Ｂｅｒｔｅｌｓｍａｎｎ Ｂｏｏｋ Ｃｌｕｂ Ｔｅｒｍｉｎａｔｅｄ ｉｎ Ｃｈｉｎａ

Ｌｌ　ＹＡＨＯＮＧ

ON July 14，Li Meng re-ceived a refund noticefrom Bertelsmann China，announcing the closure ofall businesses owned by Shanghai Ber-telsmann Culture Industry CO．，Ltd．，including the China Book Club．“I feltsorry when I learned of the news，”saysLi Meng，a magazine worker who hadbeen a member of the club for nineyears．On July 31，Bertelsmann alsOclosed its 36 retail bookshops in18Chinese cities．Just six years ago theclub had 1.5 million members and wasthe largest membership-based retailerof books and other media in the PRC．But a combination of factors．both inChina and abroad，has seen the clubwind up its operations in the country．