唐納德·特朗普開啟的貿易戰引發了復雜的后果，其最新表現就是寶馬（BMW）宣布將提高兩款在美國南卡羅來納州生產的SUV的在華售價，此舉可能導致這兩款汽車的需求量出現萎縮。

路透社報道稱，受漲價影響的兩款車型分別是X5和X6，漲價幅度則在4%至7%之間。比起中國最近對美國制造的汽車加征的25%關稅，這一漲幅較低，也意味著關稅懲罰會削減寶馬在汽車上的利潤空間。寶馬已經警告稱，公司無法“完全消化”高關稅導致的成本增加。

中國在7月初宣布對美國汽車征收高達40%的關稅，這僅僅發生在該國表示要把進口汽車關稅下調至15%的兩個月后。這種令人難以捉摸的反復，表明特朗普總統的關稅政策引發了諸多不確定狀況，盡管中國的一些讓步表明他的策略還是起到了效果。

南卡羅來納州的寶馬工廠位于斯帕坦堡。這個州和這個城市在2016年的美國大選中鼎力支持特朗普當選。工廠改善了那里的經濟，但寶馬的官員警告稱特朗普的貿易戰可能會影響就業。

面對關稅的猛增，美國的汽車廠商反應各異。福特（Ford）表示公司不會對每年出口到中國的大約8萬輛汽車提價。規模小得多，而且在努力增加現金流的特斯拉（Tesla）則宣布把在華銷售的汽車提價約20%。中國經銷商在接受路透社采訪時表示，一些美產的梅賽德斯-奔馳（Mercedes Benz）汽車的在華售價也有所提高。

包括通用汽車（GM）和福特在內的一些美國汽車廠商已經把許多在華銷售的汽車放到中國生產了。如果他們認為中國將繼續對美國生產的商品設立高門檻，就可能把更多的生產環節——以及工作崗位、技能甚至技術——遷往海外。例如，在特斯拉爆出漲價消息的同一天，該公司就宣布了在上海建立工廠的計劃。

這會讓特斯拉成為第一家在中國開設獨資工廠，而非合資企業的外國廠商。在中國的許多行業，外企若想經營，就必須與中國本土的公司合作。特朗普政府認為這些合資企業正是竊取知識產權的媒介。中國近日宣布將逐步取消合資企業的規定，這顯然是對特朗普激進貿易政策的回應。（財富中文網）

譯者：嚴匡正

In the latest sign of the complex fallout from Donald Trump’s trade war, BMW says it will raise the price in China of two SUVs manufactured in South Carolina, potentially dampening demand for the vehicles.

Reuters reports that the price increases will impact the X5 and X6 SUV models, and will be between 4 and 7%. That’s less than the recent 25% increase in Chinese tariffs on imported U.S.-made cars, meaning the tariffs will cut into BMW’s profit margin on the vehicles. BMW had already warned that it wouldn’t be able to “completely absorb” the cost of higher tariffs.

China announced earlier July that it was raising its tariffs on U.S. vehicles to a whopping 40%, two months after saying it would lower tariffs for imported vehicles as a whole to 15%. That confusing back-and-forth points to the sheer uncertainty unleashed by the president’s tariffs, though China has made some concessions that suggests his tactics are having an effect.

BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, S.C.— a state and city that heavily favored Trump in the 2016 election—has transformed the economy there, but BMW officials have warned that Trump’s trade war could threaten jobs.

U.S. carmakers have responded in varying ways to the tariff hike. Ford said it would not raise prices on the roughly 80,000 vehicles it exports to China annually. Tesla, a much smaller company working to improve its cashflow, announced that it would raise prices on its cars sold in China by about 20%. Prices of some American-made Mercedes Benz vehicles have also risen, according to Chinese dealers speaking to Reuters.

Some U.S. car companies, including GM and Ford, already manufacture many of the cars they sell in China in that country. If companies believe that China’s barriers to U.S.-produced goods will remain high, they may move more production—along with jobs, skills, and even technology—overseas. Tesla, for instance, announced plans for a factory in Shanghai on the same day news broke of its price increases in China.

That would make Tesla the first foreign manufacturer to open a wholly owned factory in China, rather than a joint venture with a local partner. Those partnerships have been required for foreign companies operating in many sectors in China, and have been targeted by the Trump administration as vectors for intellectual property theft. China recently said it would phase out its joint venture rules, apparently in response to Trump’s aggressive trade policy.