Meeting and Greeting

When greeting someone or speaking during a meeting, the Vietnamese will avert their eyes. “It’s a sign of respect given to you,” says Foster.

Giving a Gift

Wrap a gift in green or red, because those colors are most “widely associated with wealth and prosperity,” says Ping Deng, PhD, an associate professor of business administration at Maryville University in St. Louis, Miss.

Dining

Do not hurry through anything, says Kathie de Chirico, the president and CEO of Visionary Strategies, a licensing and branding firm based in Skillman, N.J. “It is impolite to make the host and executives feel as though you are rushing them through the time they have committed to your visit.”

Other Etiquette

American humor does not always translate, so it’s best not to try and lighten up a meeting by being funny. Your meaning may be misconstrued and considered rude, adds de Chirico, who has planned events for U.S.-based companies in Vietnam.

A person’s head is sacred, so never touch a Vietnamese person there, says Lee of EthnoConnect.