Australia’s move to block Chinese firms bidding for power asset sparks fierce debate
澳大利亚阻止中国公司竞标电力资产引起激烈争论

Australia’s decision to block a A$10 billion (S$10.3 billion) lease of an electricity grid to Chinese and Hong Kong bidders due to security concerns has prompted fierce debate over whether critical infrastructure should be controlled by foreigners, especially if the deal involves China.
澳大利亚基于安全问题决定阻止由中国和香港的买家租赁其金额达100亿澳元的电网租赁方案，这引发了激烈的争论，争论在于是否应该由外国人控制其关键的基础设施，尤其是交易涉及到中国。

The decision, announced last Thursday by the federal government, prevented China’s state-owned State Grid Corp and Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings, owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka Shing, from bidding for a 50.4 per cent stake in Ausgrid, the main electricity network in the nation’s largest state of New South Wales.
这个决定是上周四由联邦政府宣布的，决定阻止中国的国有国家电网公司和香港亿万富翁李嘉诚的长江实业基础设施资产公司共同对于澳洲电网占股比例达50.4%的竞标，澳洲电网公司是澳大利亚最大州新南威尔士州的主要电网公司。

But the move has led to accusations from some critics that Canberra had pandered to xenophobia. However, others defended the move, saying that allowing the power network to be controlled by foreigners - particularly from China - posed a serious security risk.
但是这样的决定已经导致了一些批评家的指控，他们说堪培拉已经迎合排外情绪了。尽管这样，另外一些人对这样的决定进行辩解，他们说允许电网由外国人控制---特别是由来自中国的外国人控制---会产生严重的安全风险。

One of the most vocal critics was Australia’s former foreign minister, Mr Bob Carr, now director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, who said the government had bowed to "economic populism". He suggested the ruling Coalition, narrowly re-elected on July 2, was motivated by the results of the election in which several protectionist candidates won seats.
最直言不讳的批评者之一是现任悉尼大学的澳中关系研究所所长的澳大利亚前外交部长鲍勃?卡尔先生，他说政府已经屈服于“经济民粹主义”。他暗示说7月2日以微弱优势当选的执政联盟被选举结果所鼓舞，在这个选举中几个保护主义候选人赢得了席位。

"It’s a huge concession - the first major policy sacrifice - to the witch’s Sabbath stirred up in the recent federal election," he told The Australian.
“这是一个巨大的让步——第一个重大政策牺牲——这是在女巫安息日，在最近的联邦选举中搅动起来的的罪恶。“他告诉澳大利亚人说。

The Treasurer, Mr Scott Morrison, refused to detail his specific security concerns but insisted the decision was not "country-specific".
澳大利亚国库部长SCOTT MORRISON拒绝说出他对于哪些安全问题关心，但是强调说这个决定不是针对某个特定国家。

However, numerous commentators said the government’s anxiety was heightened by the possible involvement of a state-owned Chinese firm, especially following Beijing’s increasing territorial assertiveness in the South China Sea.
然而众多评论家说中国国有公司的参与，特别是北京增加了其在南中国海领土的自信之后，这些都加剧了政府的焦虑。

According to a report in The Australian Financial Review on Saturday, "every national security agency in the country advised against it (the deal)".
据上周六《澳洲金融评论》报道称,“这个国家（澳大利亚）每一个国家安全机构都建议反对它(此项交易)”

"The issue, according to people briefed on the matter, was not so much evidence of wrongdoing against the bidders... It was about the longer-term strategic uncertainty in the geo-political relationship."
这个问题，据知情人士说，并不是针对投标人做了多明显的错事……这是地缘关系中长期战略的不确定性。

The battle over Ausgrid comes amid similarly heated debates in Britain and the United States over the involvement of China in sensitive or critical infrastructure projects. Last month, Britain’s new Prime Minister, Mrs Theresa May, delayed a final decision on a US$24 billion (S$32.3 billion) nuclear power station, apparently because of the involvement of state-owned China General Nuclear Power Company.
英国和美国对于敏感的或者关键的基础设施项目中有中国参与同样有争议，这和澳洲电网的争议如出一辙。上个月，英国新首相特蕾莎?梅推迟一个240亿美元核电站的最终决定,显然是因为国有企业中国通用核电公司的参与。

It emerged last week that the US authorities have issued nuclear espionage charges against the Chinese firm and also Mr. Allen Ho, an engineer employed by the company who has reportedly been accused of conspiring with the firm to steal US nuclear secrets as part of a plan to develop Chinese nuclear technology.
上周有消息称美国当局已经指控这家中国公司和其雇员Mr. Allen Ho有间谍行为。他们被指控合谋窃取美国的核机密来作为发展中国核技术计划的一部分。

As in Britain, the debate in Australia has focused on the rules for foreign investment and whether China should be treated differently to other nations. Several commentators noted that the Chinese and Hong Kong bidders have previously been allowed to make large-scale investments in Australia, including in gas and power.
同在英国的争议一样，在澳大利亚的争议在于对于外国投资应该有怎样的规则以及是否应该区别对待中国。有评论人士指出,中国和香港竞标者曾获准在澳大利亚进行包括天然气和电力等方面的大规模投资。

However, a former senior defence official, Mr. Peter Jennings, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said electricity grids were becoming increasingly "hackable".He added: "I think the more assertive Chinese international posture is going to complicate investment not only here but around the world," he told The Saturday Paper.
然而,前高级国防官员，现任澳大利亚战略政策研究所所长彼得詹宁斯先生,表示电网变得越来越“可控制的”。他补充道:“我觉得更加自信的中国国际化态势会让其不仅仅在这里投资，并且会在世界各地投资,”他对《星期六周报》表示说。