Ministers blocked Sheffield Forgemasters, the troubled steelmaker, from reaching a rescue deal with Chinese investors on national security grounds.
英国政府以国家安全为由阻止了陷入困境的钢铁企业——谢菲尔德铸锻集团(Sheffield Forgemasters)与中国投资者达成救助协议。
The company, which announced on Tuesday it was shedding up to 100 jobs, had been in talks with an unnamed Chinese state-owned group when it was informed before Christmas that the government would oppose the deal.
周二，谢菲尔德铸锻集团宣布正在裁减多达100个工作岗位。该集团早已在与一家未披露名字的中国国有集团进行谈判，但在圣诞节前夕被告知英国政府将反对这项交易。
The Ministry of Defence, in particular, was against it because Sheffield Forgemasters makes parts for the submarines that carry the Trident nuclear missiles: its pressure cylinders surround the reactors on the vessels.
英国国防部(Ministry of Defence)尤其反对该交易，因为谢菲尔德铸锻集团为携带三叉戟(Trident)核导弹的潜艇制造部件——包裹潜艇反应堆的压力容器。
The revelation illustrates the limits to the UK’s “access all areas” policy towards China, even as George Osborne has enthusiastically pursued Chinese investment into British infrastructure. For instance, the chancellor has welcomed a multibillion-pound investment into a proposed nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.
这一事件显示了英国对华“开放所有领域”政策的局限性，即便财政大臣乔治攠斯本(George Osborne)一直在积极寻求中国对英国的基础设施进行投资。例如，奥斯本已经对中国在拟议中的欣克利角(Hinkley Point)核电站投资数十亿英镑表示欢迎。
Mr Osborne has also raised hopes of Chinese involvement in an array of projects including the High Speed 2 rail link, saying there is a “powerful free trade doctrine” underpinning relations between the UK and Beijing.
奥斯本还为中资企业参与包括2号高铁(High Speed 2 rail link)在内的一系列项目燃起希望。他表示，英中关系拥有一种“强大的自由贸易理念”作为支撑。
Sheffield Forgemasters revealed it was laying off workers as it recorded its first loss for more than a decade, blaming a slowdown in the oil and gas sector, and the global collapse in steel prices.
谢菲尔德铸锻集团透露之所以会裁员，是因为十多年来首次出现了亏损，并将此归咎于石油和天然气产业低迷，以及钢材价格的全球性暴跌。
The announcement is the latest bad news for the British steel industry, which is shedding thousands of jobs amid a global supply glut.
这份声明是对英国钢铁业的最新打击，由于全球供应过剩，英国钢铁业正裁掉数千个工作岗位。
The group told the Financial Times it was still seeking external investment but could not comment further.
谢菲尔德铸锻集团对英国《金融时报》表示，该公司仍在寻求外部投资，但无法进一步置评。
“Seeking external investment to restructure the business has always been fundamental to securing Forgemasters’ future and is part of a long-term strategy,” said Graham Honeyman, chief executive.
首席执行官格雷厄姆霍尼曼(Graham Honeyman)表示：“寻求外部投资以重整业务一直是保障公司未来的根本，也是一项长期战略的一部分。”
“This process will continue and until any talks with potential investors have reached a conclusion, all details of those discussions will remain confidential.”
“这一进程将会持续，直到与潜在投资者的谈判得出结论，讨论的所有细节将会保密。”
One person familiar with the talks said any agreement with the Chinese had been more likely to be a “technology transfer deal” than an equity sale.
一位知情人士表示，与中国投资者达成的协议更接近于“技术转让协议”，而不是股权转让。