Business Relationships 

Chinese(Asian) business people want to develop relationships with the people they buy and sell to. While Americans(western) aren't opposed to strong relationships, the value of the transaction comes first. However, for Chinese, relationships are generally more important. For this reason, Chinese businesspeople often want to get to know the person they're doing business with and tend to prefer face-to-face interactions. While this can slow down the pace of business, trust is at a premium in the Chinese business culture. Don't be surprised if a business partner asks you about your personal life or even your finances. This is a sign of interest, not indication of rudeness or disrespect.

Reference: Sandbox 2015; Asia population, culture and economy. Available at; http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/asia-population-culture-economy.html