As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 1, 2005
Registration No. 333-126534
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 4
TO
FORM F-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
BAIDU.COM, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Not Applicable
(Translation of Registrants name into English)
Cayman Islands | 7370 | Not Applicable | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
12/F, Ideal International Plaza
No. 58 West-North 4th Ring
Beijing 100080, Peoples Republic of China
(8610) 8262-1188
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrants principal executive offices)
CT Corporation System
111 Eighth Avenue
New York, New York 10011
(212) 664-1666
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
David T. Zhang, Esq. Latham & Watkins LLP 41st Floor, One Exchange Square 8 Connaught Place Central, Hong Kong S.A.R. Peoples Republic of China (852) 2522-7886 |
William F. Barron, Esq. Alan F. Denenberg, Esq. Davis Polk & Wardwell 18th Floor, The Hong Kong Club Building 3A Chater Road Central, Hong Kong S.A.R. Peoples Republic of China (852) 2533-3300 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ¨
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, check the following box. ¨
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of each class of securities to be registered |
Amount to be registered (1)(2) |
Proposed maximum offering price per share (1) |
Proposed maximum aggregate offering price (1)(2) |
Amount of registration fee | ||||
Class A Ordinary Shares, par value US$0.00005 per share(3) |
4,212,687 | US$21.00 | US$88,466,427 | US$10,413(4) |
(1) | Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the amount of registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933. |
(2) | Includes Class A ordinary shares initially offered and sold outside the United States that may be resold from time to time in the United States either as part of their distribution or within 40 days after the later of the effective date of this registration statement and the date the shares are first bona fide offered to the public, and also includes Class A ordinary shares that may be purchased by the underwriters pursuant to an over-allotment option. These Class A ordinary shares are not being registered for the purpose of sales outside the United States. |
(3) | American depositary shares issuable upon deposit of the Class A ordinary shares registered hereby have been registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (Registration No. 333-126546). Each American depositary share represents one Class A ordinary share. |
(4) | Previously paid on July 1, 2005. |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a companys 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 or committing a crime. Our Articles of Association provide for indemnification of officers and directors for losses, damages, costs and expenses incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own willful neglect or default.
Pursuant to the form of indemnification agreements filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Registration Statement, we will agree to indemnify our directors and officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being such a director or officer.
The form of Underwriting Agreement to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement will also provide for indemnification of us and our officers and directors.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
ITEM 7. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.
During the past three years, we have issued the following securities (including options to acquire our ordinary shares). We believe that each of the following issuances was exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act or pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act regarding transactions not involving a public offering.
Purchaser |
Date of Sale or Issuance |
Number of Securities |
Consideration (US$) |
Underwriting Discount and Commission | ||||
Google Inc. |
June 2, 2004 | 749,625 | 4,999,998.75 | N/A | ||||
Draper Fisher Jurvetson ePlanet Ventures L.P. and its affiliated entities |
June 2, 2004 | 749,625 | 4,999,998.75 | N/A | ||||
Integrity Partners V, LLC |
June 2, 2004 | 202,399 | 1,350,001.33 | N/A | ||||
Peninsula Capital Fund I, LLC |
June 2, 2004 | 193,403 | 1,289,998.01 | N/A | ||||
Swiftcurrent Offshore, Ltd. |
June 2, 2004 | 14,993 | 100,003.31 | N/A | ||||
Venture TDF Technology Fund III LP |
June 2, 2004 | 149,926 | 1,000,006.42 | |||||
CMT CV-BD Limited |
June 2, 2004 | 164,918 | 1,100,003.06 | N/A | ||||
China Equity International Holding Company Limited (BVI) |
June 2, 2004 | 23,988 | 159,999.96 | N/A |
II-1
ITEM 8. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
(a) | Exhibits |
Exhibit Number |
Description of Document | |
1.1*** | Form of Underwriting Agreement. | |
3.1* | Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant, as currently in effect. | |
3.2** | Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant. | |
4.1* | Registrants Specimen American Depositary Receipt (included in Exhibit 4.3). | |
4.2** | Registrants Specimen Certificate for Class A Ordinary Shares. | |
4.3* | Form of Deposit Agreement among the Registrant, the depositary and holder of the American Depositary Receipts. | |
4.4* | Second Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement, dated as of June 9, 2004, among the Registrant and other parties therein. | |
5.1** | Opinion of Maples and Calder regarding the validity of the ordinary shares being registered. | |
8.1** | Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP regarding certain U.S. tax matters. | |
10.1* | 2000 Option Plan. | |
10.3* | Form of Indemnification Agreement with the Registrants directors. | |
10.4* | Form of Employment Agreement between the Registrant and an Executive Officer of the Registrant. | |
10.5* | Translation of Acquisition Agreement dated as of August 9, 2004 between Baidu Online and the owner of Hao123.com. | |
21.1* | Subsidiaries of the Registrant. | |
23.1* | Consent of Ernst & Young, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. | |
23.2** | Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1). | |
23.3** | Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1). | |
23.4** | Consent of Commerce & Finance Law Offices (included in Exhibit 99.1). | |
23.5* | Consent of East Associates. | |
23.6* | Consent of American Appraisal China Limited. |
II-2
Exhibit Number |
Description of Document | |
23.7* | Consent of Shanghai iResearch Co., Ltd. | |
23.8* | Consent of International Data Corporation. | |
23.9* | Consent of James Ding. | |
24.1* | Powers of Attorney (included on signature page). | |
99.1** | Opinion of Commerce & Finance Law Offices. | |
99.2* | Translation of Technology Consulting Service Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom. | |
99.3* | Translation of Business Cooperation Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom. | |
99.4* | Translation of Operating Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom. | |
99.5* | Translation of Software License Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom. | |
99.6* | Translation of Trademark License Agreement dated as of March 1, 2004 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom and the supplementary agreement dated as of January 18, 2005. | |
99.7* | Translation of Domain Name License Agreement dated as of March 1, 2004 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom and the supplementary agreement dated August 9, 2004. | |
99.8* | Translation of Web Layout Copyright License Agreement dated as of March 1, 2004 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom and the supplementary agreement dated as of August 9, 2004. | |
99.9* | Translation of Proxy Agreement dated as of August 9, 2004 among Baidu Online, Baidu Netcom, Robin Yanhong Li and Eric Yong Xu. | |
99.10* | Translation of Equity Pledge Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 among Baidu Online, Robin Yanhong Li and Eric Yong Xu. | |
99.11* | Translation of Option Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 among Baidu Online, Robin Yanhong Li and Eric Yong Xu. | |
99.12* | Translation of Loan Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 among Baidu Online, Robin Yanhong Li and Eric Yong Xu. | |
99.13* | Translation of Form of Irrevocable Powers of Attorney issued by the shareholders of Baidu Netcom. | |
99.14* | Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. | |
* Filed previously. |
II-3
(b) | Financial Statement Schedules |
Schedules have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the Consolidated Financial Statements or the Notes thereto.
ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 6, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against pubic policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant under Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
II-4
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-1 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Beijing, Peoples Republic of China, on August 1, 2005.
BAIDU.COM, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Robin Yanhong Li | |
Name: Robin Yanhong Li | ||
Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Robin Yanhong Li and Shawn Wang as attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to do any and all acts and all things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorney and agent may deem necessary or desirable to enable the registrant to comply with the Securities Act, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of ordinary shares of the registrant (the Shares), including, without limitation, the power and authority to sign the name of each of the undersigned in the capacities indicated below to the Registration Statement on Form F-1 (the Registration Statement) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to such Shares, to any and all amendments or supplements to such Registration Statement, whether such amendments or supplements are filed before or after the effective date of such Registration Statement, to any related Registration Statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and to any and all instruments or documents filed as part of or in connection with such Registration Statement or any and all amendments thereto, whether such amendments are filed before or after the effective date of such Registration Statement; and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that such attorney and agent shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature |
Title |
Date | ||
/s/ Robin Yanhong Li Robin Yanhong Li |
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) |
August 1, 2005 | ||
/s/ Shawn Wang Shawn Wang |
Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer) |
August 1, 2005 | ||
* Jixun Foo |
Director | August 1, 2005 | ||
* Asad Jamal |
Director | August 1, 2005 |
II-5
* Greg Penner |
Director | August 1, 2005 | ||
* Scott Walchek |
Director | August 1, 2005 | ||
* Donald J. Puglisi Title: Managing Director Puglisi & Associates |
Authorized U.S. Representative | August 1, 2005 |
*By: | /s/ Robin Yanhong Li | |
Robin Yanhong Li Attorney-in-Fact |
II-6
BAIDU.COM, INC.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number |
Description of Document | |
1.1*** | Form of Underwriting Agreement. | |
3.1* | Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant, as currently in effect. | |
3.2** | Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant. | |
4.1* | Registrants Specimen American Depositary Receipt (included in Exhibit 4.3). | |
4.2** | Registrants Specimen Certificate for Class A Ordinary Shares. | |
4.3* | Form of Deposit Agreement among the Registrant, the depositary and holder of the American Depositary Receipts. | |
4.4* | Second Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement, dated as of June 9, 2004, among the Registrant and other parties therein. | |
5.1** | Opinion of Maples and Calder regarding the validity of the ordinary shares being registered. | |
8.1** | Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP regarding certain U.S. tax matters. | |
10.1* | 2000 Option Plan. | |
10.3* | Form of Indemnification Agreement with the Registrants directors. | |
10.4* | Form of Employment Agreement between the Registrant and an Executive Officer of the Registrant. | |
10.5* | Translation of Acquisition Agreement dated as of August 9, 2004 between Baidu Online and the owner of Hao123.com. | |
21.1* | Subsidiaries of the Registrant. | |
23.1* | Consent of Ernst & Young, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. | |
23.2** | Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1). | |
23.3** | Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1). | |
23.4** | Consent of Commerce & Finance Law Offices (included in Exhibit 99.1). | |
23.5* | Consent of East Associates. | |
23.6* | Consent of American Appraisal China Limited. | |
23.7* | Consent of Shanghai iResearch Co., Ltd. | |
23.8* | Consent of International Data Corporation. | |
23.9* | Consent of James Ding. | |
24.1* | Powers of Attorney (included on signature page). |
Exhibit Number |
Description of Document | |
99.1** | Opinion of Commerce & Finance Law Offices. | |
99.2* | Translation of Technology Consulting Service Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom. | |
99.3* | Translation of Business Cooperation Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom. | |
99.4* | Translation of Operating Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom. | |
99.5* | Translation of Software License Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom. | |
99.6* | Translation of Trademark License Agreement dated as of March 1, 2004 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom and the supplementary agreement dated as of January 18, 2005. | |
99.7* | Translation of Domain Name License Agreement dated as of March 1, 2004 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom and the supplementary agreement dated August 9, 2004. | |
99.8* | Translation of Web Layout Copyright License Agreement dated as of March 1, 2004 between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom and the supplementary agreement dated as of August 9, 2004. | |
99.9* | Translation of Proxy Agreement dated as of August 9, 2004 among Baidu Online, Baidu Netcom, Robin Yanhong Li and Eric Yong Yu. | |
99.10* | Translation of Equity Pledge Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 among Baidu Online, Robin Yanhong Li and Eric Yong Xu. | |
99.11* | Translation of Option Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 among Baidu Online, Robin Yanhong Li and Eric Yong Xu. | |
99.12* | Translation of Loan Agreement dated as of March 22, 2005 among Baidu Online, Robin Yanhong Li and Eric Yong Xu. | |
99.13* | Translation of Form of Irrevocable Powers of Attorney issued by the shareholders of Baidu Netcom. | |
99.14* | Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. |
* | Filed previously. |
** | Filed herewith. |
*** | To be filed by amendment. |
Exhibit 3.2
THE COMPANIES LAW (2004 REVISION)
Company Limited by Shares
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
BAIDU.COM, INC.
Adopted by special resolution passed on August 1, 2005 and
effective immediately upon the closing of the initial public offering of the Companys American
Depositary Shares representing its Class A Ordinary Shares in the U.S.
1. | The name of the Company is BAIDU.COM, INC. |
2. | The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of M&C Corporate Services Limited, P.O. Box 390GT, Ugland House, South Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands or at such other place as the Directors may from time to time decide. |
3. | The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by the Companies Law (2004 Revision), as amended from time to time, or any other law of the Cayman Islands. |
4. | The liability of each Member is limited to the amount from time to time unpaid on such Members shares. |
5. | The authorized share capital of the Company is US$43,520 divided into 825,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each, 35,400,000 Class B ordinary shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each, and 10,000,000 preferred shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each, with the power for the Company, insofar as is permitted by law, to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to increase or reduce the said capital subject to the provisions of the Companies Law (2004 Revision) and the Articles of Association and to issue any part of its capital, whether original, redeemed or increased with or without any preference, priority or special privilege or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly declare every issue of shares whether declared to be preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers hereinbefore contained, provided that, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Memorandum of Association, the Company shall have no power to issue bearer shares, warrants, coupons or certificates. |
1
6. | If the Company is registered as exempted, its operations will be carried on subject to the provisions of Section 193 of the Companies Law (2004 Revision) and, subject to the provisions of the Companies Law (2004 Revision) and the Articles of Association, it shall have the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands. |
7. | Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association bear the same meaning as those given in the Amended and Restated Articles of Association of the Company adopted by Special Resolution passed on August 1, 2005 and effective immediately upon the closing of the initial public offering of the Companys American Depositary Shares representing its Class A Ordinary Shares in the U.S. |
2
THE COMPANIES LAW (2004 REVISION)
Company Limited by Shares
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
BAIDU.COM, INC.
Adopted by special resolution passed on August 1, 2005 and
effective immediately upon the closing of the initial public offering of the Companys American
Depositary Shares representing its Class A Ordinary Shares in the U.S.
1. | In these Articles, Table A in the Schedule to the Statute does not apply and, unless there be something in the subject or context inconsistent therewith, |
Affiliate | means (i) in the case of a natural person, such persons parents, parents-in-law, spouse, children or grandchildren, a trust for the benefit of any of the foregoing, a company, partnership or any natural person or entity wholly or jointly owned by any of the foregoing, (ii) in the case of an entity, a partnership, a corporation or any natural person or entity which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such entity. The term control shall mean the ownership, directly or indirectly, of shares possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the corporation, or the partnership or other entity (other than, in the case of corporation, share having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency), or having the power to control the management or elect a majority of members to the board of directors or equivalent decision-making body of such corporation, partnership or other entity. |
1
Articles | means the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Association adopted by Special Resolution, as from time to time altered or added to in accordance with the Statutes and these Articles. | |
Auditors | means the persons for the time being performing the duties of auditors of the Company. | |
Class A Ordinary Share | means a Class A Ordinary Share in the capital of the Company. | |
Class B Ordinary Share | means a Class B Ordinary Share in the capital of the Company. | |
Company | means Baidu.com, Inc. | |
debenture | means debenture stock, mortgages, bonds and any other such securities of the Company whether constituting a charge on the assets of the Company or not. | |
Directors and Board of Directors |
means the current directors of the board of the Company. | |
dividend | includes bonus. | |
Member | has the meaning as ascribed to it in the Statute. | |
month | means calendar month. | |
Ordinary Shares | means collectively the Class A Ordinary Shares and the Class B Ordinary Shares. | |
paid up | means paid up and/or credited as paid up. | |
registered office | means the current registered office of the Company in the Cayman Islands. | |
Seal | means the common seal of the Company and includes every duplicate seal. | |
Secretary | includes an Assistant Secretary and any person appointed to perform the duties of Secretary of the Company. | |
share | includes a fraction of a share. |
2
Special Resolution | has the same meaning as in the Statute and includes a resolution approved in writing as described therein. | |
Statute | means the Companies Law of the Cayman Islands (2004 Revision) and every statutory modification or re-enactment thereof currently in force. | |
written and in writing |
include all modes of representing or reproducing words in visible form. |
2. | In these Articles, save where the context requires otherwise: |
(a) | words importing the singular number shall include the plural number and vice versa; |
(b) | words importing the masculine gender only shall include the feminine gender; |
(c) | words importing persons only shall include companies or associations or bodies of persons, whether corporate or not; |
(d) | may shall be construed as permissive and shall shall be construed as imperative; |
(e) | a reference to a dollar or dollars (or $) is a reference to dollars of the United States; |
(f) | references to a statutory enactment shall include reference to any amendment or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force; and |
(g) | any phrase introduced by the terms including, include, in particular or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms. |
3. | Subject to the last two preceding Articles, any words defined in the Companies Law shall, if not inconsistent with the subject or context, bear the same meaning in these Articles. |
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES
4. | Certificates representing shares of the Company shall be in such form as shall be determined by the Directors. Such certificates may be under Seal. All certificates for shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified and shall specify the shares to which they relate. The name and address of the person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of shares and date of issue, shall be entered in the register of Members of the Company. All certificates surrendered to the Company for transfer shall be cancelled and no new certificate shall be issued until the former certificate for a like number of shares shall have been surrendered and cancelled. The Directors may authorize certificates to be issued with the Seal and authorized signature(s) affixed by some method or system of mechanical process. |
3
5. | Notwithstanding Article 4 of these Articles, if a share certificate be defaced, lost or destroyed, it may be renewed on payment of a fee of one dollar (US$1.00) or such less sum and on such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity and the payment of the expenses incurred by the Company in investigating evidence, as the Directors may prescribe. |
SHARE CAPITAL
6. | The authorized share capital of the Company is US$43,520 divided into 825,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each, 35,400,000 Class B ordinary shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each, and 10,000,000 preferred shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each, with the power for the Company, insofar as is permitted by law, to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to increase or reduce the said capital subject to the provisions of the Companies Law (2004 Revision) and the Articles of Association and to issue any part of its capital, whether original, redeemed or increased with or without any preference, priority or special privilege or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly declare every issue of shares whether declared to be preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers hereinbefore contained. |
7. | The Directors from time to time may, in their absolute discretion and without approval of Members, cause the Company to issue such amounts of preferred shares or other similar securities in one or more series as they deem necessary and appropriate and determine designations, powers, preferences, privileges and other rights, including dividend rights, conversion rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the powers and rights associated with the Ordinary Shares. |
RIGHTS AND RESTRICTIONS ATTACHING TO ORDINARY SHARES
8. | The rights and restrictions attaching to the Ordinary Shares are as follows: |
(a) | Income |
Holders of Ordinary Shares shall be entitled to such dividends as the Directors may in their absolute discretion lawfully declare from time to time.
(b) | Capital |
Holders of Ordinary Shares shall be entitled to a return of capital on liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company (other than on a conversion, redemption or purchase of shares, or an equity financing or series of financings that do not constitute the sale of all or substantially all of the shares of the Company).
4
(c) | Attendance at General Meetings and Voting |
Holders of Ordinary Shares have the right to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at general meetings of the Company. Holders of shares of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares shall at all time vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote for Members consent. Each share of Class A Ordinary Share shall be entitled to one vote on all matters subject to the vote at general meetings of the Company, and each share of Class B Ordinary Share shall be entitled to ten (10) votes on all matters subject to the vote at general meetings of the Company.
(d) | Conversion |
(i) | Each share of Class B Ordinary Share is convertible into one (1) share of Class A Ordinary Share at any time by the holder thereof. In no event shall Class A Ordinary Shares be convertible into Class B Ordinary Shares. |
(ii) | If at any time Yanhong (Robin) Li and his Affiliates collectively own less than 5% of the total number of the issued and outstanding Class B Ordinary Shares of the Company, each issued and outstanding share of Class B Ordinary Share shall be automatically and immediately converted into one share of Class A Ordinary Share, and no Class B Ordinary Shares shall be issued by the Company thereafter. |
(iii) | Upon any sale, pledge, transfer, assignment or disposition of Class B Ordinary Shares by a holder thereof to any person or entity which is not an Affiliate of such holder, such Class B Ordinary Shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into an equal number of Class A Ordinary Shares; provided that, except as set forth in Article 8(d)(iv) below, a change in the beneficial ownership of Class B Ordinary Shares shall not cause a conversion under this Article 8(d)(iii). |
(iv) | Within six months after a transfer by a holder of Class B Ordinary Shares to an Affiliate of such holder, if there is a change of the beneficial ownership of the Class B Ordinary Shares held by the Affiliate, such Class B Ordinary Shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into an equal number of Class A Ordinary Shares. For purposes of this Article 8(d)(iv), a transfer shall be deemed to be effective upon the Companys registration of such transfer in its register of Members. For purposes of Article 8(d)(iii) and Article 8(d)(iv), beneficial ownership shall have the meaning defined in Rule 13d-3 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
5
9. | The Company shall maintain a register of its Members and every person whose name is entered as a Member in the register of Members shall be entitled, without payment, to receive within two months after allotment or lodgment of transfer (or within such other period as the conditions of issue shall provide) one certificate for all his shares, provided that, in respect of a share or shares held jointly by several persons, the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate and delivery of a certificate for a share to one of the several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all such holders. |
TRANSFER OF SHARES
10. | The instrument of transfer of any share shall be in writing and shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and the transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of a share until the name of the transferee is entered in the register in respect thereof. |
11. | The Directors may, in their absolute discretion (except with respect to a transfer from a Member to its Affiliate(s)), decline to register any transfer of shares without assigning any reason therefor. If the Directors refuse to register a transfer they shall notify the transferee within two months of such refusal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a transfer complies with the holders transfer obligations and restrictions set forth under applicable law (including but not limited to U.S. securities law provisions related to insider trading) and these Articles, Directors shall promptly register such transfer. Further, any Director is authorized to confirm in writing addressed to the registered office to authorize a share transfer and to instruct that the register of members be updated accordingly, provided that the transfer complies with the holders transfer obligations and restrictions set forth under applicable law and these Articles and such holder is not the Director who authorizes the transfer or an entity affiliated with such Director. Any Director is authorized to execute a share certificate in respect of such shares for and on behalf of the Company. |
12. | The registration of transfers may be suspended at such time and for such periods as the Directors may from time to time determine, provided always that such registration shall not be suspended for more than forty-five days in any year. |
REDEEMABLE SHARES
13. | (a) | Subject to the provisions of the Statute and the Memorandum of Association, shares may be issued on the terms that they are, or at the option of the Company or the holder are, to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner as the Company, before the issue of the shares, may by Special Resolution determine. |
(b) | Subject to the provisions of the Statute and the Memorandum of Association, the Company may purchase its own shares (including fractions of a share), including any redeemable shares, provided that the manner of purchase has first been authorized by the Board of Directors, and the Company, in a general meeting, and may make payment therefor in any manner authorized by the Statute, including out of capital. |
6
VARIATION OF RIGHTS OF SHARES
14. | Except as otherwise provided in these Articles, if at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any class (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class and as set forth in the Articles) may, whether or not the Company is being wound up, liquidated or dissolved, be varied with the consent in writing of the holders of at least a majority of the issued shares of that class, or with the sanction of a Special Resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. |
The provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings shall apply to every such general meeting of the holders of one class of shares except that the necessary quorum shall be one person holding or representing by proxy at least one third of the issued shares of the class and that any holder of shares of the class present in person or by proxy may demand a poll.
COMMISSION ON SALE OF SHARES
15. | The Company may, in so far as the Statute from time to time permits, pay a commission to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe, whether absolutely or conditionally, for any shares of the Company. Such commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the lodgment of fully or partly paid-up shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. The Company may also on any issue of shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful. |
NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS
16. | No person shall be recognized by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or be compelled in any way to recognize (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future, or partial interest in any share, or any interest in any fractional part of a share, or (except only as is otherwise provided by these Articles or the Statute) any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder. |
CALL ON SHARES
17. | (a) | The Directors may from time to time make calls upon the Members in respect of any monies unpaid on their shares (whether on account of the nominal value of the shares or by way of premium or otherwise) and not by the conditions of allotment thereof made payable at fixed terms, provided that no call shall be payable at less than one month from the date fixed for the payment of the last preceding call, and each Member shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen days notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company, at the time or times so specified, the amount called on the shares. A call may be revoked or postponed as the Directors may determine. A call may be made payable by installments. |
7
(b) | A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorizing such call was passed. |
(c) | The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect thereof. |
18. | If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on a day appointed for payment thereof, the persons from whom the sum is due shall pay interest on the sum from the day appointed for payment thereof to the time of actual payment at such rate not exceeding, ten percent (10%) per annum as the Directors may determine, but the Directors shall be at liberty to waive payment of such interest either wholly or in part. |
19. | Any sum which by the terms of issue of a share becomes payable on allotment or at any fixed date, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium or otherwise, shall, for the purposes of these Articles, be deemed to be a call duly made, notified and payable on the date on which by the terms of issue the same becomes payable, and in the case of non-payment all the relevant provisions of these Articles as to payment of interest, forfeiture or otherwise shall apply as if such sum had become payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
20. | The Directors may, on the issue of shares, differentiate between the holders as to the amount of calls or interest to be paid and the times of payment. |
21. | (a) | The Directors may, if they think fit, receive from any Member willing to advance the same, all or any part of the monies uncalled and unpaid upon any shares held by him, and upon all or any of the monies so advanced may (until the same would but for such advances, become payable) pay interest at such rate not exceeding (unless the Company in general meeting shall otherwise direct) seven percent (7%) per annum, as may be agreed upon between the Directors and the Member paying such sum in advance. |
(b) | No such sum paid in advance of calls shall entitle the Member paying such sum to any portion of a dividend declared in respect of any period prior to the date upon which such sum would, but for such payment, become presently payable. |
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
22. | (a) | If a Member fails to pay any call or installment of a call or to make any payment required by the terms of issue on the day appointed for payment thereof, the Directors may, at any time thereafter during such time as any part of the call, installment or payment remains unpaid, give notice requiring payment of so much of the call, installment or payment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued and all expenses that have been incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment. Such notice shall name a day (not earlier than the expiration of fourteen days from the date of giving of the notice) on or before which the payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall state that, in the event of non-payment at or before the time appointed, the shares in respect of which such notice was given will be liable to be forfeited. |
8
(b) | If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not complied with, any share in respect of which the notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before the payment required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors to that effect. Such forfeiture shall include all dividends declared in respect of the forfeited share and not actually paid before the forfeiture. |
(c) | A forfeited share may be sold or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit and at any time before a sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit. |
23. | A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the forfeited shares, but shall, notwithstanding, remain liable to pay to the Company all monies which, at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares together with interest thereon, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all monies whenever payable in respect of the shares. |
24. | A certificate in writing under the hand of one Director or the Secretary of the Company that a share in the Company has been duly forfeited on a date stated in the declaration shall be conclusive evidence of the fact therein stated as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share. The Company may receive the consideration given for the share on any sale or disposition thereof and may execute a transfer of the share in favor of the person to whom the share is sold or disposed of and he shall thereupon be registered as the holder of the share and shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the share. |
25. | The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
REGISTRATION OF EMPOWERING INSTRUMENTS
26. | The Company shall be entitled to charge a fee not exceeding one dollar (US$1.00) on the registration of every probate, letters of administration certificate of death or marriage, power of attorney, notice in lieu of distringas, or other instrument. |
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
27. | In case of the death of a Member, the survivor or survivors where the deceased was a joint holder, and the legal personal representatives of the deceased where he was a sole holder, shall be the only persons recognized by the Company as having any title to his |
9
interest in the shares, but nothing herein contained shall release the estate of any such deceased holder from any liability in respect of any shares which had been held by him solely or jointly with other persons.
28. | (a) | Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution of a Member (or in any other way than by transfer) may, upon such evidence being produced as may from time to time be required by the Directors and subject as hereinafter provided, elect either to be registered himself as holder of the share or to make such transfer of the share to such other person nominated by him as the deceased or bankrupt person could have made and to have such person registered as the transferee thereof, but the Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the share by that Member before his death or bankruptcy as the case may be. |
(b) | If the person so becoming entitled shall elect to be registered himself as holder, he shall deliver or send to the Company a notice in writing signed by him stating that he so elects. |
29. | A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution of the holder (or in any other case than by transfer) shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered holder of the share, except that he shall not, before being registered as a Member in respect of the share, be entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of the Company PROVIDED HOWEVER that the Directors may at any time give notice requiring any such person to elect either to be registered himself or to transfer the share and, if the notice is not complied with within ninety days, the Directors may thereafter withhold payment of all dividends, bonuses or other monies payable in respect of the share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with. |
AMENDMENT OF MEMORANDUM OF
ASSOCIATION, CHANGE OF
LOCATION OF REGISTERED OFFICE &
ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
30. | (a) | Subject to and in so far as permitted by the provisions of the Statute, the Company may from time to time by special resolution alter or amend its Memorandum of Association otherwise than with respect to its name and objects and may by ordinary resolution, without restricting the generality of the foregoing: |
(i) | consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into shares of larger amount than its existing shares; |
(ii) | by subdivision of its existing shares or any of them divide the whole or any part of its share capital into shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the Memorandum of Association or into shares without nominal or par value; |
10
(iii) | 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. |
(b) | All new shares created hereunder shall be subject to the same provisions with reference to the payment of calls, liens, transfer, transmission, forfeiture and otherwise as the shares in the original share capital. |
(c) | Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the Company may by resolution of the Directors change the location of its registered office. |
CLOSING REGISTER OF MEMBERS OR FIXING RECORD DATE
31. | For the purpose of determining Members entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of Members or any adjournment thereof, or Members entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of Members for any other proper purpose, the Directors of the Company may provide that the register of Members shall be closed for transfers for a stated period but not to exceed in any case forty days. If the register of Members shall be so closed for the purpose of determining Members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of Members such register shall be so closed for at least ten days immediately preceding such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the date of the closure of the register of Members. |
32. | In lieu of or apart from closing the register of Members, the Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of Members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Members and for the purpose of determining the Members entitled to receive payment of any dividend the Directors may, at or within 90 days prior to the date of declaration of such dividend, fix a subsequent date as the record date for such determination. |
33. | If the register of Members is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of Members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of Members or Members entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is mailed or the date on which the resolution of the Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of Members. When a determination of Members entitled to vote at any meeting of Members has been made as provided in this section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof. |
GENERAL MEETINGS
34. | All general meetings of Members other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. |
11
35. | The Company shall, if required by the Companies Law, in each year hold a general meeting of Members as its annual general meeting and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. The annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Directors. At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be presented. |
36. | (a) | The Directors may call extraordinary general meetings, and they shall on a Members requisition forthwith proceed to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company. |
(b) | A Members requisition is a requisition of Members of the Company holding at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than a majority of the voting power represented by the issued shares of the Company as at that date carries the right of voting at general meetings of the Company. |
(c) | The requisition must state the objects of the meeting and must be signed by the requisitionists and deposited at the Registered Office, and may consist of several documents in like form each signed by one or more requisitionists. |
(d) | If the Directors do not within 21 days from the date of the deposit of the requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting to be held within the next 60 days, the requisitionists may themselves convene a general meeting, but any meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of 120 days after the deposit of the requisition. |
(e) | A general meeting convened as aforesaid by requisitionists shall be convened in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which general meetings are to be convened by Directors. |
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
37. | At least five calendar days notice shall be given for any general meeting of Members. Every notice shall be inclusive of the day on which it is given or deemed to be given and of the day for which it is given and shall specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of the business and shall be given in manner hereinafter mentioned or in such other manner if any as may be prescribed by the Company PROVIDED that a general meeting of the Company shall be deemed to have been duly convened if it is called as an annual general meeting by all the Members entitled to attend and vote thereat or their proxies. |
38. | The accidental omission to give notice of a general meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of a meeting by any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting. |
39. | Notices shall be in writing and may be given by the Company to any Member either personally or by sending it by post, cable, telex, telecopy or e-mail to him or to his address as shown in the register of Members or e-mail address last known to the Company, such notice, if mailed, to be forwarded airmail if the address be outside the Cayman Islands. |
12
40. | (a) | Where a notice is sent by post, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and posting a letter containing the notice, and to have been effected at the expiration of sixty hours after the letter containing the same is posted as aforesaid. |
(b) | Where a notice is sent by cable, telex, telecopy or e-mail, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, and sending such notice through a transmitting organization and to have been effected on the day the same is sent as aforesaid. |
41. | A notice may be given by the Company to the joint holders of record of a share by giving the notice to the joint holder first named on the register of Members in respect of the share. |
42. | A notice may be given by the Company to the person or persons which the Company has been advised are entitled to a share or shares in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member by sending it through the post as aforesaid in a pre-paid letter addressed to them by name, or by the title of representatives of the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt, or by any like description at the address supplied for that purpose by the persons claiming to be so entitled, or at the option of the Company by giving the notice in any manner in which the same might have been given if the death or bankruptcy had not occurred. |
43. | Notice of every general meeting shall be given in any manner hereinbefore authorized to: |
(a) | every person shown as a Member in the register of Members as of the record date for such meeting except that in the case of joint holders the notice shall be sufficient if given to the joint holder first named in the register of Members. |
(b) | every person upon whom the ownership of a share devolves by reason of his being a legal personal representative or a trustee in bankruptcy of a Member of record where the Member of record but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting; and |
No other person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
44. | No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of Members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Save as otherwise provided by these Articles, one or more Members holding at least one third of the paid up voting share capital of the Company present in person, by proxy, via telephone conference or other communications equipment by means of which all the persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other, shall be a quorum. |
13
45. | A resolution (including a Special Resolution) in writing (in one or more counterparts) signed by all Members for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings (or being corporations by their duly authorized representatives) shall be as valid and effective as if the same had been passed at a general meeting of the Company duly convened and held. |
46. | If within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved and in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and place or to such other time or such other place as the Directors may determine and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting the Members present shall be a quorum. |
47. | The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside as Chairman at every general meeting of the Company, or if there is no such Chairman, or if he shall not be present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the holding of the meeting, or is unwilling to act, the Directors present shall elect one of their number to be Chairman of the meeting. |
48. | If at any general meeting no Director is willing to act as Chairman or if no Director is present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Members present shall choose one of their members to be Chairman of the meeting. |
49. | The Chairman may, with the consent of any general meeting duly constituted hereunder, and shall if so directed by the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a general meeting is adjourned for thirty days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting; save as aforesaid it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned general meeting. |
50. | At any general meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a poll conducted by the Chairman. |
51. | A person may participate at a general meeting by telephone conference or other communications equipment by means of which all the persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other. Participating by a person in a general meeting in this manner is treated as presence in person at that meeting. |
52. | A poll demanded on the election of a Chairman or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken at such time as the Chairman of the general meeting directs and any business other than that upon which a poll has been demanded or is contingent thereon may be proceeded with pending the taking of the poll. |
14
VOTES OF MEMBERS
53. | In the case of joint holders of record, the vote of the senior who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the register of Members. |
54. | A Member of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court, having jurisdiction in lunacy, may vote, on a poll, by his committee, receiver, curator bonis, or other person in the nature of a committee, receiver or curator bonis appointed by that court, and any such committee, receiver, curator bonis or other persons may vote by proxy. |
55. | No Member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting unless he is registered as a shareholder of the Company on the record date for such meeting nor unless all calls or other sums presently payable by him in respect of shares in the Company have been paid. |
56. | No objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter except at the general meeting or adjourned general meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered and every vote not disallowed at such general meeting shall be valid for all purposes. Any such objection made in due time shall be referred to the Chairman of the general meeting whose decision shall be final and conclusive. |
57. | On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy. |
PROXIES
58. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing and shall be executed under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorized in writing, or, if the appointor is a corporation under the hand of an officer or attorney duly authorized in that behalf. A proxy need not be a Member of the Company. |
59. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited at the registered office of the Company or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting no later than the time for holding the meeting, or adjourned meeting provided that the Chairman of the Meeting may at his discretion direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited upon receipt of telex, cable or telecopy confirmation from the appointor that the instrument of proxy duly signed is in the course of transmission to the Company. |
60. | The instrument appointing a proxy may be in any usual or common form and may be expressed to be for a particular meeting or any adjournment thereof or generally until revoked. An instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to include the power to demand or join or concur in demanding a poll. |
61. | A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal or revocation of the proxy |
15
or of the authority under which the proxy was executed, or the transfer of the share in respect of which the proxy is given provided that no intimation in writing of such death, insanity, revocation or transfer as aforesaid shall have been received by the Company at the registered office before the commencement of the general meeting, or adjourned meeting at which it is sought to use the proxy.
62. | Any corporation which is a Member of record of the Company may in accordance with its Articles or in the absence of such provision by resolution of its Directors or other governing body authorize such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any class of Members of the Company, and the person so authorized shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member of record of the Company. |
63. | Shares of its own capital belonging to the Company or held by it in a fiduciary capacity shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time. |
DIRECTORS
64. | There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of no more than nine persons (exclusive of alternate Directors) PROVIDED HOWEVER that the Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution increase or reduce the limits in the number of Directors. The Directors shall be elected or appointed in the first place by subscribers to the Memorandum of Association or by a majority of them and thereafter by the Members at the general meeting. |
65. | Each Director shall hold office until the expiration of his term and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified. |
66. | The remuneration to be paid to the Directors shall be such remuneration as the Directors shall determine. Such remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from day to day. The Directors shall also be entitled to be paid their reasonable traveling, hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in going to, attending and returning from meetings of the Directors, or any committee of the Directors, or general meetings of the Company, or otherwise in connection with the business of the Company, or to receive a fixed allowance in respect thereof as may be determined by the Directors from time to time, or a combination partly of one such method and partly the other. |
67. | The Directors may by resolution award special remuneration to any Director of the Company undertaking any special work or services for, or undertaking any special mission on behalf of, the Company other than his ordinary routine work as a Director. Any fees paid to a Director who is also counsel or solicitor to the Company, or otherwise serves it in a professional capacity shall be in addition to his remuneration as a Director. |
16
68. | A Director or alternate Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other than the office of Auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and on such terms as to remuneration and otherwise as the Directors may determine. |
69. | A Director or alternate Director may act by himself or his firm in a professional capacity for the Company and he or his firm shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if he were not a Director or alternate Director. |
70. | A shareholding qualification for Directors may be fixed by the Company in general meeting, but unless and until so fixed no qualification shall be required. |
71. | A Director or alternate Director of the Company may be or become a director or other officer of or otherwise interested in any company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be interested as shareholder or otherwise and no such Director or alternate Director shall be accountable to the Company for any remuneration or other benefits received by him as a director or officer of, or from his interest in, such other company. |
72. | No person shall be disqualified from the office of Director or alternate Director or prevented by such office from contracting with the Company, either as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or any contract or transaction entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director or alternate Director shall be in any way interested be or be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director or alternate Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit realized by any such contract or transaction by reason of such Director holding office or of the fiduciary relation thereby established. A Director (or his alternate Director in his absence) shall be at liberty to vote in respect of any contract or transaction in which he is so interested as aforesaid PROVIDED HOWEVER that the nature of the interest of any Director or alternate Director in any such contract or transaction shall be disclosed by him or the alternate Director appointed by him at or prior to its consideration and any vote thereon. |
73. | A general notice that a Director or alternate Director is a shareholder of any specified firm or company and is to be regarded as interested in any transaction with such firm or company shall be sufficient disclosure under Article 70 and after such general notice it shall not be necessary to give special notice relating to any particular transaction. |
APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS
74. | The Company may by ordinary resolution appoint any person to be a Director and may in like manner remove any Director and may in like manner appoint another person in his stead notwithstanding anything in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director. A vacancy on the Board created by the removal of a Director under this Article may be filled by the election or appointment by ordinary resolution at the meeting at which such Director is removed or pursuant to Article 75 below. |
17
75. | The Directors, by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting, shall have power at any time and from time to time to appoint any person to be a Director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the existing Directors but so that the total amount of Directors (exclusive of alternate Directors) shall not at any time exceed the number fixed in accordance with these Articles. |
VACATION OF OFFICE OF DIRECTOR
76. | The office of a Director shall be vacated: |
(a) | if he gives notice in writing to the Company that he resigns the office of Director; |
(b) | if he dies, becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors generally; |
(c) | if he is found a lunatic or becomes of unsound mind. |
ALTERNATE DIRECTORS AND VISITATION RIGHTS
77. | Subject to the exception contained in Article 80, a Director who expects to be unable to attend Directors Meetings because of absence, illness or otherwise may appoint any person to be an alternate Director to act in his stead and such appointee whilst he holds office as an alternate Director shall, in the event of absence therefrom of his appointor, be entitled to attend meetings of the Directors and to vote thereat and to do, in the place and stead of his appointor, any other act or thing which his appointor is permitted or required to do by virtue of his being a Director as if the alternate Director were the appointor, other than appointment of an alternate to himself, and he shall ipso facto vacate office if and when his appointor ceases to be a Director or removes the appointee from office. Any appointment or removal under this Article shall be effected by notice in writing under the hand of the Director making the same. Yong (Eric) Xu shall have the right to receive notice of, attend and speak at Directors Meetings. Draper Fisher Jurvetson ePlanet Ventures L.P. shall have the right to invite one observer to attend Directors Meetings, provided that such observer is a representative of its other partners. |
POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTORS
78. | The business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors (or a sole Director if only one is appointed) who may pay all expenses incurred in promoting, registering and setting up the Company, and may exercise all such powers of the Company as are not, from time to time by the Statute, or by these Articles, or such regulations, being not inconsistent with the aforesaid, as may be prescribed by the Company in general meeting required to be exercised by the Company in general meeting PROVIDED HOWEVER that no regulations made by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors which would have been valid if that regulation had not been made. |
18
79. | The Directors may from time to time and at any time by powers of attorney appoint any company, firm, person or body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for such purpose and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such powers of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorneys as the Directors may think fit and may also authorize any such attorney to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in him. |
80. | All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable instruments and all receipts for monies paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed as the case may be in such manner as the Directors shall from time to time by resolution determine. |
81. | The Directors shall cause minutes to be made in books provided for the purpose: |
(a) | of all appointments of officers made by the Directors; |
(b) | of the names of the Directors (including those represented thereat by an alternate or by proxy) present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors; |
(c) | of all resolutions and proceedings at all meetings of the Company and of the Directors and of committees of Directors. |
82. | The Directors on behalf of the Company may pay a gratuity or pension or allowance on retirement to any Director who has held any other salaried office or place of profit with the Company or to his widow or dependants and may make contributions to any fund and pay premiums for the purchase or provision of any such gratuity, pension or allowance. |
83. | The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and uncalled capital or any put thereof and to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities whether outright or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party. |
84. | The Directors may, from time to time, and except as required by applicable law or the listing rules of the recognized stock exchange or automated quotation system where the Companys securities are traded, adopt, institute, amend, modify or revoke the corporate governance policies or initiatives, which shall be intended to set forth the policies of the Company and the Board of Directors on various corporate governance related matters as the Directors shall determine by resolution from time to time. |
19
PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS
85. | Except as otherwise provided by these Articles, the Directors shall meet together for the dispatch of business, convening, adjourning and otherwise regulating their meetings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes of the Directors and alternate Directors present at a meeting at which there is a quorum, the vote of an alternate Director not being counted if his appointor be present at such meeting. In case of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall have a second or casting vote. |
86. | A Director or alternate Director may, and the Secretary on the requisition of a Director or alternate Director shall, at any time summon a meeting of the Directors by at least three days notice in writing to every Director and alternate Director which notice shall set forth the general nature of the business to be considered unless notice is waived by all the Directors (or their alternates) either at, before or after the meeting is held and PROVIDED FURTHER if notice is given in person, by cable, telex, telecopy or email the same shall be deemed to have been given on the day it is delivered to the Directors or transmitting organization as the case may be. |
87. | The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Directors may be fixed by the Directors and unless so fixed shall be a majority of the then existing Directors and shall include Robin Yanhong Li, provided that a Director and his appointed alternate Director shall be considered only one person for this purpose. If at any time there is only a sole Director the quorum shall be one. For the purposes of this Article, an alternate Director or proxy appointed by a Director shall be counted in a quorum at a meeting at which the Director appointing him is not present. A meeting of the Directors at which a quorum is present when the meeting proceeds to business shall be competent to exercise all powers and discretions for the time being exercisable by the Directors. A meeting of the Directors may be held by means of telephone or teleconferencing or any other telecommunications facility provided that all participants are thereby able to communicate immediately by voice with all other participants. |
88. | The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, but if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to these Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors the continuing Directors or Director may act for the purpose of increasing the number of Directors to that number, or of summoning a general meeting of the Company, but for no other purpose. |
89. | The Directors may elect a Chairman of the Board and determine the period for which he is to hold office; but if no such Chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the Chairman is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their numbers to be Chairman of the meeting. |
90. | The Directors may delegate any of their powers to committees consisting of such member or members of the Board of Directors (including Alternate Directors in the absence of their appointors) as they think fit; any committee so formed shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations that may be imposed on it by the Directors. |
20
91. | A committee may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present, and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote. |
92. | All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of Directors (including any person acting as an alternate Director) shall, notwithstanding that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any Director or alternate Director, or that they or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and qualified to be a Director or alternate Director as the case may be. |
93. | Members of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board or of such committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and participation in a meeting pursuant to this provision shall constitute presence in person at such meeting. A resolution in writing (in one or more counterparts), signed by all the Directors for the time being or all the members of a committee of Directors (an alternate Director being entitled to sign such resolution on behalf of his appointor) shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Directors or committee as the case may be duly convened and held. |
94. | A Director may be represented at any meetings of the Board of Directors by a proxy appointed by him in which event the presence or vote of the proxy shall for all purposes be deemed to be that of the Director. |
PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT
95. | A Director of the Company who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the Minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his written dissent from such action with the person acting as the Secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered mail to such person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favor of such action. |
MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY
96. | (a) | The Directors may from time to time provide for the management of the affairs of the Company in such manner as they shall think fit and the provisions contained in the three next following paragraphs shall be without prejudice to the general powers conferred by this paragraph.
| ||
(b) | The Directors from time to time and at any time may establish any committees, local bonds or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company and may appoint any persons to be members of such committees or local bonds or any managers or agents and may fix their remuneration. |
21
(c) | The Directors from time to time and at any time may delegate to any such committee, local board, manager or agent any of tire powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in the Directors and may authorize the members for the time being of any such local board, or any of them to fill up any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies and any such appointment or delegation may be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may think fit and the Directors may at any time remove any person so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation shall be affected thereby. |
(d) | Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorized by the Directors to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretions for the time being vested in them. |
OFFICERS
97. | Subject to these Articles, the Directors may from time to time appoint any person, whether or not a director of the Company to hold such office in the Company as the Directors may think necessary for the administration of the Company, including without prejudice to the foregoing generality, the office of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and/or one or more Vice Presidents, and for such term and at such remuneration (whether by way of salary or commission or participation in profits or partly in one way and partly in another), and with such powers and duties as the Directors may think fit. |
SEAL
98. | (a) | The Company may, if the Directors so determine, have a Seal which shall, subject to paragraph (c) hereof, only be used by the authority of the Directors or of a committee of the Directors authorized by the Directors in that behalf and every instrument to which the Seal has been affixed shall be signed by one person who shall be either a Director or the Secretary or Secretary- Treasurer or some person appointed by the Directors for the purpose. | ||
(b) | The Company may have for use in any place or places outside the Cayman Islands a duplicate Seal or Seals each of which shall be a facsimile of the Common Seal of the Company and, if the Directors so determine, with the addition on its face of the name of every place where it is to be used. | |||
(c) | A Director, Secretary or other officer or representative or attorney may without further authority of the Directors affix the Seal of the Company over his signature alone to any document of the Company required to be authenticated by him under Seal or to be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. |
22
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESERVE
99. | Subject to the Statute, the Directors may from time to time declare dividends (including interim dividends) and distributions on shares of the Company outstanding and authorize payment of the same out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefore. |
100. | The Directors may, before declaring any dividends or distributions, set aside such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall at the discretion of the Directors, be applicable for any purpose of the Company and pending such application may, at the like discretion, be employed in the business of the Company. |
101. | No dividend or distribution shall be payable except out of the profits of the Company, realized or unrealized, or out of the share premium account or as otherwise permitted by the Statute. |
102. | Subject to the rights of persons, if any, entitled to shares with special rights as to dividends or distributions, if dividends or distributions are to be declared on a class of shares they shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid or credited as paid on the shares of such class outstanding on the record date for such dividend or distribution as determined in accordance with these Articles but no amount paid or credited as paid on a share in advance of calls shall be treated for the purpose of this Article as paid on the share. |
103. | The Directors may deduct from any dividend or distribution payable to any Member all sums of money (if any) presently payable by him to the Company on account of calls or otherwise. |
104. | The Directors may declare that any dividend or distribution be paid wholly or partly by the distribution of specific assets and in particular of paid up shares, debentures, or debenture stock of any other company or in any one or more of such ways and where any difficulty arises in regard to such distribution, the Directors may settle the same as they think expedient and in particular may issue fractional certificates and fix the value for distribution of such specific assets or any part thereof and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Members upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of all Members and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to the Directors. |
105. | Any dividend, distribution, interest or other monies payable in cash in respect of shares may be Paid by cheque or warrant sent through the post directed to the registered address of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the holder who is first named on the register of Members or to such person and to such address as such holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall be made payable to the order of the person to whom it is sent. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual receipts for any dividends, bonuses, or other monies payable in respect of the share held by them as joint holders. |
23
106. | No dividend or distribution shall bear interest against the Company. |
CAPITALIZATION
107. | The Company may upon the recommendation of the Directors by ordinary resolution authorize the Directors to capitalize any sum standing to the credit of any of the Companys reserve accounts (including share premium account and capital redemption reserve fund) or any sum standing to the credit of profit and loss account or otherwise available for distribution and to appropriate such sum to Members in the proportions in, which such sum would have been divisible amongst them had the same been a distribution of profits by way of dividend and to apply such sum on their behalf in paying up in full unissued shares for allotment and distribution credited as fully paid up to and amongst them in the proportion aforesaid. In such event the Directors shall do all acts and things required to give effect to such capitalization, with full power to the Directors to make such provisions as they think fit for the case of shares becoming distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrue to the Company rather than to the Members concerned). The Directors may authorize any person to enter on behalf of all of the Members interested into an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalization and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made under such authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned. |
BOOKS OF ACCOUNT
108. | The Directors shall cause proper books of account to be kept with respect to: |
(a) | all sums of money received and expended by the Company and the matters in respect of which the receipt or expenditure takes place; |
(b) | all sales and purchases of goods by the Company; |
(c) | the assets and liabilities of the Company. |
Proper books shall not be deemed to be kept if there are not kept such books of account as are necessary to give a true and fair view of the state of the Companys affairs and to explain its transactions.
109. | The Directors shall from time to time determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Members not being Directors and no Member (not being a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred by Statute or authorized by the Directors or by the Company in general meeting. |
24
110. | The Directors may from time to time cause to be prepared and to be laid before the Company in general meeting profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, group accounts (if any) and such other reports and accounts as may be required by law. |
AUDIT
111. | The Company may at any annual general meeting appoint an Auditor or Auditors of the Company who shall hold office until the next annual general meeting and may fix his or their remuneration. |
112. | The Directors may before the first annual general meeting appoint an Auditor or Auditors of the Company who shall hold office until the first annual general meeting unless previously removed by an ordinary resolution of the Members in general meeting in which case the Members at that meeting may appoint Auditors. The Directors may fill any casual vacancy in the office of Auditor but while any such vacancy continues the surviving or continuing Auditor or Auditors, if any, may act. The remuneration of any Auditor appointed by the Directors under this Article may be fixed by the Directors. |
113. | Every Auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the Company and shall be entitled to require from the Directors and Officers of the Company such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditors. |
114. | Auditors shall at the next annual general meeting following their appointment and at any other time during their term of office, upon request of the Directors or any general meeting of the Members, make a report on the accounts of the Company in general meeting during their tenure of office. |
INFORMATION
115. | No Member shall be entitled to require discovery of any information in respect of any detail of the Companys trading or any information which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret process which may relate to the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of the Directors would not be in the interests of the members of the Company to communicate to the public. |
116. | The Directors shall be entitled to release or disclose any information in its possession, custody or control regarding the Company or its affairs to any of its Members including, without limitation, information contained in the Register of Members and transfer books of the Company. |
WINDING UP
117. | If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, with the sanction of a Special Resolution of the Company and any other sanction required by the Statute, divide amongst the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may for |
25
such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any property to be divided as aforesaid and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The liquidator may with the like sanction, vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the contributories as the liquidator, with the like sanction, shall think fit, but so that no Member shall be compelled to accept any shares or other securities whereon there is any liability.
118. | If the Company shall be wound up, and the assets available for distribution amongst the Members as such shall be insufficient to repay the whole of the paid-up capital, such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the Members in proportion to the capital paid up, or which ought to have been paid up, at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them respectively. And if in a winding up the assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up, the excess shall be distributed amongst the Members in proportion to the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them respectively. This Article is to be without prejudice to the rights of the holders of shares issued upon special terms and conditions. |
INDEMNITY
119. | The Directors and officers for the time being of the Company and any trustee for the time being acting in relation to any of the affairs of the Company and their heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives respectively shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company from and against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses which they or any of them shall or may incur or sustain by reason of any act done or omitted in or about the execution of their duty in their respective offices or trusts, except such (if any) as they shall incur or sustain by or through their own willful neglect or default respectively and no such Director, officer or trustee shall be answerable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of any other Director, officer or trustee or for joining in any receipt for the sake of conformity or for the solvency or honesty of any banker or other persons with whom any monies or effects belonging to the Company may be lodged or deposited for safe custody or for any insufficiency of any security upon which any monies of the Company may be invested or for any other loss or damage due to any such cause as aforesaid or which may happen in or about the execution of his office or trust unless the same shall happen through the willful neglect or default of such Director, Officer or trustee. Each Member agrees to waive any claim or right of action he might have, whether individually or by or in the right of the Company, against any Director or officer on account of any action taken by such Director, or the failure of such Director to take any action in the performance of his duties with or for the Company; PROVIDED THAT such waiver shall not extend to any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to such Director. |
26
FINANCIAL YEAR
120. | Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company shall end on 31st December in each year and, following the year of incorporation, shall begin on 1st January in each year. |
AMENDMENTS OF ARTICLES
121. | Subject to the Statute, the Company may at any time and from time to time by Special Resolution alter or amend these Articles in whole or in part. |
REGISTRATION BY WAY OF CONTINUATION
122. | If the Company is exempted as defined in the Statute, it shall, subject to the provisions of the Statute and with the approval of a Special Resolution, have the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands. |
27
Exhibit 4.2
BAIDU.COM, INC. (Incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands) |
||||
Name of Company: |
||||
Baidu.com, Inc. |
||||
Number: |
Shares: | |||
[ ] |
[ ] | |||
Number: |
US$43,300 Share Capital divided into | |||
[ ] |
825,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each, | |||
31,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each, and | ||||
10,000,000 Preferred Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00005 each | ||||
Shares: [ ] |
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT ------------------- [ ]------------------------------------ is the registered | |||
holder of ------------------------------------- [ ]--------------------------- Shares in the above- | ||||
named Company subject to the memorandum and articles of association thereof. | ||||
Issued to: |
GIVEN UNDER the common seal of the said Company on 2005. |
|||
[ ] |
THE COMMON SEAL of the said Company was hereunto affixed in the presence of: |
|||
Dated |
||||
DIRECTOR |
||||
Transferred from: |
These securities represented by this certificate have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act). The securities may not be sold, offered for sale, pledged, hypothecated, transferred or assigned (I) in the absence of an effective registration statement under the Act with respect to the securities, or (II) an opinion of US counsel, in a generally accepted form, that registration is not required under the Act, or (III) unless sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act. |
I |
(the Transferor) for the value received | |||
DO HEREBY transfer to |
(the Transferee) the | |||
shares standing in my name in the | ||||
undertaking called |
||||
To hold the same unto the Transferee |
||||
Dated |
||||
Signed by the Transferor |
||||
in the presence of: |
||||
Witness |
Transferor | |||
Exhibit 5.1
Our ref | RJT/302152/326599/v1 |
Your ref
Baidu.com, Inc. | Direct: | +852 2971 3007 | ||
12/F Ideal International Plaza, | Mobile: | +852 9020 8007 | ||
No. 58 West-North 4th Ring, | E-mail: | richard.thorp@maplesandcalder.com | ||
Beijing 100080, | ||||
Peoples Republic of China | ||||
August 1, 2005 |
Dear Sirs:
Baidu.com, Inc.
We have acted as Cayman Islands legal advisers to Baidu.com, Inc. (the Company) in connection with the Companys registration statement on Form F-1, including all amendments or supplements thereto (the Registration Statement), originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on July 12, 2005 (Registration No. 333-126534), relating to the offering by the Company and the sale by the selling shareholders (the Selling Shareholders) of certain American Depositary Shares, each of which represents one of the Companys Class A ordinary shares of par value US$0.00005 each (the Ordinary Shares). We are furnishing this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.
1 DOCUMENTS REVIEWED
For the purposes of this opinion, we have reviewed only originals, copies or final drafts of the following documents:
1.1 | the Certificate of Incorporation dated 18 January 2000, the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company as filed with the Registrar in Cayman and the form of Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company adopted with immediate effect from the closing of the initial public offering of the Companys American Depositary Shares representing its Class A ordinary shares in the U.S. (the IPO Closing) by special resolution (together the Memorandum and Articles of Association); |
1.2 | the register of members of the Company; |
1.3 | the written resolutions of the board of Directors dated July 1, 2005; |
1.4 | the written resolutions of the shareholders of the Company dated August 1, 2005; |
1
1.5 | a certificate from a Director of the Company addressed to this firm dated August 1, 2005, a copy of which is attached hereto (the Directors Certificate); and |
1.6 | The Registration Statement. |
2 ASSUMPTIONS
Save as aforesaid we have not been instructed to undertake and have not undertaken any further enquiry or due diligence in relation to the transaction the subject of this opinion. The following opinions are given only as to and based on circumstances and matters of fact existing at the date hereof and of which we are aware consequent upon the instructions we have received in relation to the matter the subject of this opinion and as to the laws of the Cayman Islands as the same are in force at the date hereof. In giving this opinion, we have relied upon the completeness and accuracy (and assumed the continuing completeness and accuracy as at the date hereof) of the Directors Certificate as to matters of fact and the Certificate of Good Standing without further verification and have relied upon the following assumptions, which we have not independently verified:
(i) | Copy documents or drafts of documents provided to us are true and complete copies of, or in the final forms of, the originals. |
(ii) | The genuineness of all signatures and seals. |
(iii) | There is no contractual or other prohibition (other than as may arise by virtue of the laws of the Cayman Islands) binding on the Company or on any other party prohibiting it from entering into and performing its obligations. |
3 OPINION
The following opinions are given only as to matters of Cayman Islands law and we have assumed that there is nothing under any other law that would affect or vary the following opinions.
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications set out below and having regard to such legal considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that:
3.1 | The Company has been duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability for an unlimited duration and is validly existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands. |
3.2 | The authorised share capital of the Company, with effect on the IPO Closing, and following the automatic conversion of all the Preferred Shares in issue into Ordinary Shares, will be US$43,520 divided into 825,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares of par value US$0.00005 each, 35,400,000 Class B ordinary shares of par value of US$0.00005 each, and 10,000,000 preferred shares of par value of US$0.00005 each. |
3.3 | The issue and allotment of the Ordinary Shares has been duly authorised. When allotted, issued and paid for as contemplated in the Registration Statement and registered in the register of members (shareholders), the Ordinary Shares will be legally issued and allotted, fully paid and non-assessable. |
3.4 | Ordinary Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholders have been legally and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. |
2
4 QUALIFICATIONS
Except as specifically stated herein, we make no comment with respect to any representations and warranties which may be made by or with respect to the Company in the Registration Statement or otherwise with respect to the commercial terms of the transactions the subject of this opinion.
We hereby consent to the use of this opinion in, and the filing hereof as an Exhibit to, the Registration Statement and to the reference to our name under the headings Enforceability of Civil Liabilities, Taxation and Legal Matters and elsewhere in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Yours faithfully,
/s/ MAPLES and CALDER
3
Exhibit 8.1 | ||||||
53rd at Third | ||||||
885 Third Avenue | ||||||
New York, New York 10022-4834 | ||||||
Tel: (212) 906-1200 Fax: (212) 751-4864 | ||||||
www.lw.com | ||||||
FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES | ||||||
Boston | New York | |||||
Brussels | Northern Virginia | |||||
Chicago | Orange County | |||||
Frankfurt | Paris | |||||
Hamburg | San Diego | |||||
Hong Kong | San Francisco | |||||
August 1, 2005 | London | Shanghai | ||||
Los Angeles | Silicon Valley | |||||
Milan | Singapore | |||||
Moscow | Tokyo | |||||
New Jersey | Washington, D.C. |
Baidu.com, Inc.
12/F., Ideal International Plaza
No. 58, West-North 4th Ring
Haidian District
Beijing 100080, PRC
Re: | 3,699,935 American Depositary Shares (the ADSs), representing 3,699,935 Class A Ordinary Shares of Baidu.com, Inc. (the Company) |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with the proposed public offering of 3,699,935 American Depositary Shares (ADSs), each representing one Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0005 per share (Ordinary Shares), of the Company, pursuant to the registration statement on Form F-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on July 12, 2005, as amended to date (the F-1 Registration Statement), you have requested our opinion concerning the statements in the F-1 Registration Statement under the caption TaxationUnited States Federal Income Taxation.
The facts, as we understand them, and upon which with your permission we rely in rendering the opinion herein, are set forth in the F-1 Registration Statement.
In our capacity as counsel to the Company, we have made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries, including an examination of originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of such documents, corporate records and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion. In our examination, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures thereon, the legal capacity of natural persons executing such documents and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. For the purpose of our opinion, we have not made an independent investigation, or audit of the facts set forth in the above-referenced documents.
August 1, 2005
Page 2
We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only of the federal income tax laws of the United States and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of other federal laws, the laws of any state or any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any other local agencies within any state.
Based on such facts and subject to the limitations set forth in the F-1 Registration Statement, the statements of law or legal conclusions in the F-1 Registration Statement under the caption TaxationU.S. Federal Income Taxation constitute the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP as to the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the ADSs or ordinary shares offered pursuant to the F-1 Registration Statement.
No opinion is expressed as to any matter not discussed herein.
This opinion is rendered to you as of the date of this letter, and we undertake no obligation to update this opinion subsequent to the date hereof. This opinion is based on various statutory provisions, regulations promulgated thereunder and interpretations thereof by the Internal Revenue Service and the courts having jurisdiction over such matters, all of which are subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Also, any variation or difference in the facts from those set forth in the F-1 Registration Statement may affect the conclusions stated herein.
This opinion is furnished to you, and is only for your use in connection with the transactions set forth in the F-1 Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the F-1 Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the caption Legal Matters in the prospectus included in the F-1 Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act, or the rules or regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP
Exhibit 99.1
[Letterhead of Commerce & Finance Law Offices]
August 1, 2005
Baidu.com, Inc.
12/F, Ideal International Plaza
No. 58 West-North 4th Ring
Beijing 100080, Peoples Republic of China
Dear Sirs:
We are qualified lawyers of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and are qualified to issue an opinion on the laws and regulations of the PRC.
We have acted as PRC counsel for Baidu.com, Inc. (the Company), a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, in connection with (i) the Companys Registration Statement on Form F-1, including all amendments or supplements thereto (the Registration Statement), originally filed on July 12, 2005 with Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the offering (Offering) by the Company and certain selling shareholders of the Company a certain number of American Depositary Shares (ADSs), each of which represents one Class A Ordinary Share, par value US$0.00005 per share, of the Company and (ii) the Companys proposed listing of its ADSs on the Nasdaq National Market. We have been requested to give this opinion on, inter alia, the legal ownership structure of Baidu Online Network Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (Baidu Online) and Beijing Baidu Netcom Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (Baidu Netcom, and together with Baidu Online, the PRC Group Companies), and the legality and validity of the arrangements under the relevant agreements referenced in Schedule 1 hereto (the Restructuring Agreements) among Baidu Online, Baidu Netcom and shareholders of Baidu Netcom, as applicable.
In so acting, we have examined the originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of documents provided to us by the Company and such other documents, corporate records, certificates issued by governmental authorities in the PRC and officers of the Company and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purposes of rendering this opinion, including and without limitation to, copies of the documents set out in Schedule 1.
In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity with authentic original documents submitted to us as copies. We have also assumed the documents as they were presented to us up to the date of this legal opinion and that none of the documents has been revoked, amended, varied or supplemented. We have further assumed the accuracy and completeness of all factual statements in the documents. Where important facts were not independently established to us, we have relied upon certificates issued by governmental agents and representatives of the Company with proper authority and upon representations, made in or pursuant to the Agreements.
Exhibit 99.1
As used herein, (a) PRC Laws means all laws, regulations, statutes, orders, decrees, guidelines, notices, judicial interpretations, subordinary legislations of the PRC (other than the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan Province); (b) Governmental Authorizations means all approvals, consents, waivers, sanctions, authorizations, filings, registrations, exemptions, permissions, endorsements, annual inspections, qualifications and licenses; (c) Material Adverse Effect means a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and the PRC Group Companies taken as a whole; and (d) Governmental Agencies means any court or governmental agency or body of any stock exchange authorities; (e)Prospectus means the prospectus, including all amendments or supplements thereto, that forms part of the Registration Statement.
Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
(i) Baidu Online has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a wholly-foreign owned enterprise with limited liability under the PRC Laws and its business license is in full force and effect; Baidu Online has been duly qualified as a foreign invested enterprise; all of the equity interests of Baidu Online are owned by the Baidu Holdings Limited (Baidu Holdings) and such equity interests are free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interest, mortgage, pledge, equities or claims or any third-party right; the articles of association of Baidu Online comply with the requirements of applicable PRC Laws and are in full force and effect; Baidu Online has full power and authority (corporate and other) and all Governmental Authorizations required for the ownership or lease of property by it and the conduct of its business and has the legal right and authority to own, use, lease and operate its assets and to conduct its business in the manner presently conducted and as described in the Prospectus;
(ii) Baidu Netcom has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a limited liability company under the PRC Laws and its business license is in full force and effect; 75% and 25% of the equity interest of Baidu Netcom are owned by Yanhong Li and Yong Xu (collectively, the Controlling Shareholders), respectively, to the best of our knowledge after due and reasonable inquiries, except for the Amended and Restated Equity Pledge Agreement among Yanhong Li, Yong Xu and Baidu Online dated March 22,2005, the Amended and Restated Option Agreement (the Option Agreement) among Yanhong Li, Yong Xu, Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom dated March 22, 2005, the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement among Yanhong Li, Yong Xu and Baidu Online dated March 22,2005 and the Power of Attorney respectively issued by Yanhong Li and Yong Xu and Baidu Online dated March 22, 2005, such equity interests are free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interest, mortgage, pledge, equities or claims or any third-party right; each of the Controlling Shareholders is
Exhibit 99.1
a PRC citizen; all of the registered capital of Baidu Netcom has been fully paid; Baidu Netcom has full power and authority (corporate and other) and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, has all Governmental Authorizations required for the ownership or lease of property by Baidu Netcom and the conduct of its business and has the legal right and authority to own, use, lease and operate its assets and to conduct its business in the manner presently conducted and as described in the Prospectus;
(iii) Neither Baidu Online nor Baidu Netcom owns any real property; and all real property and buildings held under lease by Baidu Online or Baidu Netcom are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases;
(iv) The ownership structure of Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption Corporate Structure, complies with, and immediately after the Offering, will comply with current PRC Laws;
(v) Baidu Online has the corporate power to enter into and perform its obligations under each of the Restructuring Agreements to which it is a party and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of, and has authorized, executed and delivered, each of the Restructuring Agreements to which it is a party; and each of the Restructuring Agreements to which Baidu Online is a party constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of Baidu Online, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforceability, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles;
(vi) Baidu Netcom has the corporate power to enter into and perform its obligations under each of the Restructuring Agreements to which it is a party and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of, and has authorized, executed and delivered, each of the Restructuring Agreements to which it is a party; and each of the Restructuring Agreements to which Baidu Netcom is a party constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of Baidu Netcom, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforceability, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles;
(vii) Each of the Controlling Shareholders has executed and delivered each of the Restructuring Agreements to which he is a party; and each of the Restructuring Agreements to which each of the Controlling Shareholders is a party constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of each of the Controlling Shareholders, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforceability, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles;
Exhibit 99.1
(viii) The execution and delivery by Baidu Online of, and the performance by Baidu Online of its obligations under, each of the Restructuring Agreements to which it is a party and the consummation by Baidu Online of the transactions contemplated therein will not: (A) to the best of our knowledge after due and reasonable inquiries, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument governed by the PRC Laws to which Baidu Online is a party or by which Baidu Online is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of Baidu Online is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of Baidu Online is subject, except for such conflict, breach, violation or default would not have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of association, business license of Baidu Online; (C) result in any violation of any of the PRC Laws; or (D) as to the Company and Baidu Holdings, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of any agreement known to us and governed by PRC Laws to which they are expressed to be a party or which is binding on them or any of their assets;
(ix) The execution and delivery by Baidu Netcom of, and the performance by Baidu Netcom of its obligations under, each of the Restructuring Agreements to which it is a party and the consummation by Baidu Netcom of the transactions contemplated therein will not: (A) to the best of our knowledge after due and reasonable inquiries, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument and governed by the the PRC Laws to which Baidu Netcom is a party or by which Baidu Netcom is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of Baidu Netcom is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of Baidu Online is subject, except for such conflict, breach, violation or default would not have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of association, or business license of Baidu Netcom; (C) result in any violation of any of the PRC Laws; or (D) as to the Company and Baidu Holdings, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of any agreement known to us and governed by PRC Laws to which they are expressed to be a party or which is binding on them or any of their assets;
(x) The execution and delivery by each of the Controlling Shareholders of, and the performance by each of the Controlling Shareholders of his obligations under the Restructuring Agreements to which each of the Controlling Shareholders is a party and the consummation by each of the Controlling Shareholders of the transactions contemplated therein will not result in any violation of any of the PRC Laws;
(xi) Each Restructuring Agreement is, and all the Restructuring Agreements taken as a whole are, legal, valid, enforceable and admissible as evidence under PRC Laws and is binding on the persons expressed to the parties thereto;
Exhibit 99.1
(xii) Each of the Restructuring Agreements is in proper legal form under the PRC Laws for the enforcement thereof against each of Baidu Online, Baidu Netcom and the Controlling Shareholders, as the case may be, in the PRC without further action by any of Baidu Online or Baidu Netcom or the Controlling Shareholders; and to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility in evidence of each of the Restructuring Agreements in the PRC, all required filings and recordings in respect of the Restructuring Agreements with any Government Agency have been performed, and it is not necessary that any stamp or similar tax be paid on or in respect of any of the Restructuring Agreements;
(xiii) Except as described in the Prospectus, each of Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom has all necessary Governmental Authorizations of and from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all governmental agencies to own, lease, license and use its properties, assets and conduct its business in the manner described in the Prospectus and such Governmental Authorizations contain no materially burdensome restrictions or conditions not described in the Prospectus other than the annual inspection conducted by relevant government authorities; To the best of our knowledge, except as described in the Prospectus, neither Baidu Online nor Baidu Netcom has any reason to believe that any regulatory body is considering modifying, suspending or revoking any such Governmental Authorizations and each of Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom is in compliance with the provisions of all such Governmental Authorizations in all material respects; notwithstanding the forgoing, the Companys individual shareholders who are qualified PRC residents shall comply with foreign investment registration requirements under the relevant laws and regulations;
(xiv) Subject to the Companys individual shareholders who are qualified PRC residents complying with foreign investment registration requirements under the relevant laws and regulations, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable upon the equity interests in Baidu Online may under the current PRC Laws be paid to the Baidu Holdings in Renminbi that may be converted into U.S. dollars and freely transferred out of the PRC, and all such dividends and other distributions are not and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, will not be subject to withholding or other taxes under the PRC Laws and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, are otherwise free and clear of any other tax, withholding or deduction in the PRC, and without the necessity of obtaining any Governmental Authorization in the PRC;
(xv) The provision by Baidu Netcom of the links to websites (excluding the offshore news websites) that disseminate news over the Internet currently does not constitute the displaying news on the website or disseminating the news over the Internet which are governed by the Provisional Measures for Administrating Internet Websites Carrying on the News Displaying Business (2000), and does not require any Governmental Authorization in the PRC;
Exhibit 99.1
(xvi) Baidu Onlines Pay-for-Performance (P4P) service, as described in the Prospectus, is not classified as a form of advertising under the PRC Laws, and no Governmental Authorization is required for the Baidu Online to operate its P4P business;
(xvii) None of the Baidu Online or Baidu Netcom is entitled to any immunity from any legal proceedings or other legal process or from enforcement, execution or attachment in respect of their obligations in the transactions contemplated under any of the Restructuring Agreements;
(xviii) The statements in the Prospectus under Regulation to the extent such statements relate to matters of PRC Laws, are true and accurate in all material respects, and nothing material has been omitted from such statements which would make the same misleading in any material respect;
(xix) No registration or filings are currently required, and all recordings have been fulfilled, in order for each pledgee under each of the applicable Share Pledge Agreements to enjoy the first preemptive rights against any other secured or unsecured creditors of each pledgor under each applicable Share Pledge Agreement; no Governmental Authorizations are currently required in the PRC for the equity to be effectively pledged pursuant to each of the applicable Share Pledge Agreements;
(xx) The obligations undertaken by and the rights granted by each party to any of the Restructuring Agreements are legally permissible under PRC Laws;
(xxi) Each of the Restructuring Agreements does not (A) contravene any provision of applicable PRC Laws, (B) contravene the articles of association, business license or other constituent documents of Baidu Online or Baidu Netcom or (C) to the best or our knowledge after due and reasonable inquiries, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any material license, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument known to us and governed by PRC Laws to which Baidu Online or Baidu Netcom is a party or by which Baidu Online or Baidu Netcom is bound or to which any of the their properties or assets is subject, except for such conflict, breach, violation or default would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
(xxii) No Governmental Authorizations are required to be obtained for the performance by Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom of their obligations and the transactions contemplated under the Restructuring Agreements other than those already obtained; provided, however, any exercise by Baidu Online of its rights under the Option Agreement, will be subject to: (a) the approval of and/or
Exhibit 99.1
registration with the Government Agencies in the PRC for the resulting equity transfer; and (b) the exercise price for equity transfer under the Restructuring Agreements must comply with relevant PRC Laws, including the requirement that the exercise price for such equity transfer to reflect the appraised value at the time of exercise, as determined by an appraiser qualified to perform such appraisals.
This opinion relates to the PRC Laws in effect on the date hereof.
We hereby consent to the use of this opinion in, and the filing hereof as an exhibit to, the above-mentioned Registration Statement and to the reference to our firms name under the sections of the Prospectus entitled Enforceability of Civil Liabilities, Corporate Structure Regulation, and Legal Matters included in the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we fall within the category of the person whose consent is required under Section 7 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the regulations promulgated thereunder.
/s/ Commerce & Finance Law Offices
Exhibit 99.1
Schedule 1 Restructuring Agreements
1. | Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated March 22, 2005 by and among Baidu Online, Yanhong Li and Yong Xu; |
2. | Amended and Restated Option Agreement dated March 22, 2005 by and among Baidu Online, Baidu Netcom, Yanhong Li and Yong Xu; |
3. | Exclusive Technical and Consulting Services Agreement dated March 22, 2005 by and between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom; |
4. | Amended and Restated Equity Pledge Agreement dated March 22, 2005 between Baidu Online, Yanhong Li and Yong Xu; |
5. | Business Operating agreement dated March 22, 2005 by and among Baidu Online, Baidu Netcom, Yanhong Li and Yong Xu; |
6. | Agreement on Exercising Shareholders Voting Rights by Proxy dated March 1, 2004 by and among Yanhong Li, Yong Xu, Baidu Netcom and Baidu Online; |
7. | Power of Attorney dated March 22, 2005 issued by Yanhong Li; |
8. | Power of Attorney dated March 22, 2005 issued by Yong Xu ; |
9. | Commitment Letter dated March 22, 2005 issued by Zhansheng Wang; |
10. | Commitment Letter dated March 22, 2005 issued by Hongbo Zhu; |
11. | Business Cooperation Agreement dated March 22, 2005 by and between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom; |
12. | Software License Agreement dated March 22, 2005 by and between Baidu Online and the Baidu Netcom; |
13. | Domain Name License Agreement by and between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom dated March 1, 2004 and a Notice dated on April 27, 2004 and its Supplementary Agreement dated August 9, 2004; |
14. | Trademark License Agreement by and between between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom dated March 1, 2004 and its Supplementary Agreement dated August 9, 2004; |
15. | Web Layout Copyright License Agreement by and between Baidu Online and Baidu Netcom dated March 1, 2004 and its Supplementary Agreement dated August 9, 2004. |