As China begins developing stronger ties with Caribbean countries, one country in the region, Belize, has reciprocated by offering courses on Chinese economic development and business etiquette to undergraduates and MBA students at Galen University.

Belize officials are hoping to attract the kind of Chinese investments that have been made in nearby countries over the past few years, including a $35-million stadium in the Bahamas; a sports stadium, grammar school, and renovated hospital in Dominica; a new cricket stadium and power plant in Barbuda and Antigua; and an offer to lend $6.3 billion to Caribbean governments, according to a 2012 report in the New York Times.

Among the wildest rumors is a report that one Chinese tycoon is planning to build a $40-billion canal in Nicaragua that would rival the long relied-upon Panama Canal, a major maritime shipping conduit connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans at the mid-section of the Americas.

With all of this activity at Belize's doorstep, Galen University officials aim to give its students a head start in understanding the fundamentals of Chinese business. Courses offered include Chinese history, philosophy, culture, language, geography, business etiquette, foreign investment and economics.  The last module of the course requires students to research local Chinese business activity in Belize.

There is already significant Chinese investment in Belize. Belizean citrus companies are using Chinese manufactured foil bags for shipping products abroad, and some Belizean auto companies specialize in Chinese-made cars, like the Great Wall Wingle, which is viewed as a quality utility vehicle in a country where economic activities revolve around the production of agricultural products (bananas, citrus, etc.). Chinese products are viewed by local consumers as a higher quality category and free from defects. According to the Statistical Institute of Belize, there are 3,316 ethnic Chinese living in Belize, a country with a total population of 334,297. Numerous reports indicate that even such a small percentage of Chinese represent a significant force in the business community in Belize.

When it comes to understanding how Chinese are doing business in Belize, students take great efforts to recount their own experiences, along with conducting survey/interview research to gain a comprehensive view of how Chinese business activity is going in Belize.

"The Chinese have been having a great impact on our lives here in Belize," said Tricia Soberanis, a student who works as a customs officer. "They run grocery shops and supermarkets, fast food restaurants and bars, hotels, car washes, hardware stores, Internet cafes, and computer repairs. In Corozal, where I live, four Chinese grocery stores are located beside each other, and across the street there are probably one or two more. Almost every block there is a Chinese establishment of some kind."

"With so many fraudulent activities taking place in today's society, the Chinese are never hesitant to conduct a transaction and always have the relevant documentation prepared and handy to process their transactions," said Leslieann Polonio, a Galen student who works as a professional banker.

"Although, Chinese residents might not fully understand or speak the language, they do their best to understand the customer. They are not intimidated or embarrassed to put a few Kriol and English words and phrases together as their form of communication," said Karen Novelo, another Galen student.

"Monthly, I visit the Chinese vendors to seek quotations for supplies in order to get the best deals available in the market," said Modesta Cal, a student who serves as procurement professional. "Generally, in my opinion, the Chinese are excellent business persons who have tried their best to provide excellent and prompt service to the company."

"Professionally, they are very business oriented and follow up basic business standards via a low-cost strategy -- a strategy which has fortunately made them successful in Belize. Probably, it's the opportune time for me to learn Mandarin to understand the Chinese a bit more," Cal continued.

These findings underscore various ways that the Chinese business people are operating in Belize, but more importantly serve as a reminder to the international community that the ability to cooperate harmoniously with others, despite deep cultural differences, is the key to success.

The author serves as an adjunct professor of business at Galen University, where he has taught courses on Chinese business