In an effort to drum up contracts for his sign-making company, American businessman Daniel Cavanaugh travels to Guiyang, China and pitches his services to the city’s Minister of Culture.
The city is building a new cultural center, and Cavanaugh is selling his ability to both manufacture the signage and ensure that the English translations are correct. With the help of a Western expatriate as his business consultant, he negotiates the tricky waters of Chinese business etiquette, but he must handle the romantic customs on his own.
Chinglish