i think the wroking environment is more complex in china than in western. In order to get a deal , you need to pay some effort on other aspects like the heads and buliding your relationships with them. maybe it is considered as a corruption by some people ,but i think it is just the tradition. So perhaps it leads to the feeling that chinese are less action oriented.
I dont know what the Germans are like ,but it seems they work more seriously .
In a state-owned company ,you need to understand the potential rules and spend more effort on other aspects like relationship with your boss.