????當代生意場上有一條鐵律：去中國投資，否則就會危及未來的發展。正因為如此，有一件事值得引起注意，一度在打開中國市場中積極扮演急先鋒的一家公司如今正在某種程度上放棄這種努力。

????默多克今年夏天從其以出版為主的新聞集團（News Corp.）拆分出來的電影和電視公司——21世紀福克斯公司（21st Century Fox）正在積極縮減自己在這個世界第二大經濟體的投資規模。這個事態的發展令人震驚，原因完全在于，默多克曾經耗費了這么多年的時間這么熱情地追逐中國市場。而且這家公司從中國撤資的方式充滿了火藥味。默多克目前聘為旗下公司高管的唯一一個兒子詹姆斯批評中國政府行事膽怯，而且對改革缺乏承諾。

????為什么現在從中國撤資呢？小默多克今年7月份在美國科羅拉多州阿斯彭召開的《財富》雜志年度科技行業大會上接受全面采訪期間說：“我們搞創意產業的在中國做生意一直都很困難。江澤民領導時期，政治開放，一切都可以積極嘗試。這個時期結束后，中國對投資和開放變得謹小慎微……我認為很多人并沒有充分地注意到（這種轉變）。基本上可以說，在中國做生意變得越來越困難了。”

????因此，21世紀福克斯公司近來一直在忙于拋售在華資產，同時減持投資。幾年前，這家公司將自己在電視廣播公司——星空傳媒集團中國分公司（Star China）持有的股份削減到了50％以下。最近，它又將自己在上市公司鳳凰衛視（Phoenix Satellite Television）持有的股份從17％縮減至12％。一位發言人說：“我們將繼續在這個以及其他在華投資項目上研究我們的戰略選擇。”

????從某種程度上講，21世紀福克斯公司正在縮減在華投資規模，而其他公司則正在擴大在華投資規模。相對論傳媒公司（Relativity Media）和夢工廠動畫公司（DreamWorks Animation）已在中國電影制作方面投入巨資。傳奇娛樂公司（Legendary Entertainment）最近與中國最大的電影發行商簽署了一項協議。【21世紀福克斯公司并沒有完全逃離中國：一年前它收購了中國另一家電影發行公司——博納影業集團（Bona Film Group）17％的股份。】

????不過，根據詹姆斯?默多克的語氣來判斷（他是21世紀福克斯公司的副首席營運官，主要負責全球的電視業務），中國在默多克帝國中的優先事項列表上排名靠后。而印度已經成為它最青睞的亞洲國家。“與此同時，在我們投資亞洲的20年里，我們在印度擁有最大的傳媒公司，獲得了巨大的成功，無論是從財務角度還是……知名度的角度。我們在印度九種語言的原創節目和原創作品和內容創作領域投資巨大。而與我們在印度取得的上述成就相比，我們在中國取得進展的態勢與此完全不同。我們只是認定，（印度）是一個更好的市場。”

????從某種程度上說， 21世紀福克斯（中國）公司撤離中國市場與其特定行業有關。著名的中國問題觀察人士、亞洲協會（Asia Society）美中關系中心主任奧維爾?斯科勒說：“傳媒行業是中國打算留到最后一批才會放手的自留地。雖然很多人在中國賺到了錢，但在傳媒領域賺錢并不容易。外資成功介入的與傳媒最接近的領域是公關行業，公關實際上就是宣傳。而中國人很懂宣傳。”（財富中文網）

????譯者：iDo98?

????It is an iron-clad rule of the contemporary business landscape: Invest in China or imperil your future growth. It's noteworthy, then, that one of the most aggressive western companies in terms of trying to crack the China nut is more or less giving up the fight.

????21st Century Fox, the film and TV company Rupert Murdoch cleaved from his print-focused News Corp. (NWSA) this summer, is actively reducing its exposure the world's second-largest economy. It's a shocking development only in that Murdoch spent so many years pursuing the China market so enthusiastically. The company is going out guns-a-blazing too. Murdoch's son James, his only child currently employed as a company executive, has criticized the Chinese government for timidity and a lack of commitment to reform.

????Why get out now? "It's always been hard for us in the business of ideas to do business in China," the younger Murdoch said during an extensive interview in July at Fortune's annual technology-industry conference, in Aspen, Colo. "We went from the end of the Jiang Zemin regime, which was liberalizing, trying to do all things, to a much more ... timid approach to investment and to liberalization ... I don't think a lot of people noticed [the shift] enough. And basically it became harder to do business there."

????As a result, 21st Century Fox (FOX) has been busy selling off and selling down investments. A few years ago it cuts its stake in broadcaster Star China to below 50%. More recently it reduced its stake in publicly traded Phoenix Satellite Television from 17% to 12%. A spokeswoman says "we're continuing to explore our strategic options," in this and other China investments.

????To some extent 21st Century Fox is zigging where others are zagging. Relativity Media and DreamWorks Animation have invested heavily in film production in China. Legendary Entertainment recently signed a deal with China's largest film distributor. (21st Century Fox isn't completely fleeing: A year ago it took a 17% stake in another Chinese film distribution, Bona Film Group.)

????But judging James Murdoch's tone -- he is the company's deputy chief operating officer, with responsibilities primarily in global television activities -- China is low on the Murdoch empire's list of priorities. India has become its favored Asian nation. "In the meantime, in the 20 years we've been investing in Asia, contrast what we've achieved in India, [where we own] the largest media company ... which is hugely successful financially and ... from a popularity point of view. We're a big investor in original programming and original writing and content creation in India in nine different languages. It's a fundamentally different animal [from China]." We just decided that [India] was a better place to be."

????To some extent, the 21st Century Fox China retreat is a function of its specific industry. "When it comes to the media this is one of the last preserves that China is going to let go of," says Orville Schell, a noted China observer and director of the Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations. "Although many people are making money in China, it's not easy to make money in the media. The closest anyone has come is in public relations, which is really propaganda. And the Chinese understand propaganda."??