Australia blocked the $3.1 billion takeover bid by US food giant Archer Daniels Midland Co. for GrainCorp on Friday. Treasurer Joe Hockey， invoking a rarely used power to foreign investment， said he rejected the takeover because it would not be in Australia’s national interest. ADM， which owns a nearly 20 percent stake in GrainCorp， offered to buy the rest of the company last year. Chief executive Patricia Woertz said ADM was disappointed by the move.
澳大利亚上周五拒绝了美国食品巨头阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司31亿美元收购澳大利亚GrainCorp的收购要约。财政部长乔·霍基少有地运用了对外国投资的否决权，他表示，拒绝这项收购是因为它不符合澳大利亚的国家利益。阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司拥有GrainCorp近20%的股权，去年表示希望购买该公司剩余的股权，该企业的首席执行官Patricia Woertz对这一决定表示失望。(波士顿全球网)
The ruling that the bid was against the national interest is just the first in a series of difficult choices that all three parties face in coming weeks and months that will have a big bearing on Australia’s standing as a destination for foreign investment.
认为这一违背国家利益的判决只是未来数周或数月三方将面对的一系列困难选择中的一个，将攸关澳大利亚作为一个外资目的地的地位。(《澳大利亚人报》)
The decision was interpreted by some as the removal of the “open for business” sign Prime Minister Tony Abbott claimed had been staked in the ground on election night.
这一决定被理解为总理托尼·阿博特在选举之夜信誓旦旦宣称的“开放商业”承诺的某些转变。(《悉尼先驱晨报》)
阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司的收购行为被某些人视作阿博特承诺的试金石。不过霍基部长认为，这只是他就任以来被拒绝的131起外国投资中的一宗而已。
GrainCorp is the only publicly traded grain merchant in Australia. Its 280 wheat storage sites， and control of seven of the ten ports that ship grain from the east coast of the country， means the company handles 75 percent of annual grain production and 90 percent of exports from eastern Australia. ADM， an Illinois-based S&P 500 listed company with revenues of $89 billion last year， already has a 20 percent stake in GrainCorp but wanted to move to 100 percent ownership with a $3.4 billion takeover. The company was believed to be targeting the Australian market as a way of boosting its presence in Asian markets， especially China， which is a major purchaser of Australian wheat exports.
GrainCorp是澳大利亚唯一上市交易的谷物生产商。这家企业有280个小麦储存站，控制着从该国东海岸运送谷物的十个港口中的七个，掌控着澳大利亚东部每年75%的谷物生产以及90%的出口。阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司是一家设在伊利诺斯的标普500家企业，去年的年收入为890亿美元，已经拥有GrainCorp20%的股份，希望能通过34亿美元的收购，实现对GrainCorp百分之百的控股。阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰希望通过澳大利亚市场来提高在亚洲市场的地位，尤其是提高对作为澳大利亚主要小麦出口地的中国的影响。(世界社会主义网)
Mr Hockey said grain growers in eastern Australia had expressed concern an acquisition by ADM could reduce competition and impede their ability to access grain storage and distribution.
霍基部长称，澳大利亚东部的谷物生产者担心阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司的收购会减少竞争，并妨碍他们谷物储存和配售的能力。(《悉尼先驱晨报》)
在征求了外国投资审查委员会的建议后，霍基部长认为，股东和更广泛的团体都高度关注此次收购请求。然而现在不是出售GrainCorp这样的核心企业和接受外资公司并购的最佳时机。
Both ADM and GrainCorp expressed disappointment at the decision， which would deny the country’s agricultural industry significant capital investment， said GrainCorp Chairman Don Taylor.
阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司和GrainCorp都对此决定表示失望，GrainCorp主席泰勒表示，这将减少对该国农业的投资。(路透社)
阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司的CEO Patricia Woertz也表示：“自始至终，我们都积极创造条件，使之符合澳大利亚的最大利益，并承诺解决股东面临的重要问题。”
Hockey said he was open to ADM - one of the four “ABCD” firms that have dominated the global agricultural business for decades - increasing its stake in GrainCorp to nearly 25 percent. ADM said it would consider an increase.
霍基部长表示，对于这家全球农业四大企业之一的阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司将持有GrainCorp的股份提高到25%，他持有开放的态度。阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司曾表示要增持股份。(路透社)
显然，霍基部长是下定决心要维护澳大利亚的国家利益。他曾表示，澳大利亚仍然处于向更具竞争性市场过渡时期，不能让一个国外企业整体收购澳大利亚的重点企业。
GrainCorp’s chairman Don Taylor says the Federal Government has an obligation to contribute funds for rural infrastructure upgrades after blocking ADM’s bid for the company， which promised a $250 million injection for upgraded rail and facilities.
GrainCorp’s主席泰勒表示，澳大利亚联邦政府在拒绝阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司的收购要约后，有义务为该国的农村基础设施更新提供资金，阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司曾表示将注资2.5亿美元来改善道路和设施。(美国广播公司网)
阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司曾经持续对GrainCorp投资，为澳大利亚农业部门做出了一定贡献。这也是霍基部长同意该公司增持股份的理由之一。