II. Cultural Comparison: China and the United StatesThe famous American anthropologist and cross-cultural researcher Edward Hall stated that “culture is communication and communication is culture” (Pennycook, 1985, pp. 269). As a result, an in-depth study of any group's communication patterns provides a window into that group and vice versa. In this section, the culture and communication models of China will be compared with those present in the United States of America. This comparison will be made by examining four cultural dimensions or aspects of communication. For convenience and clarity, the presentation of these dimensions will be divided into four subsections: power distance, individualism/collectivism, high/low context communication, and proxemics. It should be noted right away that the cultural dimensions discussed in this paper represent general trends determined through study and observation, but these characterizations obviously do not apply to every member of that particular culture. Variation within cultures prohibits all-encompassing categorizations, but most of the trends used in this article have been confirmed by scholars and experts as referenced. Power DistanceNeuliep (2012) borrows from noted social psychologist Geert Hofstede in defining power distance as “the extent to which less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally” (pp. 76-77). Put another way, power distance is the degree to which ordinary people accept inequality in their society or culture. This dimension of intercultural communication varies greatly from society to society and can often lead to communication difficulties. I have...... half of the paper ......explicit verbal communication in favor of reading facial expressions, posture or speed of interaction to communicate. For the Chinese, “contracts are not considered binding… as much as trust between the parties involved” (p. 287). In contrast, American negotiators are focused on achieving maximum economic gain and view socialization during the negotiation process as inefficient and unnecessary. The distinction between low-context American and high-context Chinese American is easily demonstrated by the following description of American communication: The American way of life, in contrast, leaves little room for the cultivation of ambiguity. The dominant American temperament requires clear and direct communication. It is expressed in common injunctions such as “Say what you mean,” “Don't beat around the bush,” and “Get to the point” (Levine, 1985, p.. 28).