[reaperducer]

The business success or failure of a movie is entirely determined by how much money it makes

Even without your movement of goalposts, a movie can still be successful without being in China.

The most successful movies in history were released, and massively profitable, before China's market opened to the rest of the world.

To maximize that success (or even to be considered a success), you must publish in China.

This is simply false. There are plenty of successful businesses, movies, video games, and other enterprises that never touch China. I hate to break it to you, but China is a non-factor for the vast majority of businesses on the planet.