中美贸易冲突升温，在华跨国公司是否会受影响？

When a group of American executives and other global corporate chieftains met with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan in late March, they received a stern message about the simmering U.S.-China trade conflict: If tensions escalate, buckle up.

今年3月底一批美国企业高管和其他跨国公司掌门人与中国国家副主席王岐山会面时，他们收到一个严厉信息：如果美中不断发酵的贸易冲突升级，请系好安全带。

“The message was pretty clear,” said a person who attended. “A lot of companies would become victims in a U.S.-China trade war.”

一位与会人士称，这一信息相当明确。这位人士称，很多公司将成为美中贸易战的牺牲品。

That is what American multinationals are now bracing for, after the Trump administration said it would move ahead with 25% tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese goods. Beijing said in response to the U.S. move Friday that it would retaliate in “equal scale and equal strength.”

在特朗普(Trump)政府上周五宣布计划对价值500亿美元的中国产品加征25%关税后，中国国务院很快宣布将对同样价值的美国商品加征同等税率的关税。

While a battle between the world’s two largest economies would inflict pain on businesses and consumers in both countries, in the crosshairs, in particular, are multinationals with a footprint in the mainland.

如果全球前两大经济体之间爆发贸易战，将令两国的企业和消费者受到冲击，而在中国内地有业务的跨国公司尤其将成为发难目标。

A sophisticated global supply chain means many foreign companies nowadays assemble their products in China with parts bought elsewhere, and then sell to the U.S. and other markets. That leaves them vulnerable to any new U.S. sanctions as well as pressure and other retaliation from Beijing.

在目前全球复杂的供应链中，很多外国公司使用从其他地方购买的部件在中国组装产品，然后将产品销往美国和其他市场。美国实施的任何新制裁以及中国政府的施压和其他报复措施都将使这些公司受到冲击。

Foreign-invested companies, including firms from Hong Kong and Taiwan, produce 43% of China’s exports, according to an analysis by the Conference Board, a New York think tank. The manufacturers among them notably make up 77% of China’s exports of information and communications technology—a sector highlighted by the Trump administration for new tariffs.

纽约智库世界大型企业研究会(Conference Board)的一项分析显示，外商投资公司（包括香港和台湾企业）出口占中国总出口的43%。其中外商投资制造企业在中国信息和通讯技术出口的占比高达77%，信息和通讯技术是特朗普政府强调要加征关税的领域。

At the March gathering, people who attended said, Mr. Wang told the business leaders—which included senior executives from International Business Machines Corp. , chip maker Qualcomm Inc. and private-equity firm Blackstone Group —that they should try harder to lobby the Trump administration against launching a trade offensive.

出席3月份会议的人士称，王岐山告诉上述商业领袖，他们应该更努力地游说特朗普政府不要发动贸易攻势。这些领袖包括来自International Business Machines Corporation, (IBM, 简称IBM)、芯片生产商高通公司(Qualcomm Inc., QCOM)和私募股权公司黑石集团(Blackstone Group L.P., BX)的高管。

The U.S. said on Friday the trade levies are designed to hit products linked to Chinese strategic plans to dominate new high-technology industries, and released a list that covers 1,102 categories of goods.

美国上周五表示，加征关税旨在打击与中国主导新型高科技产业的战略计划相关的产品，并且公布了涵盖1,102类商品的清单。

Shortly afterward, China’s State Council said it would levy penalties of the same rate on U.S. goods of the same value, expanding its list of U.S. products that would be subject to tariffs to 659 types of goods, from some 106 types it disclosed in April.

为回击美国的做法，中国扩大了加征关税的美国商品清单，从4月时公布的约106种商品扩大到659种。

While multinationals assess the potential impact from the escalation of trade tensions, makers of consumer electronics have been canvassing suppliers and, in the case of at least two personal-computer makers, inquiring about shifting some of production in China to the U.S.

在跨国公司评估贸易紧张局势升级所造成的潜在影响之际，消费电子产品制造商已开始讨论供应商问题，至少有两家个人电脑生产商正在研究将其在华部分生产业务转移到美国的问题。

Foxconn Technology Group of Taiwan, the world’s largest contract manufacturer of electronics and known for assembling Apple Inc.’s smartphones in China, conducted a review of its supply chain, said a person familiar with the matter. The review, which assessed the proficiency of Chinese suppliers, could be used to assess the impact of potential tariffs, the person said.

一位知情人士称，台湾富士康科技集团(Foxconn Technology Group)对供应链进行了一次评估。富士康是全球最大代工公司，以在大陆组装苹果公司(Apple Inc., AAPL)智能手机而闻名。该知情人士表示，这次评估围绕大陆供应商的效能，可能用作评估潜在关税措施的影响。

It isn’t clear if Foxconn is taking any action following the review; the company didn’t respond to a request for comment late Friday.

尚不清楚上述评估后富士康是否将采取任何行动，上周五晚间该公司未回应置评请求。