The deal with Safe, which has not yet been finalised, is secretive even by the discreet standards of private equity. "It was very below the radar," said one investment adviser. "There is clearly concern about selling US assets to China, especially in an election year."
即便是按照私人股本业的谨慎标准，与中国外管局之间这笔尚未敲定的交易也是神神秘秘的。"这笔交易搞得十分低调，"一名投资顾问表示，"显然有人对向中国出售美国资产感到担忧，尤其是在大选年。"
The private equity industry has emerged as a big issue in this year’s US presidential election. Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate and founder of Bain Capital, has had to fend off criticism that the companies it acquired outsourced US jobs.
在今年的美国总统大选中，私人股本业已经成为一大话题。共和党总统候选人、贝恩资本(Bain Capital)创始人米特?罗姆尼(Mitt Romney)不得不回击这样的批评：贝恩资本收购的企业外包了美国人的工作岗位。
Lexington Partners, a specialist investor in second-hand private equity stakes, is advising Safe and will administer the complex portfolio, one person briefed on the situation said. It might also buy some GM positions that Safe does not want.
一名被告知情况的人士称，专业投资于二手私人股本资产的列克星敦投资公司(Lexington Partners)，正向中国外管局提供咨询，并将负责管理这个复杂的投资组合。该公司还可能购买外管局不想要的一些GM所持头寸。
The New York-based investor was one of three firms mandated in 2010 to pick up $1.5bn of private equity investments for China Investment Corp, the country’s sovereign wealth fund.
这家总部位于纽约的投资机构，是2010年受中国主权财富基金中投公司(CIC)之托、投资15亿美元于私人股本资产的三家公司之一。
Safe, GM, Performance Equity and Lexington Partners declined to comment.
中国外管局、GM、Performance Equity和列克星敦投资公司均拒绝置评。
In 2008, Safe invested $2.5bn with TPG , some of it in investment vehicles that went on to lose $1bn in an ill-timed investment in Washington Mutual, the distressed lender.
2008年，中国外管局曾出资25亿美元与德州太平洋集团(TPG)共同投资，其中一些资金所投的投资工具后来亏损10亿美元，原因是其在错误的时机向陷于困境的华盛顿互惠银行(Washington Mutual)作出投资。
