Many Westerners who have had experiences with the Chinese take up this paradox: in a society dictated by collectivist rules, the Chinese sometimes behave in a very individualist way. How to interpret this?
Indeed, China’s network and relationship-based approach allow Chinese to be individualist as long as they respect and fulfill their many obligations to the various members of the group to which they belong.
Confucius believes that each individual exists only in relation to the others. By fulfilling his role in the society, everyone expands and enriches his individuality for the greater good of the community to which he belongs. Chinese society is neither individualist nor collectivist in the true sense. Unlike Japan, where ethics is based on the collective group, in China, it is still based on the relations between particular individuals, who form a network which shares the same interests.
These cultural codes help to better understand the professional behavior of the Chinese. They are the manifestation of deeply held values and beliefs.