中国因“萨德”加大对韩企施压

Hyundai Motor has postponed the launch of its Sonata plug-in hybrid in China and construction on Lotte Group’s $2.6bn Chinese theme park project has been halted as Beijing steps up economic retaliation against South Korean companies over Seoul’s planned deployment of a US-made missile shield.

现代汽车(Hyundai Motor)推迟在中国推出索纳塔(Sonata)插电式混合动力车，同时乐天集团(Lotte Group)在中国的26亿美元主题公园项目建设被叫停。目前北京方面因首尔计划部署美国制造的导弹防御系统而加紧对韩国企业进行经济报复。

They are the latest examples of the business fallout from rising tension between the two countries as Beijing objects to Seoul’s deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence platform, which it fears could be used by the US to spy on its territory.

这是中韩两国日趋紧张的关系冲击企业的最新例证，北京方面反对首尔部署“末段高空区域防御系统”(Terminal High Altitude Area Defence，中文简称：萨德)，担心该平台可能被美国用来对中国境内进行纵深侦察。

Hyundai had planned to launch its first plug-in hybrid model in China this year, but on Wednesday said it would roll out a plug-in hybrid with the latest Sonata model next year. The upgraded Sonata will debut in South Korea later this year.

现代汽车原计划今年在中国推出首款插电式混合动力车型，但该公司周三表示，将于明年推出混合动力的最新索纳塔车型。升级后的索纳塔车型将于今年晚些时候在韩国亮相。

Analysts expect Hyundai to switch to a Chinese battery supplier for the new electric vehicle, replacing LG Chem, as electric vehicles equipped with Korean-made batteries have been disqualified from government subsidies in China following Seoul’s decision in July to host the Thaad system.

分析师预计，现代将为这款新型电动汽车转向一家中国电池供应商，取代LG化学(LG Chem)，因为在首尔去年7月决定部署萨德系统后，装有韩国制造电池的电动汽车在中国已被取消获得政府补贴的资格。

“Considering various factors in Chinese market and price competitiveness, Hyundai Motor Company is also reviewing co-operation with Chinese battery suppliers,” the company said.

该公司表示：“考虑到中国市场的各种因素和价格竞争力，现代汽车公司还正在评估与中国电池供应商的合作。”

The delayed China launch is a setback for South Korea’s biggest carmaker, which has been trying to revive flagging sales in the world’s largest auto market with a bet on growing demand for electric vehicles fuelled by Beijing’s efforts to tackle air pollution.

推迟在中国推出新车型是韩国最大汽车制造商遭遇的一次挫折，现代汽车一直试图在世界最大汽车市场重振疲软的销售，押注于中国政府解决空气污染的努力所推动的对电动汽车日益增长的需求。

“Hyundai has to diversify its battery suppliers to get China’s subsidy. But it takes time because the company has to change the car design if it is going use a different battery,” said Yoo Ji-woong, analyst at eBest Securities. eBest Securities

分析师Yoo Ji-woong表示：“现代不得不拓宽电池供应商的范围以获得中国的补贴。但这需要时间，因为如果要使用一款不同的电池，该公司就不得不更改汽车的设计。”

China has been stepping up retaliatory measures against South Korean companies to put pressure on Seoul to change its stance on the Thaad deployment. Seoul is aiming to deploy the anti-missile system between May and July this year on land that is currently a golf course owned by Lotte.

中国一直在加强针对韩国企业的报复性措施，以施压首尔改变对部署“萨德”的立场。首尔计划今年5月至7月间在目前是乐天的一个高尔夫球场的土地上部署这一反导系统。

Lotte said on Wednesday that construction on “Lotte Town” in Shenyang was suspended in December after Beijing took issue with procedural matters following a fire inspection. Construction of residential facilities and a theme park in addition to a department store and cinema is expected to resume at the end of March after the procedural issues are addressed.

乐天周三表示，位于沈阳的“乐天城”(Lotte Town)的建设已于去年12月被叫停，此前在进行消防检查后，中国政府对程序事项提出异议。包括公寓、主题公园、百货商场和电影院的项目建设，预计将在3月底程序事项解决后恢复。

But analysts predict more economic distress for South Korean companies in coming months, as China buys one quarter of its neighbour’s exports, making it Korea’s biggest economic partner.

但分析师预计，未来几个月韩国企业将面临更多经济压力，因为中国是韩国最大的经济合作伙伴，对华出口占韩国总出口的四分之一。

As part of the Thaad backlash, Beijing recently has blocked imports of high-tech bidets and some cosmetics, cancelled music concerts by South Koreans and restricted Chinese flights and tourism to Korea.

作为报复韩国部署“萨德”的一部分，北京近期已经阻止了韩国产高科技洁身器及部分化妆品的进口，取消了韩国艺人音乐会，并限制前往韩国的中国航班和游客。