奔驰中国遭遇反垄断调查

    中国政府近期持续对外国公司采取强硬手段，其最新目标目前又多了梅赛德斯-奔驰（Mercedes-Benz）。

    该德国豪华汽车品牌的母公司戴姆勒（Daimler）表示，公司正在协助调查。但戴姆勒并未透露具体是哪个政府部门发起了此次调查。

    据中国本地媒体报道，本周一，反垄断调查人员突击查访了梅赛德斯上海办公室。

    中国媒体称，突击查访的目标是北京梅赛德斯-奔驰销售服务有限公司（Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co.）上海办事处。该公司是由戴姆勒与北京汽车股份有限公司(BAIC Motor)共同出资组建的合资企业。

    最近几周，中国政府发起了多起调查，调查范围既包括微软(Microsoft)等公司涉嫌触犯反垄断法的，也包括外国豪华汽车制造商的定价政策。

    政府对汽车制造商展开调查的背后伴随着某些担忧，比如担心外国汽车制造商对消费者收费过高并且控制汽车配件的供应，以达到控制中国市场和牟取暴利的目的。

    按市场份额算，梅赛德斯-奔驰目前在中国豪华汽车市场排名第三，作为对政府的让步，公司在两天前将其配件价格降低了15%。就在一周前，大众汽车（Volkswagen）和塔塔汽车公司（Tata Motors）也对个别品牌采取了类似的降价措施。（财富中文网）

    翻译：刘进龙/汪皓

    Chinese authorities have continued their crackdown on foreign firms. Their latest target? Mercedes-Benz.

    Daimler, the parent of the luxury German car brand, said it is assisting in the investigation, although the automaker declined to share details on which government department launched the inquiry.

    Local reports said that antitrust authorities raided the Mercedes Shanghai office on Monday.

    Chinese media said the target of the raid was the Shanghai offices of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co., a joint venture with Chinese company BAIC Motor.

    Chinese government officials have launched various probes in recent weeks, exploring both antitrust violations of companies such as Microsoftas well as the pricing policies of foreign luxury automakers.

    Officials are investigating automakers amid concerns that they are overcharging customers and controlling the supply of auto parts in order to dominate the Chinese market and earn exorbitant profits.

    Mercedes, which is China’s third most popular luxury car by market share, had reduced its prices by 15% for spare parts two days earlier to appease officials. Volkswagen and Tata Motors made similar price cuts for certain brands a week earlier.