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China is putting the heat on foreign auto makers.
中國正在對外國汽車制造商施壓。
On Wednesday, Volkswagen AG said it would recall more than 380,000 vehicles following a critical report from China's powerful state-run television broadcaster last week alleging problems with the transmissions in some of its most popular models. A VW spokesman said it was too early to estimate costs, though some analysts said the recall could run as high as $618 million.
周三，大眾汽車(Volkswagen AG)宣布，它將召回逾38萬輛汽車。此前中國影響力很大且具有官方背景的一家電視臺上周報(bào)道，大眾汽車生產(chǎn)的部分最受歡迎的車型存在變速箱問題。大眾汽車發(fā)言人說，現(xiàn)在估計(jì)成本還為時(shí)過早。但一些分析師表示，此次召回的成本可能高達(dá)6.18億美元。
China Central Television this week broadcast separate complaints claiming luxury autos made by BMW AG, Audi and Daimler AG reduced cabin noise and absorbed vibration with materials it said emitted fumes that were harmful to consumer health. CCTV's reports cited test results conducted by Beijing University of Chemical Technology that showed traces of asphalt.
中國中央電視臺(CCTV)這周另外又播出了多位消費(fèi)者的投訴，稱寶馬汽車公司(BMW AG)、奧迪(Audi)和戴姆勒公司(Daimler AG)生產(chǎn)的豪華汽車所使用的降噪減震阻尼片會散發(fā)出對消費(fèi)者健康有害的異味。央視的報(bào)道引用了北京化工大學(xué)(Beijing University of Chemical Technology)的檢測結(jié)果，結(jié)果顯示這種材料含瀝青殘余。
The state-owned broadcaster kept up the drumbeat on Wednesday, parking a reporter outside a Mercedes-Benz auto facility in Beijing. 'We will wait outside the company until they have a sincere attitude,' she told viewers.
央視周三繼續(xù)跟進(jìn)，派出一位記者守候在梅賽德斯-奔馳(Mercedes-Benz)北京工廠的門外。這位記者告訴觀眾：我們將在該公司門外等候，直到他們展現(xiàn)出真誠的態(tài)度。
A spokesman for Daimler, which owns the Mercedes-Benz brand, said it immediately began a probe in the matter, but defended its China-made cars saying they use only imported damping materials that comply with regulations world-wide.
擁有梅賽德斯-奔馳品牌的戴姆勒公司發(fā)言人說，該公司立即對此事展開了調(diào)查。但這位發(fā)言人仍然對該公司在中國生產(chǎn)的汽車辯護(hù)，稱他們只使用符合全球監(jiān)管規(guī)定的進(jìn)口阻尼片。
BMW and Audi, which is owned by Volkswagen, said they launched their own probes following the complaints. BMW said it applies uniform standards to its auto production world-wide. An Audi spokesman said a laboratory test on Wednesday found no emissions that would impact health.
寶馬和大眾汽車旗下的奧迪稱，在接到投訴之后他們已經(jīng)展開了各自的調(diào)查。寶馬公司表示，其全球范圍內(nèi)的汽車生產(chǎn)都適用統(tǒng)一標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。奧迪的一位發(fā)言人表示，周三進(jìn)行的實(shí)驗(yàn)室檢測沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)會影響駕車人健康的排放物。
The broadcasts were tied to an annual consumer rights day on Friday that has become a major event in China and has been used to target foreign brands ranging from Apple Inc. to McDonald's Corp. in ways that reflect government policy. CCTV hasn't only broadcast reports on foreign brands; this year it also took issue with autos made by domestic manufacturer, Jianghuai Automobile Co.
上述節(jié)目均同上周五的國際消費(fèi)者權(quán)益日有關(guān)。央視在這一天播出的晚會已經(jīng)成為中國國內(nèi)關(guān)注的主要事件。晚會針對的國外品牌從蘋果(Apple Inc.)到麥當(dāng)勞(McDonald's Corp.)，不一而足。其批評的方式反映的是政府政策。央視不僅播出針對國外品牌的報(bào)道，今年它也瞄準(zhǔn)了國內(nèi)汽車制造商江淮汽車(Jianghuai Automobile Co.)的產(chǎn)品。
The focus on cars comes amid signs of frustration from Chinese officials over the dominance in the world's largest auto market of foreign brands, which enjoy a reputation for quality here.
官方媒體關(guān)注汽車質(zhì)量的同時(shí)，有跡象表明中國官員對國外品牌在中國這一全球最大的汽車市場占據(jù)主導(dǎo)地位感到不悅。在中國，國外汽車品牌享有質(zhì)量好的聲譽(yù)。
In December, amid a new government push for austerity amid rising concerns over official corruption, China's president and new Communist Party top official Xi Jinping told government officials to use homegrown auto brands, noting, 'officials in foreign countries mostly use cars produced by their own countries unless they don't have production,' according to official media.
去年12月，中共新一代領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人在外界對官員腐敗問題的擔(dān)憂不斷升級的背景下主張厲行節(jié)約。據(jù)官方媒體報(bào)道，中國國家主席兼中共中央總書記習(xí)近平要求政府官員坐自主品牌轎車。他說，很多外國領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人都坐自己國家生產(chǎn)的車，除非沒有生產(chǎn)。
In January, Chinese industry officials renewed calls to consolidate China's diffuse auto industry to create three to five major competitors and develop homegrown brands for Chinese drivers.
今年1月，中國業(yè)內(nèi)官員再次呼吁對中國分散的汽車產(chǎn)業(yè)進(jìn)行整合，培育三到五家有競爭力的主要汽車廠商，并為中國車主研發(fā)自主品牌轎車。
'There is a lot of resentment of the fact that the Chinese cannot compete with foreign auto makers,' said Greg Anderson, chief executive of political risk and business strategy consultancy Pacific Rim Advisors, and author of a recent book on China's auto industry. 'Foreigners have to be perfect or else the Chinese media is ready to pounce,' he added.
政治風(fēng)險(xiǎn)和商業(yè)戰(zhàn)略咨詢公司Pacific Rim Advisors的首席執(zhí)行長安德森(Greg Anderson)說，很多人對中國車企無法同外國汽車制造商競爭的事實(shí)存有不滿。外國汽車品牌最好做到完美無瑕，否則中國媒體隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備調(diào)查報(bào)道。安德森最近出版了一本有關(guān)中國汽車業(yè)的新書。
McKinsey & Co. partner Axel Krieger said global auto makers should take the increased scrutiny by authorities as a sign of Beijing's wishes. 'Foreign auto makers need to be a bit more thoughtful about how they can contribute to China,' he said. 'It's not just about companies making profit. It's about industrial policy─about helping China build its automobile industry.'
麥肯錫公司(McKinsey & Co.)合伙人柯明逸(Axel Krieger)說，全球汽車制造商應(yīng)該將中國有關(guān)部門日益加大的審查力度視作北京就自己的愿望發(fā)出的一個(gè)信號。他說，對于自己能給中國帶來什么貢獻(xiàn)的問題，外國汽車制造商應(yīng)該考慮地更周全一些。它們想的不該僅僅是如何賺取利潤，還應(yīng)該關(guān)心產(chǎn)業(yè)政策，即如何幫助中國建立其汽車產(chǎn)業(yè)。
More than 15.5 million cars were sold in China last year, up 7% from the year before. Foreign brands accounted for 70% of sales, with Volkswagen and General Motors Co. GM +3.91% nameplates among the top-selling brands. The government has set a goal of boosting domestic-brands' market share to 40% by 2015.
去年中國市場上共售出了超過1,550萬輛汽車，較上一年增長了7%。外國品牌占中國國內(nèi)汽車銷量的70%，其中大眾和通用汽車公司(General Motors Co.)屬最暢銷品牌行列。中國政府設(shè)定了目標(biāo)，欲到2015年將本土品牌的市場份額增至40%。
But only Japanese brands have disclosed weaker year-over-year sales than the domestic brands in recent months as a territorial dispute between Beijing and Tokyo soured consumers on Japanese cars and prompted some potential buyers to fear their cars could be vandalized or they could be harassed or even attacked.
這幾個(gè)月來，只有日本品牌的同比銷量增速弱于中國國產(chǎn)品牌，原因是中日領(lǐng)土爭端讓中國消費(fèi)者對日本車感到不快，也令一些潛在買家擔(dān)心，怕買了日系車后遭破壞，或受到騷擾甚至攻擊。
Many of China's auto makers have seen strong profit and sales gains, but that is due in large part to joint ventures with foreign-based companies like GM and VW. China's largest auto maker SAIC Motor Corp., 600104.SH +4.03% which has manufacturing ventures with GM and VW, posted a 12.4% year on year sales gain to 4.14 million vehicles in the first 11 months of last year.
中國國內(nèi)的很多汽車制造商利潤和銷售收入都很強(qiáng)勁，但這在很大程度上要?dú)w功于那些與通用汽車和大眾等外國廠商建立的合資企業(yè)。分別與通用和大眾合資的中國最大汽車生產(chǎn)商上海汽車集團(tuán)股份有限公司(SAIC Motor Corp.)去年前11個(gè)月銷售了414萬輛汽車，同比增加12.4%。
China is the largest market for the Volkswagen, with around one in five vehicles sold in the country belonging to the German auto maker. In 2012, the company reached sales of 2.2 million vehicles last year, up 24.8%. Globally it sold around 9.3 million vehicles in the same period. Operating profit at its two Chinese joint ventures jumped 42% last year.
中國是大眾的最大市場，這里賣出的每五輛車中就約有一輛為這個(gè)德國汽車廠商制造。2012年，大眾在華汽車銷量達(dá)到220萬輛，增加了24.8%。同期，該公司在全球售出了約930萬輛。大眾的兩家在華合資企業(yè)去年運(yùn)營利潤大增42%。
Volkswagen this month said it plans to nearly double its annual manufacturing capacity in China, already its largest market, in the next five years to 4 million vehicles. It has said its two Chinese joint ventures would spend nearly $13 billion through 2015 on production and technology expansion. Its robust sales in the country and other emerging markets have helped it largely escape the brunt of Europe's shrinking auto market.
大眾本月說，打算在未來五年將該公司的在華年產(chǎn)能增加約一倍，達(dá)到400萬輛。中國目前已是大眾的最大市場。大眾說，旗下的兩家中國合資企業(yè)到2015年將在生產(chǎn)和技術(shù)擴(kuò)張方面支出近130億美元。由于中國和其它新興市場的強(qiáng)勁銷售業(yè)績，大眾基本上沒有受到歐洲汽車市場萎縮的沖擊。
Volkswagen on Wednesday said it would recall 384,181 vehicles with seven-speed double-clutch transmissions beginning on April 2. Spokesman Christoph Ludewig said the recall would involve changing the electronics in the control unit of the transmissions of recalled cars. John Zeng, a director at LMC Automotive Consulting (Shanghai), estimates such replacement work would cost between 3,000 (about $480) yuan and 10,000 yuan a vehicle.
大眾周三說，將從4月2日起召回384,181輛配備七速雙離合變速箱的車輛。發(fā)言人路德維希(Christoph Ludewig)說，將更換召回車輛的變速箱機(jī)電單元。據(jù)艾爾西汽車市場咨詢（上海）有限公司(LMC Automotive Consulting (Shanghai))總監(jiān)曾志凌估計(jì)，這類更換費(fèi)用每輛車大概在人民幣3,000元至10,000元之間。
For the other German brands, CCTV cited tests on damping materials in six models, including the Mercedes-Benz C series, E series, BMW 3 series, BMW 5 series, Audi A6 and Audi Q5. One Mercedes-Benz owner named Jin told CCTV that a pungent odor in the car led him to suffer from dizziness, stinging eyes and a sore throat.
央視還提到，對梅賽德斯-奔馳C級和E級轎車、寶馬3系和5系、奧迪A6和Q5等其它德國品牌旗下六種車型的阻尼材料進(jìn)行了測試。一位金姓奔馳車主對央視記者說，車內(nèi)刺鼻的氣味讓他舉得頭暈，眼睛刺痛，嗓子也疼。
Still, analysts said it could take much more than the broadcasts to hurt the reputation of foreign brands in China.
盡管如此，分析師仍說，這些報(bào)道遠(yuǎn)不足以傷害外國品牌在中國的聲譽(yù)。
'In spite of growing complaints about Volkswagen's gear boxes, it is still the largest passenger car maker in China,' said LMC Automotive's Mr. Zeng.
曾志凌說，雖然有越來越多關(guān)于大眾變速箱的投訴，但大眾仍是中國最大的乘用車制造商。
On China's voluble Twitter-like microblogs, which serve as a national forum for conversation in a country with tight media restrictions, a number of people expressed skepticism about the reports.
微博上有很多網(wǎng)友對上述報(bào)道表示質(zhì)疑。在媒體受到嚴(yán)格限制的中國，微博為中國民眾提供了一個(gè)展開話題討論的全國性平臺。
'Consumers of Mercedes and BMW are rich people,' said one, posting under the name Sincerity with Regret. 'Could CCTV pay more attention to the disadvantaged groups in China, such as farmers, and expose more about the companies that cause thousands of farmers to get cancer?'
一位網(wǎng)友說，奔馳和寶馬的消費(fèi)者都是富人，央視就不能多關(guān)注一下中國農(nóng)民這樣的弱勢群體嗎？就不能多曝光那些導(dǎo)致數(shù)千名農(nóng)民患癌的公司嗎？
Another blogger wrote: 'I am more concerned with the low-end cars that Chinese civilians buy, and what is the material they use in these cars? I hope that CCTV doesn't avoid such issues.'
另一位網(wǎng)友在微博上寫道，我更關(guān)心中國百姓買的低端車，這些車?yán)镉玫氖鞘裁床牧希肯Ｍ胍暡灰乇苓@類問題。
