Friendship and being professional in east and west

Even my former German colleague knows it, "In China, you need friends to do your work, but you can work well without friends" said he in 2006.
In European, even you have a good friend in a field, you ask for some information from him, he possible say: I can't tell you that, confident information". Then you must stop pushing him for that information. The important thing for him is being professional, he know if he tells you, not only he break the rule of company but also deliver a bad unprofessional impression to you, even you benefit from that.
But in China, if your friend refuses to help you, that means he isn't a good friend, possible it also means the end of friendship. Chinese enjoy being near to each other. Friendship is over profession, that is the heart of life. It does look a little unprofessional. But your friend will think you are a real friend, definitely will not think you are unprofessional.