Multinational companies, of course, provide rich opportunities for networking, too. Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide holds an annual party for former employees, many of whom now work for the company’s clients, including Lenovo, Johnson & Johnson, and solar-panel maker Suntek. McKinsey has plenty of alumni who have moved into senior posts at major companies and start-ups. “Obviously, they became a valuable network for us,” says Andrew Grant, who runs the firm’s China practice in Shanghai. If one thing has remained the same for foreigners in China, it is this: cracking the guanxi code still takes hard work and perseverance. Networking at an alumni barbecue or wine tasting goes only so far when trying to build relationships of any lasting value. After the first 30 minutes at these functions, say people who have attended, foreigners and locals almost invariably break off into separate groups. What’s more, Chinese business people are more experienced and globally savvy than they were just a few years ago. They’re looking for business connections who can help them expand outside China or get their company listed on a foreign exchange. “People want something more professional and strategic from their relationships,” says Li Yifei, Viacom’s chief representative in China. “They want to know how good your guanxi is back home.”