I'll be traveling to China in 2015 to visit customers for work. Do I apply for the tourist visa?

Yes, you can apply for a L type. Prepare the following documents beforehand: your valid passport and a photocopy of its data page, an application form affixed wth a recent-taken color photo, roundtrip ticket booking record and hotel reservations or an invitation letter from an entity or individual in China. Sometimes you may be required to submit a bank statement also.