口译时事：在华外国企业的压力徒增

　　Recent troubles in China for Apple Inc. AAPL -0.99% and Volkswagen AGVOW3.XE -0.03% represent a growing risk for global companies, as their dependence on the booming Chinese economy leaves them exposed to Beijing's shifting winds.

　　苹果(Apple Inc.)和大众汽车(Volkswagen)最近在中国陷入困境，凸显出全球化企业在华面临的风险越来越大。这些企业对中国飞速增长的经济的依赖使它们暴露在北京不断变化的风向之中。

　　In some cases, foreign companies are coming under withering attacks from state-run media. In others, they are running afoul of Chinese regulators or government policies, such as an anticorruption campaign that limits ostentatious gifts.

　　有时，外国公司受到国有媒体的猛烈抨击;有时，它们与中国监管机构或政府政策相抵触，比如限制奢侈送礼风的反腐行动。

　　On Monday, Apple apologized for its Chinese customer-service policies and said it would revamp them following more than two weeks of criticism from government-run media. It isn't clear whether the spotlight will hurt Apple in what has become the tech giant's No. 2 market after the U.S.

　　在被政府运营的媒体批评了两周多后，苹果周一就其中国客服政策致歉，说该公司将对政策进行调整。不清楚此事是否会损害苹果在中国的业务。中国是苹果仅次于美国的全球第二大市场。

　　Late last month, Volkswagen said it would recall 380,000 vehicles following a television broadcast that said some of its cars suffered from maintenance issues. Analysts said the move could cost the auto maker up to $618 million. Fast-good giants Yum Brands Inc. YUM +0.28%and McDonald's Corp. MCD +1.39%took sales hits after state media accused them late last year of failing to quickly address problems with chicken suppliers.

　　在电视台报道说部分大众汽车存在维修问题后，大众汽车上个月底说将召回38万辆汽车。分析人士说，此举可能给该汽车生产商带来高达6.18亿美元的损失。去年底国有媒体指责快餐巨头百胜餐饮集团(Yum Brands Inc.)和麦当劳(McDonald's Corp.)没有迅速解决鸡肉供应商问题，之后这两家企业的销售受到打击。

　　For years, companies invested in China because of its potential. Now they are confronting a bracing reality: China is already a crucial market, and it isn't the easiest place to operate.

　　多年来，企业因为中国的潜力而投资中国。如今，摆在它们面前的是一个极具挑战的现实：中国已经是一个重要的市场，而在这里运营并不容易。

　　Roughly seven out of every 10 passenger cars sold in China are foreign-branded. China last year accounted for 28% of all vehicles sold by Volkswagen and 30% of those sold by General Motors Co. GM -0.22% Yum Brands' China revenue represents just more than half of its $13.6 billion in total revenue, up from 36% in 2010.

　　中国销售的乘用车中约有七成是外国品牌。中国去年占了大众汽车总销量的28%，通用汽车公司(General Motors)的30%。中国在百胜餐饮集团136亿美元总收入中占了一半以上，较2010年的36%大幅上升。

　　The result of state pressure in such an important market is that global companies are changing their response policies and reviewing the way they deal with the Chinese government. Coca-Cola Co. KO +0.92% is reaching out to state-run media and local officials and offering public-relations training to plant managers, while Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT +0.26% is adding social-media staff to spot brewing online controversies.

　　在这样一个重要的市场中政府施压造成的结果是，全球企业开始改变其响应政策，重新审视自己与中国政府打交道的方式。可口可乐公司(Coca-Cola Co.)开始接触国有媒体和地方官员，向工厂经理们提供公关培训，而沃尔玛连锁公司(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)则开始扩充社交媒体员工，以便及早发现网上酝酿之中的争议。

　　'I am aware of growing concern and discussion coming from a range of industries, but finding and pursuing immediate solutions to help encourage balanced treatment seems to remain challenging,' said Piper Stover, president of the China-based arm of the U.S.-China Business Council.

　　美中贸易全国委员会(U.S.-China Business Council)中国事务副会长蓝沛文(Piper Stover)说，我知道众多行业都存在越来越大的不安，都在议论纷纷，但寻求并找到立即的解决方法来帮助鼓励均衡的对待似乎仍存在挑战。

　　China's media outlets and consumer-rights groups say some companies have let complaints linger for months and must be pressured into improving customer-service policies. In an article late last month, the official Xinhua news agency said Apple's 'innovative products and aggressive marketing strategy have made it fearless of consumers' frowns.'

　　中国媒体机构和消费者维权组织说，一些企业对投诉几个月不理不睬，必须对其施压才能改善客服政策。新华社上个月底的一篇文章说，苹果的创新产品和积极的营销战略使其不惧怕消费者的不满。

　　Foreign companies have long faced pressure in China. In 2010, state-run national broadcaster China Central Television turned the spotlight on Hewlett-Packard Co.,HPQ +1.78% reporting that consumers were filing complaints against the electronics company for selling faulty laptops. HP apologized and said it would take immediate action.

　　外国公司长期以来在中国一直面临压力。2010年，国有的全国性电视台中央电视台聚焦惠普公司(Hewlett-Packard Co.)，报道说消费者投诉该电子公司销售问题笔记本电脑。惠普致歉并说将立即采取措施。

　　Changing domestic politics means a changing terrain for foreign companies. In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping and a new slate of top officials assumed power and said they would rev up efforts to combat official corruption─a growing threat to the leadership as public discontent has built amid a spate of recent corruption scandals. French distillerPernod Ricard SA RI.FR -1.43% said last month that new limits on gift-giving and banqueting hurt demand for whiskey. BurberryBRBY.LN -0.31% PLC of the U.K. and Hong Kong's Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd.1929.HK -1.12% said last year that new scrutiny of official displays of wealth had damped sales.

　　变化的国内政治形势意味着外国企业所处的大环境正在发生改变。去年11月，中共中央总书记习近平和一批新高层领导人上任，他们说将加大打击官员腐败的力度。随着最近一系列腐败丑闻的曝光，公众的不满不断加剧，腐败成为中共面临的一个越来越严重的威胁。法国酿酒商保乐力加(Pernod Ricard SA)上个月说，对送礼和公务宴请的新限制损害了威士忌酒的需求。英国的博柏利(Burberry)和香港的周大福珠宝集团有限公司(Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd.)去年说，对官员炫富的新一波审查打击了销售。

　　Mr. Xi also has pushed for the development of local auto brands, while a government-sponsored research organization questioned the popularity in China of smartphones that use Google Inc.'s GOOG -1.38% Android mobile-operating software, saying China has become too reliant on Android phones. Google has declined to comment.

　　习近平还试图推动本土汽车品牌的发展，而一家具有政府背景的研究机构则质疑在中国搭载谷歌(Google Inc.)的安卓(Android)手机操作系统的智能手机非常普及的现象。该机构称中国已经过于依赖安卓手机。谷歌对此不予置评。

　　Foreign firms are changing their tactics. After relying for years on high-level executives in China to serve as its main representatives with government officials, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola has begun training managers of its 40 bottling plants in the country to double as public-affairs officers. Coke managers in China are encouraged to meet with local food-safety regulators and local officials, inviting them to the plants and to presentations on local community projects.

　　外企正在改变战术。在多年来依靠中国区高管充当其同政府官员沟通的主要代表之后，总部位于亚特兰大的可口可乐已经开始培训其在全国40个装瓶厂的管理人员，以期他们能同时充当公共事务负责人。公司鼓励装瓶厂的管理人员同当地食品安全监管机构和地方官员会面，邀请官员到工厂来，到当地社区项目做报告。

　　Coke hasn't avoided all controversy: It said last month it was working with officials after local authorities in southwestern Yunnan province accused it of illegally using Global Positioning System data to gather confidential information. Still, state broadcaster CCTV helped Coke debunk in January a rumor that some of Coke's products contain fungicide.

　　不过可口可乐也没能避免一切争议。该公司上个月表示，中国云南地方政府指责其非法使用全球定位系统(GPS)的数据搜集机密信息之后，它正同地方官员展开合作。尽管如此，今年1月中国中央电视台(CCTV)还是帮助可口可乐驳斥了其部分产品含杀真菌剂的谣言。

　　Wal-Mart is figuring out that localization should go beyond stocking its China stores with sea cucumbers and chicken feet, and into communications, the spokesman said. Wal-Mart, which faced setbacks in 2011 when officials arrested and detained employees for allegedly mislabeling food, has started launching its own internal promotions to acknowledge commemorative days─like Food Safety Week─that are recognized in China.

　　沃尔玛的一位发言人说，该公司认为本地化不仅仅意味着其中国门店应出售海参和鸡爪等商品，还意味着沟通也应加强。沃尔玛已经开始在内部推广一种做法，即承认食品安全周等在中国获得认可的宣传活动。沃尔玛在2011年曾遭遇挫折，当时中国地方官员曾以涉嫌错贴食品标签为由逮捕拘留其员工。

　　Apple has seen tremendous growth in China, with sales in the quarter ended Dec. 29 jumping 67% to $6.83 billion and operating income rising 49% to $2.54 billion. Last year greater China, which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, accounted for 13% of the Cupertino, Calif., company's total sales.

　　苹果在中国已经实现了巨大的增长，在截至去年12月29日的这一季度，苹果的销售额增加67%，至68.3亿美元。其营运利润上升49%，至25.4亿美元。去年大中华地区(包括香港和台湾)在苹果的总销售额中占比为13%。

　　In a March 15 prime-time broadcast on consumer rights, CCTV accused Apple of skirting warranty periods and adopting different customer-service policies in China than it does elsewhere. In a statement shortly after the broadcast, Apple said it takes customer service in China seriously. In a second statement on March 23 posted to clarify its warranty policies, the company said its after-sales practices in China are 'roughly the same as in the U.S. and all over the world.' It also said in the statement that it provides 'incomparable user experience.'

　　在今年3月15日国际消费者权益日晚上黄金时段播出的一台晚会上，央视指责苹果回避保修期问题，称其客户服务政策中外有别。节目播出后不久苹果在一份声明中说，它严肃对待中国市场的客户服务工作。在3月23日发布的第二份声明中，苹果对其保修政策进行了澄清，称其在中国的售后服务同美国及世界其它国家大致一样。苹果在这份声明中还说它致力于提供无与伦比的用户体验。

　　The second statement drew a blistering attack from the People's Daily, the Communist Party's mouthpiece. It ran a series of stories that week that called Apple arrogant and its statement hollow.

　　第二份声明遭到中共喉舌《人民日报》的猛烈抨击。就在那一周，人民日报连发数篇评论，称苹果傲慢，并说声明内容空洞。

　　What Chinese officials were looking for was an apology, say China marketing experts. 'Brands that have unshakable faith in their own righteousness find it difficult to respond in China,' said Tom Doctoroff, Asia chief executive of WPP Group's JWT ad agency.

　　中国的市场营销专家们说，中国官员希望得到的是苹果的道歉。WPP Group旗下广告代理机构JWT的亚洲首席执行长唐锐涛(Tom Doctoroff)说，那些对自身的正义性抱有不可动摇信念的品牌发现自己在中国难以做出回应。

　　On Monday Apple apologized and changed its policies, saying it would replace defective iPhone 4 and 4S models with entirely new phones rather than repairing or replacing components while keeping old casing as it had been doing. It also said it would offer one-year warranties for any phone that had been replaced.

　　本周一，苹果公司道歉并修改其保修政策，称其将用全新手机更换存在问题的iPhone 4和iPhone 4S，而不是像以前那样在维修或更换零部件之后保留原后盖。它还表示将为那些重新更换过的手机提供为期一年的保修。

　　In comparison, within the U.S. Apple offers a 90-day warranty on repaired or replaced phones if that time period is longer than what the customer has left on an initial warranty.

　　相比之下，美国用户在维修或更换手机后，如果原先剩下的保修期不足90天，苹果只提供长达90天的保修。

　　The apology has been welcomed by state media. The official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary that the apology 'should have come earlier, but it is not too late for it to rebuild Chinese consumers' trust.'

　　这一道歉受到中国官方媒体的认可。新华社在一篇评论中说，道歉应该来得更早一些，但苹果现在重塑中国消费者对苹果的信任还为时不晚。