The chairman and chief executive officer of auto giant General Motors reportedly has agreed to a request by the Obama administration to resign. The news reports come as the White House prepares to announce on Monday whether it will extend more aid to troubled U.S. automakers in addition to the billions of dollars in loans they already received. President Barack Obama says the auto industry must engage in deeper restructuring to justify further government help.
美国通用汽车公司(GM)的总裁和首席执行官据报导已经同意奥巴马政府的要求，将辞去现任职务。白宫方面准备星期一宣布是否在已提供100多亿美元贷款的基础上，再为美国汽车产业给予更多的援助资金。奥巴马总统表示，汽车产业必须要进一步深化重整，才能得到资助。
President Obama is expected to announce plans on the restructuring efforts at General Motors and Chrysler in exchange for additional government loans. Both automakers, which are facing bankruptcy, received more than $17 billion in government aid during the closing days of the Bush administration. And they have requested more than $21 billion in additional help.
奥巴马总统预计星期一宣布通用(GM)和克莱斯勒(Chrysler)这两家汽车公司的整顿方案，上述方案将是这两家公司得到政府贷款的条件。通用和克莱斯勒这两家面临倒闭的公司，都在布什总统卸任之前，得到了美国政府提供的170亿美元的资助。除此之外，这两家公司还在申请另外210亿美元的援助。
A presidential task force has been reviewing the restructuring plans of both companies to determine whether it is realistic for them to continue operating. General Motors and Chrysler face a Tuesday deadline to submit their complete restructuring plans.
一个总统授权的工作小组正是审议重组计划，以决定这两家汽车公司继续运营是否行得通。星期二是通用和克莱斯特提交完整重组计划的最后期限。
In an interview on CBS television's "Face the Nation" program, President Obama said that before more public funds are provided, both companies need to further restructure their businesses.
奥巴马总统在接受美国哥伦比亚公司“面对全国”节目访谈期间表示，政府方面决定是否给予更多的公共款项之前，这两家公司必须要进一步深化重整。
"They're not quite there yet. There have been some serious efforts to deal with a combination of long-standing problems in the auto industry and the current crisis which has seen the market for new cars drop from 14 million [vehicles in annual sales] to nine million. Everybody's having problems - even [Japanese automaker] Toyota and other very profitable companies," said Mr. Obama. "And so, what we're trying to let them know is that we want to have a successful U.S. auto industry. We think we can have a successful U.S. auto industry. But it's got to be one that's realistically designed to weather this storm and to emerge at the other end much more lean, mean and competitive than it currently is."
他说：“他们做得还不够彻底。汽车产业的问题可以说是由来已久了，而且再加上当前的危机，新车年销售量从1千4百万辆降到了900万。大家眼下的日子都不好过，即便是丰田和其他一些盈利很好公司也一样。我们希望这些公司知道，我们确实想看到美国汽车工业的繁荣，而且这也是完全可能的。但是，要做到这一点，就必须根据现实情况，进行重组，以便渡过眼下的难关，最终成为效率更高、竞争力更强的产业。”
Mr. Obama said that means sacrifices from all parties involved - including management, labor, shareholders, creditors, suppliers and dealers to - in his words, "preserve a brighter future". Government officials say General Motors has failed to reach an agreement on concessions from bondholders and the United Auto Workers labor union.
奥巴马表示，这就意味着包括经营部门、工人、股东、贷款提供人、零部件生产商以及汽车销售行的所有各方都需要做出牺牲，用他的话说，“为的是一个更加美好的未来”。美国政府官员表示，通用汽车公司没能同股东和工会两方面就让步达成相关协议。
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told ABC television's "This Week" program that the Obama administration is prepared to provide the financial help needed, if it is convinced that carmakers will emerge from restructuring stronger and more competitive.
美国财政部长盖特纳在接受美国国家广播公司“这个星期”节目访谈的时候说，奥巴马政府愿意提供财政帮助，但是前提是，这些汽车公司必须令人信服，在重组之后，它们能变得更为强有力，更具竞争力。
"It is important to know that we want to have a strong automobile industry. We want it to emerge from this period of challenge stronger," he said. "That's going to require a lot of restructuring. We're prepared, as a government, to help that process if we believe it is going to provide the basis for a stronger [auto] industry in the future. It's very important for our country that we have a strong automobile industry going forward."
他说：“非常重要的一点是，我们希望能有一个强大的汽车工业；我们希望这一产业在经过这一轮挑战之后，更能处于不败之地。但是这需要大规模的重组。作为政府方面，如果我们能够相信，这是为未来更加强劲的产业打下一个基础的话，我们愿意提供帮助。对我们国家来说，拥有一个强大的，向前冲的汽车产业，是很重要的。”
The Obama administration's desire for a viable U.S. auto industry might include the resignation of one of its major players. According to media reports, the head of General Motors, Rick Wagoner, has agreed to step down at the request of the White House, as part of a restructuring plan. Wagoner has been criticized for his handling of G.M.'s declining fortunes, but he has said he intends to stay on.
奥巴马政府希望看到的汽车产业的重组恐怕意味着业内资深人士的辞职。媒体报道说，通用汽车公司的总裁里克.瓦格纳已经同意，作为重组计划的一部分，他接受白宫提出的要他辞职的要求。批评人士认为，瓦格纳对通用汽车公司近年来的亏损负有责任，不过，他此前一直说希望能够留任。
The automaker has lost more than $80 billion during the last four years. Its share price has tumbled nearly 90 percent in value during the last year. General Motors says it will lay off nearly 50,000 employees this year and that it plans to close five assembly plants, eliminate thousands of dealerships and reduce the number of its brands from eight to four - all in an effort to stay afloat.
过去4年里，通用汽车公司总共亏损了800亿美元。该公司的股票去年一年跌了将近90%。通用表示，今年一年将裁去将近5万名工人，并且计划要关闭5家组装厂，以及数千家汽车行。除此之外，通用还将把品牌从8个降到4个。这一切，都是为了要避免彻底倒闭的命运。 |