[(Title)]Tesla-Saudi deal may spur national security scrutiny

WASHINGTON • Tesla chief executive Elon Musk's idea of taking the company private faces risks beyond the financial and disclosure-related kind.

特斯拉首席执行官埃隆·马斯克关于让公司私有化的想法面临超出财务和披露相关范围的风险。

Saudi Arabia's help in a buyout could spur national security scrutiny under the newly expanded powers of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

根据美国外国投资委员会（CFIUS）新扩大的权力，沙特阿拉伯在收购方面可能会刺激国家安全审查。

Mr Musk had earlier said that Saudi investment overtures made him confident he could secure funding to buy the US$60 billion (S$82 billion) Tesla.

The same day, US President Donald Trump signed into law a Bill that overhauled the CFIUS, which is led by the Treasury Department.

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)签署了一项法案，修订了由财政部领导的联邦金融情报系统(CFIUS)。

The committee reviews overseas investments in US companies for national-security concerns and can block deals or force divestitures.

该委员会出于国家安全考虑对美国企业的海外投资进行审查，并可以阻止交易或迫使撤资。

Its increased authority allows CFIUS to examine non-controlling investments in critical technology.

其权力的增加使CFIUS能够审查关键技术方面的非管制性投资。

Because the committee still has to write new rules, it's unclear whether Tesla would fall into that category.

由于委员会仍需制定新的规则，因此不清楚特斯拉是否属于这一类别。

If the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) were to take a majority stake, it would draw a CFIUS review regardless - though that's not the likelihood.

如果沙特公共投资基金要获得多数股权，那么不论情况如何，它都会进行CFIUS的审查，尽管可能性不大。

Still, the carmaker is known as an innovator and owns advanced battery technology.

不过，这家汽车制造商还是被誉为创新者，拥有先进的电池技术。

Trump officials have also expressed concern about China's Made in 2025 programme, which includes electric vehicles, perhaps increasing sensitivities about even minority stakes in US EV proponents.

特朗普官员也对中国的2025年制造计划表示担忧，该计划包括电动汽车，可能会增加对美国电动汽车支持者中少数股权的敏感性。

Such considerations help explain why Saudi's PIF has been raising its lobbying game.

这些考虑有助于解释为什么沙特的PIF一直在提高其游说的游戏。

It hired law firm Akin Gump to advise on CFIUS matters, said a March 8 filing with the Justice Department.

该公司在3月8日向司法部提出申请时表示，该公司聘用了Akin Gump律师事务所就CFIUS问题提供咨询。

The previous day, virtual-reality start-up Magic Leap said it had raised US$400 million from the fund - although the 7 per cent stake would not have drawn CFIUS scrutiny at that time.

前一天，虚拟现实初创公司Magic Leap称，已经从基金募集4亿美元——尽管当时7%的股权不会受到CFIUS的检查。

Another possible hiccup is Congress.

另一个可能的问题是国会。

In 2006, a state-owned Dubai company obtained CFIUS approval to manage operations at six US ports but faced political opposition, forcing it to drop the deal.

2006年，一家国有的迪拜公司获得了美国联邦金融情报保护局(CFIUS)批准，要在美国六个港口管理业务，但面临政治反对，迫使其放弃交易。

A potential Saudi-Tesla deal has not yet drawn similar scrutiny, but that could change once lawmakers return to Washington in September.

可能达成的沙特-特斯拉协议尚未受到类似的审查，但一旦立法者9月返回华盛顿，可能会出现变化。

Saudi Arabia has its share of critics, too.

In 2016, the kingdom alienated many politicians with its opposition to a Bill allowing families of the victims of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks to sue the nation for its alleged involvement.

It all adds up to one more uncertainty for Mr Musk's convoluted plans.

这给马斯克那令人费解的计划增添了新的不确定性。

REUTERS