ECONOMICS REPORT – Chrysler, General Motors Work to Escape Crushing Debt
2009 年 5 月 1 日经济报道: 克莱斯勒和通用汽车( GM )着手削减不堪重负的债务。
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
这是 VOA 特别英语的经济报道。
The race to save two of America's big three carmakers is entering a new and intense period.
挽救美国三大汽车巨头之二的竞赛正进入一个全新与忙碌的阶段。
In March, the government ordered Chrysler to cut costs and form an alliance with Italian carmaker Fiat by April thirtieth. The actions were conditions for additional government aid of up to six billion dollars. The company received four billion in federal loans in December.
3 月,美国政府命令克莱斯勒降低成本,并且在 4 月 30 日之前与意大利汽车厂家菲亚特组成联盟( / 进行合作)。这些措施是政府(提供)高达 60 亿美元额外援助的条件。克莱斯勒在 12 月已经收到了 40 亿美元的联邦贷款。
On Wednesday, Chrysler members of the United Auto Workers approved cost cutting measures. Under the plan, Chrysler will be able to change terms of an agreement with the labor union. In return, the U.A.W. would own fifty-five percent of the company.
周三 , 全美汽车工人联合会 ( UAW )的克莱斯勒成员同意削减成本的措施。根据计划,克莱斯勒可与工会修改合同条款。因此( / 作为回报), UAW 将拥有克莱斯勒的 55% (股权)。
The Treasury Department has also been pressing Chrysler's creditors. The government wants forty-six creditors to accept two billion dollars instead of the seven billion dollars the company owes. Four big banks have agreed. They hold seventy percent of Chrysler's debt. But other creditors have refused the terms.
(美国)财政部也敦促克莱斯勒的债权人。美国政府希望 46% 的债权人,同意以 20 亿美元抵消克莱斯勒所欠的 70 亿美元(债务)。四家大银行已经同意,他们拥有克莱斯勒债务的 70% 。但是,其它债权人拒绝这些条款。
The government has also been urging Chrysler to join with Fiat. On Thursday, President Obama announced that the companies have agreed to become partners. He said the government will make additional loans to support the partnership. All government loans are to be repaid before Fiat could take majority ownership of Chrysler in the future.
美国政府也敦促克莱斯勒联手菲亚特。周四,奥巴马总统宣布,克莱斯勒和菲亚特已经同意进行合作。他说,美国政府将提供额外贷款,支持这一合作。菲亚特在未来获得克莱斯勒多数股权之前,必须还清所有政府贷款。
Mister Obama also said Chrysler will seek bankruptcy protection in court. Bankruptcy laws will protect the company from legal action while it continues operations and reorganizes its finances. The President said the government will provide about eight billion dollars in additional loans to the company during this period.
奥巴马先生说,克莱斯勒将在法院寻求破产保护。破产法将使克莱斯勒免于法律诉讼,而可以继续经营以及财务重组。总统说,美国政府将在此期间向克莱斯勒提供大约 80 亿美元的额外贷款。
No one knows if all this will work. But if the plan succeeds, it could serve as a model for America's biggest carmaker, General Motors. G.M. has until June first to offer a plan to the government if it is to receive new government loans. This week, the company proposed cutting twenty-one thousand more factory jobs. It will also sell fewer kinds of vehicles.
没有人知道所有这些(措施)是否有效。但是,如果该计划成功,可为美国最大汽车厂家( GM )提供范例。如果 GM 想获得美国政府新贷款,必须在 6 月 1 日之前向美国政府提供一项计划。本周, GM 提出了削减 2.1 万以上的工作; GM 也将出售更少型号的汽车。
Like Chrysler, G.M. is attempting to reduce its debt. The carmaker plans to do this by offering company stock in exchange for twenty-seven billion dollars in G.M. bonds. It also wants to make the government a majority shareholder in return for part of the emergency loans it has received.
与克莱斯勒一样, GM 正在努力削减债务。 GM 削减债务的计划是用公司的股票交换 270 亿美元的 GM 债券。 GM 也希望向美国政府提供多数股权,以交换其已经收到的紧急贷款。
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.
这是由 Mario Ritter 编写的、 VOA 特别英语的经济报道。我是 Steve Ember 。
---------------------------------------- 该帖于2009年5月1日被版主推荐为精华帖。