通用电气加码竞购法国阿尔斯通

    周三，通用电气（GE）在与法国总统弗朗索瓦•奥朗德举行会议后，提高了竞购阿尔斯通（Alstom）能源资产的条件，同意在法国创造1,000个新的工业就业机会。

    奥朗德政府对通用电气提高竞购条件表示欢迎，称在法国总统和通用电气公司首席执行官杰弗里•伊梅尔特举行巴黎会议后，后者保证的条件现在更加具体了。在此之前，奥朗德和法国经济部长阿尔诺•蒙特布尔一直对通用电气以170亿美元收购阿尔斯通持批评意见，因为他们在保护本地劳动力方面存在担忧。法国有超过330万人失业，占到劳动力总数的10%以上。

    伊梅尔特出席了法国国民议会在周二举行的听证会，安抚议员们的忧虑情绪。他说，通用电气将保护法国工业领域的就业机会，同时保障法国的能源独立。通用电气同样表示，它在创造就业机会之外还将开办新的工厂。

    法国政府在跟通用电气进行协商的同时，也在拉拢其他公司参与对阿尔斯通能源资产的竞购。蒙特布尔曾表示支持德国西门子（Siemens）收购阿尔斯通。

    据媒体报道，西门子计划最迟在6月16日提出正式报价，同时考虑用手头的轨道交通装备业务交换阿尔斯通的能源资产。通用电气反击称，它同样愿意跟阿尔斯通在自己的铁道信号系统业务上展开合作，同时还会考虑将这项业务出售给阿尔斯通，增强后者规模较小的交通运输业务，使这个工程部门能够与规模更大的亚洲竞争对手一较高下。

    阿尔斯通的管理层和投资者愿意接受通用电气的收购条件，称这家公司能够提供现金为阿尔斯通偿还债务，并为它的交通运输业务提供支持。（财富中文网）

    译者：王灿均

    General Electric improved its offer for Alstom's energy assets after meeting with French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday, agreeing to create 1,000 new industrial jobs in France.

    President Hollande's government welcomed GE's improved offer and said the guarantees are now more specific in the wake of a meeting between the president and CEO Jeffrey Immelt in Paris. Hollande and his Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg had been critical of the $17 billion bid until now due to concerns about securing the local workforce. Over 3.3 million people are unemployed in France, over 10% of the workforce.

    Immelt appeared before France's National Assembly on Tuesday and appeased lawmakers' concerns that the U.S. company would protect jobs in the nation's industrial sector and ensure the country's energy independence. GE also said it would open new sites in addition to creating jobs.

    The French government has also been wooing other bidders for the Paris-based company's energy unit as it negotiates with GE. Montebourg has been a vocal proponent of a bid from German-based Siemens.

    Siemens plans to make an official offer by June 16 at the latest and has considered trading its trainmaking business for Alstom's energy assets, according to news agency reports. GE countered that it would also be willing to partner with Alstom on its rail signaling unit and would consider selling the business to Alstom to strengthen its smaller transport arm, allowing the engineering group to compete with larger Asian rivals.

    Alstom management and investors have been receptive to GE's bid and say it will provide cash to help pay down debt and shore up the company's transportation business.