正大與伊藤忠100億美元投資中信集團

And we have a deal: Hong Kong-listed Chinese conglomerate Citic has agreed to sell a 20.6 per cent stake to Itochu and Charoen Pokphand Group for HK$82bn ($10.4bn).

在香港上市的中國中信集團(Citic)已經同意，將20.6%的股份以820億港幣（合104億美元）的價格，轉讓給日本伊藤忠商事株式會社(Itochu)和泰國正大集團(中國以外稱卜蜂集團,英文名爲Charoen Pokphand Group)。

The deal was trailed by the Nikkei newspaper overnight, prompting Itochu, a Japanese trading company, to confirm that it was considering an investment alongside partner CPG, the private Thai conglomerate run by Dhanin Chearavanont.

此前，日本報紙《日本經濟新聞》(Nikkei)曾連夜跟蹤報道這一交易。在該報社的跟蹤報道下，日本貿易公司伊藤忠商事株式會社確認，該公司正在考慮與謝國民(Dhanin Chearavanont)運營的泰國私人集團——正大集團——共同投資中信集團。

Now, Citic has confirmed the deal and offered details. It's a two-part transaction, according to a release to the Hong Kong Exchange.

週二，中信集團已確認這一交易，並提供了相關細節。

First, Citic plans to sell 3.3bn preferred shares of the company to CT Bright - a joint venture set up by CPG and Itochu - for $HK45.9bn.

在這一交易中，正大集團和伊藤忠各持有一半股份的合資企業正大光明(CT Bright)，將從中信母公司的一家分公司買入中信10%的股份。還會以新發行可轉換優先股的形式，再買入10%的股份。在中信達到香港證券交易所(Hong Kong stock exchange)規定的最低25%的公共持股比例要求之後，這部分股票纔會被轉爲普通股。

Second, Citic Polaris, a subsidiary and a controlling shareholder, will sell 2.49bn ordinary shares to CT Bright, for HK$34.4bn - 10 per cent of the company's issued capital.

在交易完成並且股份轉換完成之後，正大光明將持有中信20.6%的股份。

Both transactions valued shares at HK$13.80, a slight premium to Monday's closing price of HK$13.62.

這兩步交易中，中信集團的股價都被定爲每股13.8港元，比周一收盤時該集團每股13.62港元的價格略有溢價。

Moreover, Citic will also enter a "strategic cooperation agreement" with CPG and Itochu "to leverage their respective strengths to explore and capture important strategic opportunities among three parties in the PRC and the global markets."

此外，中信集團還將與正大集團及伊藤忠執行一份“戰略合作協議”，“以藉助他們各自的實力，在三方之間探索及捕捉在中國內地及全球市場的重要戰略機遇”。

"This investment is a continuation of our reform and globalisation that began last year," said Chang Zhenming, chairman of Citic.

中信集團董事長常振明表示：“這一投資是我們去年啓動的改革和全球化過程的繼續。”

CP Group and Itochu signed a cross-shareholding deal in July aimed at developing agribusiness ventures to tap China's interest in securing a safe supply of food and water.

2014年7月，正大集團和伊藤忠曾簽署一份旨在發展農業合資企業的交叉持股協議，以便從中國確保食品和水供應安全的濃厚興趣中獲益。

While direct Japanese investment into Chinese conglomerates is rare, Citic has a history of ties with Japanese groups, with its chairman Chang Zhenming having trained at Japanese brokerage Daiwa Securities in the 1980s after studying Japanese literature at college.

雖然日本對中國企業集團的直接投資十分少見，中信集團卻有和日本企業集團合作的歷史。該集團董事長常振明大學就曾主修日語，之後又曾於1980年代在日本經紀商大和證券(Daiwa Securities)接受培訓。

In a separate statement, CPG said that:“By owning a meaningful stake in China's largest conglomerate, CP Group and Itochu are gaining a valuable opportunity to participate in China's growth.”

在另外一份聲明中，正大集團表示：“通過在中國最大集團中持有相當數量的股份，正大集團和伊藤忠獲得了參與中國增長的寶貴機遇。”