经济学人305:美国科技公司在中国 诚信危机

　　Business
商业报道
American tech companies in China
美国科技公司在中国
A question of trust
诚信危机
Edward Snowden is not the only cause of American firms' Chinese troubles
斯诺登事件并非美企在华陷入危机的唯一原因
WHEN Hewlett-Packard reported quarterly results on November 26th, Meg Whitman, the chief executive, noted¹ that the performance of many of its businesses in China had weakened.
惠普公司在26号做季度总结时时，主管Meg Whitman注意到其在中国的多项业务表现得较为疲软。
HP thus joined a growing list of American technology companies which have given recent warnings of harder times for their Chinese operations.
因此惠普进入了美国科技公司的增长名单这一名单给他们处于艰难时期的中国分公司以提醒。
2_副本.jpgSome commentators—and the odd executive—have mused² that Edward Snowden may have something to answer for.
一些评论者和执行官认为也许斯诺登是一部分原因。
His revelations about America's technological³ spying, it is thought, are leading Chinese customers to shun⁴ American gear.
有评论认为斯诺登曝光美国的科技监视使中国顾客避免购买美国设备。
Fears of a backlash had been reinforced on November 25th when Qualcomm, an American semiconductor⁵ designer, said it was under investigation⁶ by an agency responsible for enforcing China's anti-monopoly law.
11月25号Qualcomm，一个半导体设计公司称一负责执行中国反垄断法的机构调查此事，这导致人们更加担心中国抵制美货。
Qualcomm says that it is not aware of doing anything that might break the law and that it is co-operating with the agency.
Qualcomm说他没有意识到所做的事可能违法中国法律，也没有意识到到正在与该机构合作。
Paul Jacobs, its boss, told the Wall Street Journal that all US tech companies are seeing pressure in China right now.
它的老板，Paul Jacobs，告诉华尔街日报称：现在在中国的所有的美国科技企业都有感受到了压力。
Many are, but the reasons for this are more numerous and complex than Chinese suspicion of American snooping.
这是大部分原因，但真正的原因远比中国怀疑美国监视要来得复杂。
Take IBM. Its revenue from China plummeted⁷ by 22% in its latest quarter, compared with the same period of 2012.
以IBM为例，与2012年同期相比，最近的一个季度IBM在中国的盈利大幅跳水22%。
Big Blue admitted that internal execution problems were partly to blame. Less convincingly, it also cited a delay in the completion of China's latest economic plan and hence the tech spending associated with it.
IBM承认内部执行问题需要付一部分责任。而它决定延期中国的最新经济计划和限制科技投入也是其在中国失宠的一部分原因。
Cisco is also feeling a chill.
思科也感到了寒意。
In its latest quarter the Chinese revenues of the American maker⁸ of computer-networking equipment were 18% lower than a year before.
较一年前相比，在前一季度中美国电脑网络设备在中过的盈利下降了18%。
Cisco also forecast that its worldwide sales would fall by up to 10% in the current quarter, partly because of weakness in China.
同时思科也预感到在临近季度中其在全球范围中的销售会下降超过10%。这一部分是因为中国市场表现疲软。
Asked on an earnings⁹ conference call whether the Snowden affair was hurting business, Cisco executives said it was causing some Chinese customers to pause before making purchases.
当在一个电话收益会议中被问到斯诺登事件是否会影响其业务，Cisco高层表示这会使一部分中国顾客暂停购买。
But Cisco's share of sales of routers and switches to internet-service providers such as China Telecom and China Unicom, and to other providers of web-based communications and internet-connectivity services, had been falling well before the spying imbroglio¹⁰.
但是思科的路由器销售股票和为诸如中国移动和中国联通等网络服务提供商以及其他网络通讯服务提供商提供的转换器早在监视门之前就有所回落。
David Krozier of Ovum, a research firm, says Cisco left itself vulnerable in China by failing to respond quickly enough to advances by rivals such as Alcatel-Lucent, of France, and Huawei, a Chinese company.
一家研究公司Ovum的David Krozier称由于不能及时从竞争中获利比如Alcatel-Lucent和华维间的竞争，Cisco使自己在中国处于不利地位。
Another American supplier, Juniper Networks, has managed to increase its share.
但是另一家美国供应商uniper Networks已成功使股票增值。
As for the Qualcomm investigation, it is tempting¹¹ to see this as a further consequence of Mr Snowden's mischief¹².
至于对Qualcomm的调查，人们很容易认为这是斯诺登事件的后续。
But Qualcomm is not the only foreign company under the microscope.
但其实Qualcomm并不是唯一一家在接受调查的外国公司。
Recently others, including Danone, a French food firm, and Starbucks, an American coffee-shop chain, have been scrutinised for allegedly fixing prices or charging too much.
最近，其他公司包括达能和星巴克也因为涉及调整价格或是收费太高等原因面临调查。
The Chinese government could instead be trying to send an unsubtle signal to Qualcomm.
中国政府不应该尝试着给Qualcomm一个不明智的信号。Qualcomm主导芯片市场，
The company dominates the market for chips that let mobile devices use super-fast, 4G mobile networks, which Chinese telecoms firms are rolling out.
使得电话设备用上极速4G手机网络，这一技术已被中国移动广泛铺开。
The sudden scrutiny¹³ may thus be intended to ensure that Qualcomm asks only modest royalties¹⁴ of Chinese handset-makers.
而这突然的监视有可能是打算确保Qualcomm只向中国手机制造商收取适度版税。
All of this suggests the cost of Mr Snowden's revelations has been modest.
所有的一切都表明斯诺登事件的代价是适度的。
American firms are having difficulties in China partly because of their own missteps, but also because Chinese firms such as Huawei and ZTE have grown into powerful competitors.
美国企业在中国面临危机一部分原是他们自己的失策，但也是因为华为中兴等中国企业已成长为强有力对手。
The American government has, however, made matters worse by seeking to deter¹⁵ firms in the United States from using Chinese telecoms-networking technology, on the ground that it could threaten national security.
然而美国政府却因为试图以威胁国家安全为由阻止美国企业用中国电信网络技术而将事情变得更糟。
That is fuelling what Ed Maguire of CLSA, an investment bank, calls tech mercantilism.
这促进了CLSA的Ed Maguire所说的科技重商主义。
China had policies favouring local suppliers of tech equipment many months before Mr Snowden's leaks.
在斯诺登事件几个月之前中国有一些保护当地科技设备供应商的政策。
A tit-for-tat trade battle will do far more damage to American tech firms' fortunes in China than reports of the shenanigans of their country's spooks.
一场争锋相对的贸易战给美国企业在中国资产带来的损失远远大于对他们国家间谍诡计的报道。

1 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

2 mused   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

3 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

4 shun   

vt.避开，回避，避免

参考例句：

• Materialists face truth,whereas idealists shun it.唯物主义者面向真理，唯心主义者则逃避真理。
• This extremist organization has shunned conventional politics.这个极端主义组织有意避开了传统政治。

5 semiconductor   

n.半导体

参考例句：

• In the beginning,engineers hoped to use semiconductor lasers.在开始时，工程师们希望能够利用半导体激光器。
• The main agent of the company brand semiconductor sales.本公司主要代理各品牌半导体销售。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

9 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

10 imbroglio   

n.纷乱，纠葛，纷扰，一团糟

参考例句：

• The imbroglio led to the resignation of several managers.这场纠纷导致了多名经理辞职。
• I had seen something of this imbroglio at first hand.我曾经亲眼看到过这种乱七八糟的东西。

11 tempting   

a.诱人的, 吸引人的

参考例句：

• It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。
• It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。

12 mischief   

n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹

参考例句：

• Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
• He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

13 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

14 royalties   

特许权使用费

参考例句：

• I lived on about £3,000 a year from the royalties on my book. 我靠着写书得来的每年约3，000英镑的版税生活。 来自辞典例句
• Payments shall generally be made in the form of royalties. 一般应采取提成方式支付。 来自经济法规部分

15 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。