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突破汽车垄断 中国制造
添加时间:2015-01-30 18:26:56 浏览次数: 作者:未知
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  • On a typical journey from Beijing to Boston, a traveller might fly a Boeing 777 on Hainan Airlines’ new direct service between the two cities and then take a German-built subway carriage on the Blue line from Logan Airport to Government Center. There, a family member might be waiting in a Volvo, a car that has long been popular with drivers in New England despite the Swedish carmaker’s larger travails1. 通常而言,从北京到波士顿的旅行者,可能要先乘坐海航(Hainan Airlines)新开通的北京到波士顿直飞航线上的波音(Boeing) 777飞机,然后搭乘波士顿地铁蓝线(Blue line),在德国制造的地铁车厢中从洛根机场(Logan Airport)站坐到政府中心(Government Center)站下车。你的家人或许已经开着沃尔沃(Volvo)在那里等候了。尽管这家瑞典汽车制造商总体上经营困难,但沃尔沃汽车长期以来一直受到美国新英格兰地区人们的喜爱。

    Substitute a Comac C929 for the Boeing 777, a CNR Corp subway car for the Blue Line’s Siemens-made rolling stock and a Geely GC9 for the Volvo, and you have the Chinese government’s vision of a future in which long-distance travel features made-in-China planes, trains and automobiles2. 将那架波音777客机换成中国商飞C929,将波士顿地铁蓝线的西门子(Siemens)地铁车辆换成中国北车(CNR Corp)的产品,将沃尔沃汽车换成吉利(Geely)博瑞GC9,这就是中国政府愿景中未来的长途旅行:中国制造的飞机、列车和汽车。

    Planes aside, that future could be coming sooner than many people realise. In October, CNR, one of China’s two largest rolling stock manufacturers, surprised the global rail industry by winning a $570m tender to supply more than 280 subway cars to Boston’s public transit3 system. 除去飞机,这样的未来或许会比许多人意识到的更快到来。去年10月,身为中国最大两家列车制造商之一的中国北车让全世界铁路行业大吃一惊:它赢得了波士顿公共交通系统280多辆地铁车辆、价值5.7亿美元的供货大标。

    Like so many of China’s industrial advances, this one came as a bolt from the blue after years of quiet development and a steady accumulation of contracts and experience primarily in developing markets. Chinese companies are increasingly aiming for contracts in the US and other mature economies, potentially foreshadowing a reshaping of the global rail industry. But their ambitions ultimately extend far beyond Boston, and to industries far beyond rail. 中国的工业进步往往都是这样取得的,这一个也不例外:经过多年悄无声息的发展,主要在发展中市场逐渐积累合同和经验,然后突然一鸣惊人。中国企业越来越多地瞄准美国和其他成熟经济体中的合同,有改变全球铁路行业面貌的势头。不过它们的雄心不会止步于波士顿,也不会止步于铁路行业。

    To win over Boston area transport officials, CNR promised to assemble the subway cars at a new facility in Springfield, a city in western Massachusetts desperate for investment and jobs. CNR’s bid was also by far the lowest submitted, coming in almost 50 per cent below Bombardier’s $1.08bn. 为了赢得波士顿地区交通官员的支持,中国北车承诺要在斯普林菲尔德市建一个新的地铁车辆装配厂。这个位于马萨诸塞州西部的城市眼下急需投资和就业岗位。中国北车的中标价远远低于其他所有投标,比庞巴迪(Bombardier)的投标价(10.8亿美元)低出近50%。

    In the process, Chinese executives learned a bit about community politics, Boston-style. Guided by US lobbyists and a PR specialist who had previously4 worked for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, CNR wisely kept its cool as local activists5 tried to tie the contract decision, rather tenuously6, to China’s record on human rights. 在这个过程中,中国的高管们也领略了一些波士顿风格的社区政治。在美国游说者和曾为马萨诸塞湾交通局(MBTA)效力的一名公关专家指导下,中国北车在当地活动人士试图用中国的人权记录牵强地影响招标决定时保持了冷静。

    Lu Xiwei, head of the CNR unit that will deliver the subway cars, also deftly7 fended8 off — in polite English — a pack of Boston reporters who wanted to compare the base salaries of his company’s China workforce9 to US blue-collar workers. 中国北车美国公司总经理卢西伟还用礼貌的英语,巧妙挡开了一群波士顿记者有关中国工人与美国工人基本工资差异的提问。

    Separately, Mr Lu schmoozed everyone from Springfield mayor Domenic Sarno to neighbourhood groups and the editorial board of The Republican, a local newspaper. “We are not here just for one project,” Mr Lu assured them, as he outlined plans to invest $60m in a disused Westinghouse plant and create 250 jobs. “We are entering into the entire North American market from here.” 此外,卢西伟与各方亲切交谈,从斯普林菲尔德市长多梅尼克•萨诺(Domenic Sarno)、到社区团体和斯普林菲尔德《共和党人报》(The Republican)编委。“我们来这儿不是只做一个项目。”卢西伟向他们保证说。他概述了在西屋电气(Westinghouse)工厂旧址投资6000万美元建厂、创造250个就业岗位的计划。“我们将以这里为起点,进入整个北美市场。”

    Springfield swooned, grateful at the opportunity to get back into the railway business. The city used to be home to the Wason Manufacturing Co, which supplied the funeral train that transported Abraham Lincoln’s body back to Illinois after his assassination10 in Washington. Wason closed its plant during the Great Depression. 这个计划让斯普林菲尔德人喜出望外,他们非常感激自己的城市有机会重新回到铁路这一行。这个城市曾经是沃森制造公司(Wason Manufacturing Co)的所在地。当年亚伯拉罕•林肯(Abraham Lincoln)在华盛顿遇刺后,将他的遗体运回伊利诺伊州家乡的林肯灵柩专列就是这家公司生产的。沃森的工厂在大萧条(Great Depression)期间倒闭了。

    As for Chinese cars, most New England Volvo drivers are probably unaware11 that their beloved Swedish brand has belonged to a Chinese company, Zhejiang Geely, since 2009 — or that Volvo will begin small-scale exports of Chinese-made cars to the US this year. 至于中国汽车,大多数驾驶沃尔沃汽车的新英格兰人大概都不知道,这个他们热爱的瑞典品牌自2009年起就属于一家中国公司(浙江吉利)了,他们大概也不知道沃尔沃从今年开始要向美国小规模出口中国制造的汽车了。

    Like Jaguar12 Land Rover, the UK manufacturing champion that has thrived under Indian ownership, Volvo retains its original identity. Indeed, Volvo’s own turnround can probably be credited to Geely’s willingness to give its European managers more freedom than they ever enjoyed under their previous owner, Ford13 Motor. 与被印度公司收购后起死回生的捷豹路虎(Jaguar Land Rover)一样(捷豹路虎原本是英国制造业的骄傲),沃尔沃也保留了自己原本的身份。事实上,沃尔沃本身的起死回生,或许也要归功于吉利愿意给予前者的欧洲经理人更多自由,之前在福特汽车(Ford Motor)旗下时,他们从没有拥有过那么大的自由权。

    Convincing US drivers to buy one of Geely’s Chinese brands, such as its new flagship GC9 sedan, will be a much harder task. But as Bob Grace, head of JLR’s China operations, has observed, crazier things have happened before in the car industry. “You’ve seen [Czech brand] Skoda go from being one of the bargain basement brands . . . to become very successful under the VW group,” he said in a briefing last year. 想要说服美国人购买一辆吉利旗下的中国品牌汽车,比如其最新旗舰款博瑞GC9轿车,则应该会困难得多。但是,正如捷豹路虎大中华区总裁高博(Bob Grace)所说,更加疯狂的事情在汽车行业也曾发生过。“有目共睹的是,(捷克品牌)斯柯达(Skoda)被大众(VW)集团收编后就从原本那个不受欢迎的低价品牌……发展成了一个非常成功的品牌。”他去年在一次说明会上表示。

    “Things do change relatively14 in a short period of time and I think the Chinese will shorten that timeline more than most.” “情况真的会在相对较短的时间里发生改变,而我认为中国人应该会比其他大多数国家的人更快地实现这种改变。”

    Finally, there is China’s vision of replacing that Hainan Airlines Boeing 777 with a C929 — Beijing’s state-funded wide-body airliner15 project. Even the most ambitious Chinese government officials would probably admit this remains16 a distant dream that is decades away. 最后,中国还梦想将海航的波音777客机换成中国商飞C929,后者是正在开发中的一种宽体客机,它的开发由中国政府提供资金。即便是最雄心勃勃的中国政府官员或许也会承认,这仍然是个遥远的梦想,还需要几十年的时间才能实现。

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    1 travails [trəˈveɪlz] 95056a2da4e326571f15f3d4cf11e9ad   第11级
    n.艰苦劳动( travail的名词复数 );辛勤努力;痛苦;分娩的阵痛
    参考例句:
    • In the and travails of businesses you'll always need hometown help. 就算你的业务扩大到其他城市,也不要忘了你的发源地。 来自互联网
    • Tata Motor's travails with Land Rover and Jaguar spring to mind as recent less-than-favorable examples. 印度塔塔汽车公司对陆虎和捷豹品牌的辛苦收购就是最近一个不如人意的例子。 来自互联网
    2 automobiles ['ɔ:təməbi:lz] 760a1b7b6ea4a07c12e5f64cc766962b   第7级
    n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后,就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上,汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
    3 transit [ˈtrænzɪt] MglzVT   第7级
    n.经过,运输;vt.穿越,旋转;vi.越过
    参考例句:
    • His luggage was lost in transit. 他的行李在运送中丢失。
    • The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily. 这条运河每天能通过50条船。
    4 previously ['pri:vɪəslɪ] bkzzzC   第8级
    adv.以前,先前(地)
    参考例句:
    • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point. 自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
    • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously. 让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
    5 activists ['æktɪvɪsts] 90fd83cc3f53a40df93866d9c91bcca4   第7级
    n.(政治活动的)积极分子,活动家( activist的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
    • Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    6 tenuously ['tenjʊəslɪ] 79e49608838f25ae5f5b872912ed8f51   第10级
    薄地; 细地; 空洞无物地; 无关紧要地
    参考例句:
    • His works tenuously survive in the minds of a few scholars. 他的作品仅在几个学者脑中留下了些细微的印象。
    7 deftly [deftlɪ] deftly   第8级
    adv.灵巧地,熟练地,敏捷地
    参考例句:
    • He deftly folded the typed sheets and replaced them in the envelope. 他灵巧地将打有字的纸折好重新放回信封。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • At last he had a clew to her interest, and followed it deftly. 这一下终于让他发现了她的兴趣所在,于是他熟练地继续谈这个话题。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
    8 fended [fendid] 91b0599f2c74c95c02b51efaca41f196   第8级
    v.独立生活,照料自己( fend的过去式和过去分词 );挡开,避开
    参考例句:
    • He neatly fended off a jab at his chest. 他利落地挡开了当胸的一击。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • I fended off his sword thrust with my spear. 他一刀砍来,我拿枪架住。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
    9 workforce [ˈwɜ:kfɔ:s] workforce   第8级
    n.劳动大军,劳动力
    参考例句:
    • A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture. 劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
    • A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed. 本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。
    10 assassination [əˌsæsɪ'neɪʃn] BObyy   第9级
    n.暗杀;暗杀事件
    参考例句:
    • The assassination of the president brought matters to a head. 总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
    • Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation. 1865年,林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。
    11 unaware [ˌʌnəˈweə(r)] Pl6w0   第7级
    adj.不知道的,未意识到的;adv.意外地;不知不觉地
    参考例句:
    • They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
    • I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。
    12 jaguar [ˈdʒægjuə(r)] JaPz8   第12级
    n.美洲虎
    参考例句:
    • He was green with envy when he saw my new Jaguar car. 看见我那辆美洲虎牌新车,他非常妒忌。
    • Should you meet a jaguar in the jungle, just turn slowly, walk away. But slowly, never look back. 你在丛林中若碰上美洲虎,就慢慢转身走开,可一定要慢, 切莫回头看。
    13 Ford [fɔ:d, fəʊrd] KiIxx   第8级
    n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过
    参考例句:
    • They were guarding the bridge, so we forded the river. 他们驻守在那座桥上,所以我们只能涉水过河。
    • If you decide to ford a stream, be extremely careful. 如果已决定要涉过小溪,必须极度小心。
    14 relatively [ˈrelətɪvli] bkqzS3   第8级
    adv.比较...地,相对地
    参考例句:
    • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia. 兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
    • The operation was relatively painless. 手术相对来说不痛。
    15 airliner [ˈeəlaɪnə(r)] Azxz9v   第8级
    n.客机,班机
    参考例句:
    • The pilot landed the airliner safely. 驾驶员使客机安全着陆。
    • The passengers were shepherded across the tarmac to the airliner. 旅客们被引导走过跑道去上飞机。
    16 remains [rɪˈmeɪnz] 1kMzTy   第7级
    n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
    参考例句:
    • He ate the remains of food hungrily. 他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
    • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog. 残羹剩饭喂狗了。

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