Other emerging cultural factors are in play. “There seems to be an unwritten requirement that a Chinese- American or an Asian American on the team pursuing the work be one that is also tasked with a major responsibility, other than merely acting as a technical interpreter,” says Ben Lao, an airport consultant. The individual, he adds, must have strong credentials, including education from a prestigious university.

Lao, who has worked in China for American engineering firms, says he knew years ago, when he came to the U.S. to pursue his education, that the opportunities would be there. “I had every intention to return to Asia as my thought then was that, except for Japan, it was so low on the totem pole that the only direction it could go was up,” he says.

China has moved up. Thanks to the experience the Chinese have gained from massive infrastructure projects in the past decade, “they have wised up,” adds Lao. “They have dealt with the French, the British, Germans, Japanese, etc. They want [the firms they work with] to not only possess technical know-how but to show them something better than what they've seen before. [They also want] someone they feel they can trust who also can understand them and relate to them.”

Nurturing relationships at every level is crucial, he says. “Most U.S. firms appear to view prospects in China on a project-by-project basis,” rather than focusing on the relationship itself, he notes.

That's where the ICTPA can help. Noting common concerns in business, such as theft of trade secrets, Zhai says, “Fortunately, construction does not have many high-level trade secrets. Groups like the ITCPA are great sources for technical communication and for learning professional conduct.”