My feeling is that guanxi/relationships is how you deal with a low-trust environment. If you can't trust strangers to keep their word, because of lack of share

My feeling is that guanxi/relationships is how you deal with a low-trust environment. If you can't trust strangers to keep their word, because of lack of shared morals and/or lack of impartial laws and their enforcement, then the rational thing to do is to get to know someone before trusting them. Also, get recommendations from people you trust. Work with family, because you know them best of all.