美国国家公共电台 NPR It Was A Company With A Lot Of Promise. Then A Chinese Customer Stole Its Technology

 

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

We've been reporting a lot on the U.S. threat to impose tariffs¹ on some $150 billion worth of goods imported from China. Beijing is promising² to retaliate³. One big source of tension is that the Trump⁴ administration says for too long China has gotten away with stealing trade secrets from American companies. NPR's Jim Zarroli has the story of what happened to one Massachusetts company that was nearly destroyed when a Chinese company stole its most important technology.

JIM ZARROLI, BYLINE⁵: In 2009, President Obama wanted to encourage American companies to sell more overseas. One company in particular, he said, was doing things right.

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BARACK OBAMA: This is already happening with businesses like American Superconductor Corporation, an energy-technology startup based in Massachusetts that's been providing wind power and smart grid⁶ systems to countries like China, Korea and India.

ZARROLI: American Superconductor made electronic components⁷ for wind turbines, and by far its biggest customer was Beijing-based Sinovel. It brought in three-quarters of its revenue. Dan McGahn is the company's chief executive.

DANIEL MCGAHN: It was a very profitable business. It was profitable for them. It was profitable for us. There was basically a boom in China over wind. So they had made clear indications that they wanted our product. They needed it, and they were going to buy more and more of it in the future.

ZARROLI: Then one day near the end of March 2011, everything changed.

MCGAHN: We were notified by Sinovel that they were not going to accept the shipment that was brought to their factory and denied.

ZARROLI: Sinovel told him they had inventory⁸ problems.

MCGAHN: And they weren't very clear about what those were.

ZARROLI: And Sinovel, which is partly owned by the Chinese government, refused to pay for the components it had ordered. McGahn said the company suspected what had happened. Sinovel had somehow obtained the source code used to operate wind turbines and was building its own components. Federal prosecutor⁹ Tim O'Shea.

TIMOTHY O'SHEA: American Superconductor provided sort of the brains of the turbines. So if Sinovel could do it themselves using cheaper components, yeah, than they could produce these turbines more cheaply.

ZARROLI: American Superconductor knew its technology could be stolen. It was a risk you took doing business in China, but the products it sold were kept secret through encryption. So the company suspected that someone on the inside had leaked its source code.

MCGAHN: We looked inward and said, who would have access, motive¹⁰, capability¹¹ to do this? And we got down to a very small set of employees. And then we looked at the travel to China and being present and all that. It really came down to one person.

ZARROLI: Prosecutors¹² say that person was Dejan Karabasevic, an engineer in the company's Austrian subsidiary. He was indicted¹³ in 2013, along with Sinovel. The federal indictment¹⁴ alleged¹⁵ that Karabasevic agreed to turn over the company's technology to Sinovel. In court, U.S. prosecutors presented messages sent over Skype suggesting that Karabasevic was angry at American Superconductor. In one, he said, I have slight feeling of revenge. The indictment said Sinovel offered him a multi-year contract worth $1.7 million, essentially¹⁶ doubling his salary. Again, Dan McGahn.

MCGAHN: I mean, if you look at what the executives of the Chinese company made, they're offering him more money than they make themselves. And they're not doing that because they want him to be a consultant¹⁷. They want him to steal.

ZARROLI: Karabasevic never stood trial in the United States. Federal officials believe he is now in his home country of Serbia. The theft ended up costing American Superconductor dearly. With Sinovel no longer a paying customer, McGahn says its revenue plummeted¹⁸. Wall Street analysts¹⁹ said the company was finished.

MCGAHN: The fix is in. These guys are going to die, which really, I think, is what the Chinese were hoping for.

ZARROLI: The company was devastated²⁰. At one time, it had almost 1,000 employees. By the end of its ordeal²¹, fewer than 300 remained. Like many tech companies, American Superconductor had recruited employees by offering them stock options. Suddenly, they were worthless. Product manager Tron Melzl says the waves of layoffs²² took a huge toll²³ on the little startup.

TRON MELZL: People made a lot of investment in the company in terms of - they believed in, you know, what was going on. So it was hard to see, you know, people who had worked hard being shown the door.

ZARROLI: Today, the company is smaller, but it has survived. It has pressed China for compensation unsuccessfully so far. Sinovel's lawyer didn't respond to a request for comment, but the company argued in court that it had severed²⁴ its ties with American Superconductor because it didn't live up to its contract. And it said the company had failed to take steps to protect its source code. In January, a federal jury in Wisconsin found Sinovel guilty of stealing trade secrets. It will be sentenced in June. McGahn says he often warns other CEOs about doing business in China.

MCGAHN: Your participation²⁵ as a Western company, at least to date, is a mirage²⁶. They're there to bring you in, be able to figure a way to harvest whatever they can from you and then spit you out when you're no longer useful.

ZARROLI: McGahn stresses he's not political, but he approves of the tough stance that President Trump is taking on China. He says it's the only way to prevent other companies from suffering the same fate that American Superconductor did. Jim Zarroli, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF ANTI-POP CONSORTIUM SONG, "REFLECTIONS")

1 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

2 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

3 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

7 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

8 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

9 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

10 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

11 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

12 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

13 indicted   

控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。
• He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

14 indictment   

n.起诉；诉状

参考例句：

• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
• They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

15 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

16 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

17 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

18 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

20 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

21 ordeal   

n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验

参考例句：

• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
• Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

22 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

23 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

24 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

26 mirage   

n.海市蜃楼，幻景

参考例句：

• Perhaps we are all just chasing a mirage.也许我们都只是在追逐一个幻想。
• Western liberalism was always a mirage.西方自由主义永远是一座海市蜃楼。