1 Introduction

It introduces the increasing demand for Business Chinese learning as China's status in international business rises, yet the acquisition of refusal speech acts by international students in business communication remains unclear. Previous studies have predominantly focused on daily life scenarios, with limited research on business contexts. The chapter reviews research on speech act classification, discourse sequence structures of refusal speech acts, types of refusal methods and strategies, and factors influencing strategy selection, highlighting the insufficient examination of specific domains such as business scenarios. This study aims to investigate and analyze international students' refusal speech acts in business contexts through discourse completion tests, including discourse structures, strategy types, influencing factors, and pragmatic errors, with the goal of enriching research content, expanding research boundaries, and providing insights for teaching.

2 Research Design and Statistical Analysis of Results

This chapter presents the research design and statistical analysis of results regarding international students' refusal speech acts in Business Chinese. The study adopts a questionnaire format, incorporating six types of refusal-triggering behaviors and ten business dialogue scenarios, while considering social distance and power dynamics to examine international students' refusal responses in different contexts. The participants include 36 international students with intermediate to advanced Chinese proficiency and three Chinese company employees. Statistical analysis reveals that international students primarily use a discourse structure of "opening act + supportive act" for refusals in business contexts, favoring indirect refusal strategies, with explanation of reasons and apology being the most commonly used strategies. Chinese company employees employ a wider range of refusal strategies, frequently using explanation of reasons and suggestion strategies. While international students demonstrate good acquisition of refusal speech acts, their strategy usage is relatively limited and requires further development.

3 Analysis of Pragmatic Errors in International Students' Refusal Speech

This chapter analyzes pragmatic errors in international students' refusal speech acts in Business Chinese. The study finds that factors such as social distance, social power, and communication contexts influence international students' choice of refusal strategies. In terms of social distance, international students employ different strategies when refusing colleagues, business partners, and strangers, yet pragmatic errors exist. Regarding social power, international students exhibit inadequate understanding of refusal approaches toward superiors and subordinates. In various communication contexts, the selection of refusal strategies also shows biases. Common pragmatic errors among international students include a lack of polite expressions or address terms and insufficient understanding of refusal approaches across different social power dynamics, reflecting their limited awareness of pragmatic principles in cross-cultural communication.

4 Conclusion and Pedagogical Implications

This chapter summarizes international students' performance in refusal speech acts in Business Chinese, noting their preference for indirect refusal methods, which are influenced by factors such as social distance and power dynamics, leading to pragmatic errors. To address these issues, pedagogical recommendations are proposed, including enhancing cultural sensitivity, refining the teaching of refusal strategies, and strengthening the correction of pragmatic errors. Additionally, the study acknowledges limitations, such as a small sample size and insufficient differentiation of participants' backgrounds, and offers prospects for future research directions.