EX-2.2 3 ea020237501ex2-2_nanolabs.htm DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

Exhibit 2.2

 

Description of rights of each class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)

 

Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.0002 per share, of Nano Lab Ltd (“we,” “our,” “our company,” or “us”) are listed and traded on the Nasdaq Global Market, and in connection with this listing (but not for trading), its Class A ordinary shares are registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. This exhibit contains a description of the rights of the holders of Class A ordinary shares.

 

Description of Class A Ordinary Shares

 

The following is a summary of material provisions of our currently effective third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (the “Memorandum and Articles of Association”), as well as the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands (the “Companies Act”) insofar as they relate to the material terms of our ordinary shares. Notwithstanding this, because it is a summary, it may not contain all the information that you may otherwise deem important. For more complete information, you should read the entire Memorandum and Articles of Association, which are attached as Exhibit 1.1 to our annual report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

 

Preemptive Rights (Item 9.A.3 of Form 20-F)

 

Our shareholders do not have preemptive rights.

 

Type and Class of Securities (Item 9.A.5 of Form 20-F)

 

The par value of Class A ordinary share is US$0.0002 per share. The number of Class A ordinary shares that had been issued as of the end of the latest fiscal year is provided on the cover of the annual report on Form 20-F for the latest fiscal year. Certificates representing the ordinary shares are issued in registered form. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their ordinary shares.

 

Limitations or Qualifications (Item 9.A.6 of Form 20-F)

 

We have a dual-class voting structure such that our ordinary shares consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. On a show of hands, every shareholder present at the general meeting shall each have one vote, and on a poll, each Class A ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote on all matters subject to the vote at general meetings of our company, and each Class B ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to fifteen (15) votes on all matters subject to a vote at general meetings of our company. Due to the super voting power conferred upon holders of Class B ordinary shares, the voting power of holders of our Class A ordinary shares may be materially limited.

 

Rights of Other Types of Securities (Item 9.A.7 of Form 20-F)

 

Not applicable.

 

Rights of Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.3 of Form 20-F)

 

Classes of Ordinary Shares

 

Our ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. The Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares carry equal rights and rank pari passu with one another, including the rights to dividends and other capital distributions. On a show of hands, every shareholder present at the general meeting shall each have one vote, and on a poll, each Class A ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote on all matters subject to a vote at our general meetings and each Class B ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to fifteen (15) votes on all matters subject to a vote at our general meetings.

 

 

 

 

Conversion

 

Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time at the option of the holder thereof. Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of Class B ordinary shares by a holder thereof to any person or entity that is not Mr. Jianping Kong, Mr. Qifeng Sun or their affiliate (as defined in our currently effective memorandum and articles of association), or upon a change of ultimate beneficial ownership of any Class B ordinary share to any person who is not Mr. Jianping Kong, Mr. Qifeng Sun or their affiliate, such Class B ordinary shares will be automatically and immediately converted into an equal number of Class A ordinary shares.

 

Voting Rights

 

Holders of our Class A ordinary shares and our Class B ordinary shares shall, at all times, vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote by our shareholders at any general meeting of our company. On a show of hands, every shareholder present at the general meeting shall each have one vote, and on a poll, each Class A ordinary share shall be entitled to one vote, and each Class B ordinary share shall be entitled to 15 votes, on all matters subject to a vote at general meetings of our company. Voting at any meeting of shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands).

 

A poll may be demanded by the chairperson of such meeting or any shareholder present in person or by proxy. No person shall be entitled to vote or be counted in a quorum unless such person is duly registered on our register of members as our shareholder.

 

An ordinary resolution to be passed at a general meeting requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attaching to all issued and outstanding ordinary shares cast at a general meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of votes attached to all issued and outstanding ordinary shares cast at a general meeting. Both ordinary resolutions and special resolutions may also be passed by a unanimous written resolution signed by all the shareholders of our company, as permitted by the Companies Act and our currently effective memorandum and articles of association. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our currently effective memorandum and articles of association. We may, among other things, subdivide or consolidate our shares by ordinary resolution.

 

General Meetings of Shareholders

 

As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Act to call shareholders’ annual general meetings. Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association provide that we may (but are not obliged to) in each year hold a general meeting as our annual general meeting in which case we shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it, and the annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by our directors.

 

Shareholders’ general meetings may be convened by a majority of our board of directors or the chairperson of our board of directors. Advance notice of at least ten calendar days is required for the convening of our annual general meeting and any other general meeting of our shareholders. A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of at least one or more shareholder(s) holding shares which carry in aggregate not less than one-third (1/3) of all votes attaching to all shares which carry the right to attend and vote at such general meeting, present in person or by proxy, or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative.

 

The Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association provide that upon the requisition of shareholders representing in aggregate not less than one-third (1/3) of all votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares of our company entitled to vote at general meetings as at the date of the deposit of the requisition, our board is obliged to convene an extraordinary general meeting and put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. However, our currently effective memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by such shareholders.

 

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Dividends

 

Subject to the Companies Act, our directors may declare dividends in any currency to be paid to our shareholders. In addition, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution declare a dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our directors. Under the laws of the Cayman Islands, dividends may be declared and paid out of our profits or out of the share premium account. Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association provide that dividends may be declared and paid out of the funds of our company lawfully available therefor. In no circumstances may a dividend be paid if this would result in our company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. Holders of our ordinary shares will be entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors.

 

Transfer of Ordinary Shares

 

Subject to any applicable restrictions set forth in our currently effective memorandum and articles of association, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in a form that our directors may approve.

 

Our directors may decline to register any transfer of any share which is not fully paid up or on which we have a lien. Our directors may also decline to register any transfer of any share unless:

 

the instrument of transfer is lodged with us and is accompanied by the certificate for the shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;

 

the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of share;

 

the instrument of transfer is properly stamped (in circumstances where stamping is required);

 

in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the share is to be transferred does not exceed four; and

 

a fee of such maximum sum as the Nasdaq Global Market may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as our directors may from time to time require is paid to us in respect thereof.

 

If our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within three calendar months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.

 

The registration of transfers may, after compliance with any notice requirement of the Nasdaq Global Market, be suspended and the register closed at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 calendar days in any calendar year as our board may determine.

 

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Liquidation

 

Subject to any future shares which are issued with specific rights, on the winding up of our company (1) if the assets available for distribution among our shareholders are more than sufficient to repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up, the excess shall be distributed among those shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our company for unpaid calls or otherwise, and (2) if the assets available for distribution among the shareholders as such are insufficient to repay the whole of the paid-up capital, those assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them.

 

Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares

 

Subject to our currently effective memorandum and articles of association and to the terms of allotment, our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 calendar days prior to the specified time of payment. The ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture.

 

Redemption of Shares, Repurchase and Surrender of Ordinary Shares

 

We are empowered by the Companies Act and our currently effective memorandum and articles of association to purchase our own shares, subject to certain restrictions. We may issue shares on terms that are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders, on such terms and in such manner as may be determined by our board of directors before the issue of such shares.

 

We may also repurchase any of our shares on such terms and in such manner as have been approved by our board of directors or by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders.

 

Under the Companies Act, the redemption or repurchase of any share may be paid out of the company’s profits or out of the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares made for the purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or out of capital (including share premium account and capital redemption reserve) if the company can, immediately following such payment, pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies Act, no such share may be redeemed or repurchased (i) unless it is fully paid up, (ii) if such redemption or repurchase would result in there being no shares issued and outstanding, or (iii) if the company has commenced liquidation. In addition, our company may accept the surrender of any fully paid share for no consideration.

 

Issuance of Additional Shares

 

Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association authorizes our board of directors to issue additional shares (including, without limitation, preferred shares) from time to time as our board of directors shall determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares.

 

Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association also authorizes our board of directors to establish from time to time one or more series of preference shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preference shares, the terms and rights of that series, including:

 

the designation of the series;

 

the number of shares of the series;

 

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the dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights; and

 

the rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences.

 

Our board of directors may issue preference shares without action by our shareholders to the extent authorized but unissued. Issuance of these shares may dilute the voting power of holders of ordinary shares.

 

Inspection of Books and Records

 

Holders of our ordinary shares have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records (except for our memorandum and articles of association, our register of mortgages and charges and special resolutions of our shareholders). However, we will provide our shareholders with annual audited financial statements.

 

Requirements to Change the Rights of Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.4 of Form 20-F)

 

Variations of Rights of Shares

 

If at any time, our share capital is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any such class may, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any class, only be materially adversely varied with the consent in writing of the holders of two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.

 

The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to the shares of that class, be deemed to be materially adversely varied by the creation, allotment or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with or subsequent to them or the redemption or purchase of any shares of any class by our company. The rights of the holders of shares shall not be deemed to be materially adversely varied by the creation or issue of shares with preferred or other rights including, without limitation, the creation of shares with enhanced or weighted voting rights.

 

Limitations on the Rights to Own Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.6 of Form 20-F)

 

There are no limitations under the laws of the Cayman Islands or under the Memorandum and Articles of Association that limit the right of non-resident or foreign owners to hold or vote Class A ordinary shares, other than anti-takeover provisions contained in the Memorandum and Articles of Association which may limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company or cause our company to engage in change-of-control transactions.

 

Provisions Affecting Any Change of Control (Item 10.B.7 of Form 20-F)

 

Anti-takeover Provisions.

 

Some provisions of our currently effective memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that (1) authorize our board of directors to issue preference shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preference shares without any further vote or action by our shareholders, and (2) limit the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general meetings of shareholders.

 

However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our currently effective memorandum and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.

 

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Ownership Threshold (Item 10.B.8 of Form 20-F)

 

There are no provisions under Cayman Islands law applicable to the Company, or under the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Company to disclose shareholder ownership above any particular ownership threshold.

 

Differences Between the Law of Different Jurisdictions (Item 10.B.9 of Form 20-F)

 

The Companies Act is derived, to a large extent, from the older Companies Acts of England, but does not follow recent English statutory enactments and accordingly there are significant differences between the Companies Act and the current Companies Act of England. In addition, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of certain significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.

 

Mergers and Similar Arrangements

 

The Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. For these purposes, (1) “merger” means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company, and (2) a “consolidation” means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of such companies to the consolidated company. In order to effect such a merger or consolidation, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by (a) a special resolution of the shareholders of each constituent company, and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. The plan must be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands together with a declaration as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a declaration as to the assets and liabilities of each constituent company and an undertaking that a copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the members and creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands Gazette. Court approval is not required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.

 

A merger between a Cayman parent company and its Cayman subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a resolution of shareholders of that Cayman subsidiary if a copy of the plan of merger is given to every member of that Cayman subsidiary to be merged unless that member agrees otherwise. For this purpose a company is a “parent” of a subsidiary if it holds issued shares that together represent at least 90% of the votes at a general meeting of the subsidiary.

 

The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest over a constituent company is required unless this requirement is waived by a court in the Cayman Islands.

 

Save in certain limited circumstances, a shareholder of a Cayman constituent company who dissents from the merger or consolidation is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares (which, if not agreed between the parties, will be determined by the Cayman Islands court) upon dissenting to the merger or consolidation, provide the dissenting shareholder complies strictly with the procedures set out in the Companies Act. The exercise of dissenter rights will preclude the exercise by the dissenting shareholder of any other rights to which he or she might otherwise be entitled by virtue of holding shares, save for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful.

 

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Separate from the statutory provisions relating to mergers and consolidations, the Companies Act also contains statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies by way of schemes of arrangement, provided that the arrangement is approved by (a) 75% in value of the shareholders or class of shareholders, as the case may be, or (b) a majority in number representing 75% in value of the creditors or each class of creditors, as the case may be, with whom the arrangement is to be made, that are, in each case, present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:

 

the statutory provisions as to the required majority vote have been met;

 

the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class;

 

the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his interest; and

 

the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act.

 

The Companies Act also contains a statutory power of compulsory acquisition which may facilitate the “squeeze out” of dissentient minority shareholder upon a tender offer. When a tender offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares affected within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares to the offeror on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.

 

If an arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, or if a tender offer is made and accepted, a dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.

 

Shareholders’ Suits

 

In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff to sue for a wrong done to us as a company, and as a general rule a derivative action may not be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands court can be expected to follow and apply the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto) which permit a minority shareholder to commence a class action against or derivative actions in the name of our company to challenge actions where:

 

a company acts or proposes to act illegally or ultra vires and is therefore incapable of ratification by the shareholders;

 

the act complained of, although not ultra vires, could only be effected duly if authorized by more than a simple majority vote that has not been obtained; and

 

those who control our company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”

 

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Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability

 

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our Memorandum and Articles of Association provide that that we shall indemnify our officers and directors against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such directors or officer, other than by reason of such person’s dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of our company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such director or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning our company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation.

 

In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our Memorandum and Articles of Association.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

Directors’ Fiduciary Duties

 

Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director acts in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.

 

As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to our company and therefore it is considered that he owes the following duties to our company, including a duty to act bona fide in the best interests of our company, a duty not to make a profit based on his position as director (unless our company permits him to do so), a duty not to put himself in a position where the interests of our company conflict with his personal interest or his duty to a third party, and a duty to exercise powers for the purpose for which such powers were intended. A director of a Cayman Islands company owes to our company a duty to act with skill and care. It was previously considered that a director need not exhibit in the performance of his duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his knowledge and experience. However, English and Commonwealth courts have moved towards an objective standard with regard to the required skill and care and these authorities are likely to be followed in the Cayman Islands.

 

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Shareholder Action by Written Consent

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. The Companies Act and our Memorandum and Articles of Association provide that our shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.

 

Shareholder Proposals

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings.

 

The Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our Memorandum and Articles of Association allow our shareholders holding in aggregate not less than one-third of all votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares of our company entitled to vote at general meetings to requisition an extraordinary general meeting of our shareholders, in which case our board is obliged to convene an extraordinary general meeting and to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. Other than this right to requisition a shareholders’ meeting, our Memorandum and Articles of Association do not provide our shareholders with any other right to put proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. As an exempted Cayman Islands company, we may but are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.

 

Cumulative Voting

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands but our Memorandum and Articles of Association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.

 

Removal of Directors

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our Memorandum and Articles of Association, directors may be removed with or without cause, by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders. An appointment of a director may be on terms that the director shall automatically retire from office (unless he has sooner vacated office) at the next or a subsequent annual general meeting or upon any specified event or after any specified period in a written agreement between the Company and the director, if any; but no such term shall be implied in the absence of express provision. Each director whose term of office expires shall be eligible for re-election at a meeting of the Shareholders or reappointment by the Board. In addition, a director’s office shall be vacated if the director (1) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors; (2) dies or is found to be or becomes of unsound mind; (3) resigns his office by notice in writing to our company; (4) without special leave of absence from our board of directors, is absent from three consecutive meetings of the board and the board resolves that his office be vacated; or (5) is removed from office pursuant to any other provisions of our Memorandum and Articles of Association.

 

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Transactions with Interested Shareholders

 

The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting share within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.

 

Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, the directors of the Company are required to comply with the fiduciary duties which they owe to our company under Cayman Islands law, including the duty to ensure that, in their opinion, any such transaction are entered into bona fide in the best interests of our company, and are entered into for proper corporate purpose and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.

 

Restructuring

 

A company may present a petition to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands for the appointment of a restructuring officer on the grounds that the company:

 

(a)is or is likely to become unable to pay its debts; and

 

(b)intends to present a compromise or arrangement to its creditors (or classes thereof) either pursuant to the Companies Act, the law of a foreign country or by way of a consensual restructuring.

 

The Grand Court may, among other things, make an order appointing a restructuring officer upon hearing of such petition, with such powers and to carry out such functions as the court may order. At any time (i) after the presentation of a petition for the appointment of a restructuring officer but before an order for the appointment of a restructuring officer has been made, and (ii) when an order for the appointment of a restructuring officer is made, until such order has been discharged, no suit, action or other proceedings (other than criminal proceedings) shall be proceeded with or commenced against the company, no resolution to wind up the company shall be passed, and no winding up petition may be presented against the company, except with the leave of the court. However, notwithstanding the presentation of a petition for the appointment of a restructuring officer or the appointment of a restructuring officer, a creditor who has security over the whole or part of the assets of the company is entitled to enforce the security without the leave of the court and without reference to the restructuring officer appointed.

 

Dissolution; Winding Up

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board.

 

Under Cayman Islands law, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if our company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an ordinary resolution of its members. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so. Under the Companies Act and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, our company may be dissolved, liquidated or wound up by a special resolution of our shareholders.

 

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Variation of Rights of Shares

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under Cayman Islands law and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, we may materially adversely vary the rights attached to any class with the written consent of the holders of two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of ordinary special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.

 

Amendment of Governing Documents

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under the Companies Act and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, our memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution of our shareholders.

 

Rights of Non-Resident or Foreign Shareholders

 

There are no limitations imposed by our Memorandum and Articles of Association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our Memorandum and Articles of Association that require the Company to disclose shareholder ownership above any particular ownership threshold.

 

Changes in Capital (Item 10.B.10 of Form 20-F)

 

We may from time to time by ordinary resolution in accordance with the Companies Act alter the conditions of our currently effective memorandum and articles of association to:

 

increase our capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such amounts, as the resolution shall prescribe;

 

consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of larger amounts than our existing shares;

 

cancel any shares which at the date of the passing of the resolution have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person, and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled subject to the provisions of the Companies Act;

 

sub-divide our shares or any of them into shares of smaller amount than is fixed by our currently effective memorandum and articles of association, subject nevertheless to the Companies Act; and

 

divide shares into several classes and without prejudice to any special rights previously conferred on the holders of existing shares, attach to the shares respectively any preferential, deferred, qualified or special rights, privileges, conditions or such restrictions that in the absence of any such determination in a general meeting may be determined by our directors.

 

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We may, by special resolution, subject to any confirmation or consent required by the Companies Act, reduce our share capital or any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by law.

 

Debt Securities (Item 12.A of Form 20-F)

 

Not applicable.

 

Warrants and Rights (Item 12.B of Form 20-F)

 

Not applicable.

 

Other Securities (Item 12.C of Form 20-F)

 

Not applicable.

 

Description of American Depositary Shares (Items 12.D.1 and 12.D.2 of Form 20-F)

 

Not applicable.

 

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