Michigan University international business major.
“Many of the Chinese sources do not speak English, or if they do it’s very limited,” said Stephen D. Saylor, commodity manager at Alma Products Company – a medium-sized manufacturing company that produces new and remanufactured automotive component parts. “Since I only speak a very limited amount of Mandarin Chinese, it was necessary for us to have an interpreter. In 2005 we contracted Hua-Ming Xu (Ming Hua Xu) to be our interpreter and assist us in communicating with our Chinese business contacts. He has been very instrumental in making it possible for us to communicate.”
Xu, a native of the Province of Yuannan, China, came to live in Grand Rapids with his parents in 1993. Since then he has retained a strong connection to Chinese culture. As a CMU student, he studied in Hong Kong for a semester, taking language and business courses and introducing himself to a totally new education system.
“It was very difficult, but I felt at home there,” Xu said. “I learned some of the different ways the Chinese do business. For instance, here a verbal contract on a quote is usually good. In China, you only get a ballpark figure on a quote, and this can often change.”
Xu turns local experience into international business
Xu’s experience as a study abroad student made him a perfect fit at Alma Products. Working between four to six hours every month to translate over the phone, Xu has used his fluent Cantonese and Mandarin to help Saylor work out business details related to issues, deadlines, and capacity – to name a few.
“I’ve learned a lot of technical terms for specific car parts,” Xu said. “I never thought of interpreting parts of a car, but it’s interesting. I know that if I get the chance to intern at Alma Products this summer, I will learn even more.”
After graduation in fall 2006, Xu plans to study at the East China Normal University in Shanghai as the next step toward building his communication skills and making business contacts that will shape his future.
“My goal is to start a service business in China,” Xu said. “I will hire people with a deep understanding of China and other languages in order to help Chinese companies that desire to do business with other countries. My company will help them build credibility, which is very important in China. Bringing my knowledge of the United States into China will give me a big advantage.”
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International business major Hua-Ming Xu became an important link between an area business and its manufacturers in China – an experience that has strengthened both his international business and language skills.
 During his study abroad in Hong Kong, Hua-Ming Xu got the chance to reconnect with his Chinese heritage, learn cultural differences, and see some of China’s beautiful natural sites, like this volcanic lake.
CBA Export Program offers international training
The College of Business Administration at CMU, in conjunction with local pro-business organizations and the U.S. Department of Education, is proud to offer a special program to help small and medium-sized businesses take advantage of markets beyond our domestic borders.
The CBA Export Program provides educational and consulting services at little-to-no cost. A series of workshops is designed to help businesses expand overseas into China, Mexico, Canada, India, Japan, and the European Union. Topics include:
- Foreign market entry and strategy, with an emphasis on low-end entry modes
- International trade resources and research tools
- Trade documentation and transportation logistics
- Managing cultural differences
- Legal and regulatory environment of international trade
The program can lead to certification in export promotion. For more information, contact the LaBelle Entrepreneurship Center at (989) 774-3270.
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