EX-2.31 5 d272011dex231.htm EX-2.31 EX-2.31

Exhibit 2.31

DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS OF EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES

registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)

As of December 31, 2021, Baidu, Inc., (or “Baidu”, “we” , “us” , “our company” and “our”) had the following series of securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act:

 

Title of each class

   

Trading
Symbol(s)

   

Name of each exchange
on which registered

American depositary shares, each representing eight Class A ordinary shares
Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.000000625 per share*		    BIDU   

Nasdaq Global Select Market

Nasdaq Global Select Market

Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.000000625 per share    9888    The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited

 

*

Not for trading, but only in connection with the listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market of American depositary shares.

This exhibit contains a description of the rights of (i) holders of share(s) and (ii) holders of ADS(s). Shares underlying the ADSs are held by The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, and holders of ADSs will not be treated as holders of the shares.

Shares

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

The ordinary shares of Baidu are divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, each par value US$0.000000625 per share. The respective number of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares issued and outstanding as of the last day of our company’s respective fiscal year is provided on the cover of the annual report on Form 20-F (the “Form 20-F”) of our company. Certificates representing the ordinary shares are issued in registered form. Baidu will issue only non-negotiable shares, and will not issue bearer or negotiable shares.

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

The shareholders of Baidu do not have preemptive rights.

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

We keep and intend to maintain a dual-class voting structure. Holders of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to one vote per share, while holders of Class B ordinary shares are entitled, on a poll, to ten votes per share.

As a result of the dual-class share structure and the concentration of ownership, holders of Class B ordinary shares will have considerable influence over matters such as decisions regarding mergers, consolidations and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, election of directors and other significant corporate actions. Such holders may take actions that are not in the best interest of the other shareholders of Baidu. This concentration of ownership may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of Baidu, which could have the effect of depriving other shareholders of the opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of Baidu and may reduce the price of the ADSs. This concentrated control will limit the ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transactions that holders of Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.

A description of the differences between Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares is provided in “Part I—Item 10. Additional Information—B. Memorandum and Articles of Association—Ordinary Shares” of the Form 20-F.

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

Not applicable.

Rights of the Shares (Item 10.B.3 of Form 20-F)

See “Item 10.B. Additional Information—Memorandum and Articles of Association—Ordinary Shares” of the Form 20-F.

Requirements for Amendments (Item 10.B.4 of Form 20-F)

See “Item 10.B. Additional Information—Memorandum and Articles of Association” of the Form 20-F.

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

There are no limitations imposed by our memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares.

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

See “Item 10.B. Additional Information—Memorandum and Articles of Association” of the Form 20-F.

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

There are no provisions in Baidu’s fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that require our company to disclose shareholder ownership above any particular ownership threshold . However, shareholders of Baidu will be required to disclose shareholder ownership in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

The Companies Act also contains a statutory power of compulsory acquisition which may facilitate the “squeeze out” of dissentient minority shareholder upon a tender offer. When a tender offer is made and accepted by holders of 90.0% of the shares affected within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four-month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares to the offeror on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.

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

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

 

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a company acts or proposes to act illegally or ultra vires;

 

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

 

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

Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability. The Companies Act does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman

 

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Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that our directors and officers shall be indemnified against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such director or officer, other than by reason of such person’s own dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of our company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such director or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning our company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation.

In addition, we enter into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.

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

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

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

Shareholder Action by Written Consent. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. Cayman Islands law and our fourth amended and restated articles of association provide that shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.

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

 

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The Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our fourth amended and restated articles of association allow our shareholders holding in aggregate not less than 10% of 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, on a one vote per share basis, to requisition an extraordinary general meeting of our shareholders, in which case our board is obliged to convene an extraordinary general meeting and to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. Other than this right to requisition a shareholders’ meeting, our fourth amended and restated articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any other right to put proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.

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

Removal of Directors. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our fourth amended and restated articles of association, directors may be removed with or without cause, by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders.

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

Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests of the company and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.

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

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

 

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Variation of Rights of Shares. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As permitted by Cayman Islands law, under our fourth amended and restated articles of association, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, we may vary the rights attached to any class with the written consent 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.

Amendment of Governing Documents. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As permitted by Cayman Islands law, our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended with a special resolution of our shareholders.

Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders. There are no limitations imposed by our fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our fourth h amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.

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

See “Item 10.B. Additional Information—Memorandum and Articles of Association” of the Form 20-F.

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

Not applicable.

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

Not applicable.

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

Not applicable.

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

The name of the depositary is The Bank of New York Mellon. The depositary’s corporate trust office at which the ADSs will be administered is located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286, USA. The principal executive office of the depositary is located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286, USA.

One ADSs will represent an ownership interest of eight Class A ordinary shares of our company, deposited with principal Hong Kong office of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent ownership of any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary.

The Direct Registration System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto.

We will not treat ADS holders as our shareholders and accordingly, you, as an ADS holder, will not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. The laws of the State of New York govern the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

 

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The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of American Depositary Receipt. This summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by our Form F-6 filed on August 2, 2005 (Commission file No. 333-126546), which is incorporated herein by reference, including the exhibits thereto. For directions on how to obtain copies of those documents, see “Item 10.H. Additional Information—Documents on Display” of the Form 20-F.

Dividends and Other Distributions

How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?

The depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of shares your ADSs represent.

 

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Cash. The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the shares into U.S. dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADR holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADR holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.

Before making a distribution, the depositary will deduct any withholding taxes that must be paid. It will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.

 

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Shares. The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will try to sell shares which would require it to deliver a fractional ADS and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADRs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new shares.

 

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Rights to Purchase Additional Shares. If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may make these rights available to you. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical to sell the rights, the depositary may sell the rights and distribute the proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, you will receive no value for them.

If the depositary makes rights available to you, it will exercise the rights and purchase the shares on your behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to you. It will only exercise rights if you pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require you to pay.

U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, you may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADRs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.

 

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Other Distributions. The depositary will send to you anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice. It may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash. Or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to you unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution.

 

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The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADR holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADRs, shares, rights or anything else to ADR holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation

How are ADSs issued?

The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposits shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADRs at its office to the persons you request.

How do ADS holders cancel an ADR and obtain shares?

You may surrender your ADRs at the depositary’s office. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADR to you or a person you designate at the office of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities to its office, if feasible.

Voting Rights

How do you vote?

You may instruct the depositary to vote the number of shares your ADSs represent. The depositary will notify you of shareholders’ meetings and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you if we ask it to. Those materials will describe the matters to be voted on and explain how you may instruct the depositary how to vote. For instructions to be valid, they must reach the depositary by the date set by the depositary.

The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to Cayman Islands law and the provisions of our constitutive documents, to vote the number of shares or other deposited securities represented by your ADSs as you instruct. The depositary will only vote or attempt to vote as you instruct or as described in the following sentence. If we asked the depositary to solicit your instructions but the depositary does not receive voting instructions from you by the specified date, it will consider you to have authorized and directed it to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote the number of deposited securities represented by your ADSs. The depositary will give a discretionary proxy in those circumstances to vote on all questions at to be voted upon unless we notify the depositary that:

 

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we do not wish to receive a discretionary proxy;

 

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there is substantial shareholder opposition to the particular question; or

 

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the particular question would have an adverse impact on our shareholders.

We are required to notify the depositary if one of the conditions specified above exists.

We cannot ensure that you will receive voting materials or otherwise learn of an upcoming shareholders’ meeting in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote your shares. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to vote and there may be nothing you can do if your shares are not voted as you requested.

 

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Fees and Expenses

 

Persons depositing shares or ADR holders must pay:    For:
US$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)   

•  Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property

 

•  Cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the deposit agreement terminates

US$0.02 (or less) per ADS   

•  Any cash distribution to you

A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been shares and the shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs   

•  Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities which are distributed by the depositary to ADR holders

US$0.02 (or less) per ADSs per calendar year (if the depositary has not collected any cash distribution fee during that year)   

•  Depositary services

Expenses of the depositary   

•  Cable, telex and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the deposit agreement)

•  Converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars

Registration or transfer fees   

•  Transfer and registration of shares on our share register to or from the name of the depositary or its agent when you deposit or withdraw shares

Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian have to pay on any ADR or share underlying an ADR, for example, stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes   

•  As necessary

Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities   

•  As necessary

Payment of Taxes

The depositary may deduct the amount of any taxes owed from any payments to you. It may also sell deposited securities, by public or private sale, to pay any taxes owed. You will remain liable if the proceeds of the sale are not enough to pay the taxes. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any proceeds, or send to you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.

Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers

 

If we:    Then:

•  Change the nominal or par value of our shares;

    The cash, shares or other securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities. Each ADS will automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities.

•  Reclassify, split up or consolidate any of the deposited securities;

    The cash, shares or other securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities. Each ADS will automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities.

•  Distribute securities on the shares that are not distributed to you; or

 

•  Recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially all of our assets, or take any similar action.

    The depositary may distribute some or all of the cash, shares or other securities it receives. It may also deliver new ADRs or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.

 

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Amendment and Termination

How may the deposit agreement be amended?

We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADRs without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADR holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADRs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADR holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADR, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

How may the deposit agreement be terminated?

The depositary will terminate the deposit agreement if we ask it to do so. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if the depositary has told us that it would like to resign and we have not appointed a new depositary bank within 60 days. In either case, the depositary must notify you at least 30 days before termination. After termination, the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: (1) collect distributions on the deposited securities, (2) sell rights and other property, and (3) deliver shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation of ADRs. Six months or more after termination, the depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement for the pro rata benefit of the ADR holders that have not surrendered their ADRs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary’s only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination our only obligations will be to indemnify the depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.

Limitations on Obligations and Liability

Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADRs

The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:

 

  •  

are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without negligence or bad faith;

 

  •  

are not liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations under the deposit agreement;

 

  •  

are not liable if either of us exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;

 

  •  

have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADRs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other person; and

 

  •  

may rely upon any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party.

In the deposit agreement, we agree to indemnify the depositary for acting as depositary, except for losses caused by the depositary’s own negligence or bad faith, and the depositary agrees to indemnify us for losses resulting from its negligence or bad faith.

Requirements for Depositary Actions

Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of an ADR, make a distribution on an ADR, or permit withdrawal of shares or other property, the depositary may require:

 

  •  

payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any shares or other deposited securities;

 

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  •  

satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and

 

  •  

compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.

The depositary may refuse to deliver ADRs or register transfers of ADRs generally when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

Your Right to Receive the Shares Underlying Your ADRs

You have the right to cancel your ADRs and withdraw the underlying shares at any time except:

 

  •  

when temporary delays arise because: (1) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books, (2) the transfer of shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting, or (3) we are paying a dividend on our shares;

 

  •  

when you or other ADR holders seeking to withdraw shares owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; and

 

  •  

when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADRs or to the withdrawal of shares or other deposited securities.

This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

Conversion between Class A Ordinary Shares Trading in Hong Kong and ADSs (Item 12.D.1 and 12.D.2 of Form 20-F)

Dealings and Settlement of Class A Ordinary Shares in Hong Kong

Our Class A ordinary shares commenced trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in board lots of 50 Class A ordinary shares on March 23, 2021. Dealings in our Class A ordinary shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are conducted in Hong Kong dollars.

The transaction costs of dealings in our Class A ordinary shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange include:

 

  •  

Hong Kong Stock Exchange trading fee of 0.005% of the consideration of the transaction, charged to each of the buyer and seller;

 

  •  

Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, or SFC, transaction levy of 0.0027% of the consideration of the transaction, charged to each of the buyer and seller;

 

  •  

trading tariff of HK$0.50 on each and every purchase or sale transaction. The decision on whether or not to pass the trading tariff onto investors is at the discretion of brokers;

 

  •  

transfer deed stamp duty of HK$5.00 per transfer deed (if applicable), payable by the seller;

 

  •  

ad valorem stamp duty at a total rate of 0.2% of the value of the transaction, with 0.1% payable by each of the buyer and the seller;

 

  •  

stock settlement fee, which is currently 0.002% of the gross transaction value, subject to a minimum fee of HK$2.00 and a maximum fee of HK$100.00 per side per trade;

 

  •  

brokerage commission, which is freely negotiable with the broker (other than brokerage commissions for IPO transactions which are currently set at 1% of the subscription or purchase price and will be payable by the person subscribing for or purchasing the securities); and

 

  •  

the Hong Kong share registrar will charge between HK$2.50 to HK$20.00, depending on the speed of service (or such higher fee as may from time to time be permitted under the Hong Kong Listing Rules), for each transfer of ordinary shares from one registered owner to another, each share certificate canceled or issued by it and any applicable fee as stated in the share transfer forms used in Hong Kong.

 

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Investors must settle their trades executed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange through their brokers directly or through custodians. For an investor who has deposited his or her Class A ordinary shares in his or her stock account or in his or her designated CCASS participant’s stock account maintained with CCASS, settlement will be effected in CCASS in accordance with the General Rules of CCASS and CCASS Operational Procedures in effect from time to time. For an investor who holds the physical certificates, settlement certificates and the duly executed transfer forms must be delivered to his or her broker or custodian before the settlement date.

Conversion between Class A Ordinary Shares Trading in Hong Kong and ADSs

In connection with initial public offering of Class A ordinary shares in Hong Kong, or the Hong Kong IPO, we have established a branch register of members in Hong Kong, or the Hong Kong share register, which will be maintained by our Hong Kong share registrar, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited. Our principal register of members, or the Cayman share register, will continue to be maintained by our principal share registrar, Maples Fund Services (Cayman) Limited.

All Class A ordinary shares offered in the Hong Kong IPO are registered on the Hong Kong share register in order to be listed and traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. As described in further detail below, holders of Class A ordinary shares registered on the Hong Kong share register will be able to deposit these ordinary shares into ADSs, and vice versa.

Depositing Class A Ordinary Shares Trading in Hong Kong for delivery of ADSs

An investor who holds Class A ordinary shares registered in Hong Kong and who intends to convert them to ADSs to trade on Nasdaq must deposit or have his or her broker deposit the Class A ordinary shares with the depositary’s Hong Kong custodian, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Hong Kong, or the custodian, in exchange for ADSs.

A deposit of Class A ordinary shares trading in Hong Kong in exchange for ADSs involves the following procedures:

 

  •  

If Class A ordinary shares have been deposited with CCASS, the investor must transfer ordinary shares to the depositary’s account with the custodian within CCASS by following the CCASS procedures for transfer and submit and deliver a duly completed and signed ADS delivery form to the custodian via his or her broker.

 

  •  

If Class A ordinary shares are held outside CCASS, the investor must arrange for the registration of a transfer of his or her Class A ordinary shares into the depositary’s name and delivery of evidence of that registration to the custodian, and must sign and deliver an ADS delivery form to the depositary.

 

  •  

Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, if applicable, the depositary will register the corresponding number of ADSs in the name(s) requested by an investor and will deliver the ADSs as instructed in the ADS delivery form.

For Class A ordinary shares deposited in CCASS, under normal circumstances, the above steps generally require two business days, provided that the investor has provided timely and complete instructions. For Class A ordinary shares held outside CCASS in physical form, the above steps may take 14 business days, or more, to complete. Temporary delays may arise. For example, the transfer books of the depositary may from time to time be closed to ADS issuances. The investor will be unable to trade the ADSs until the procedures are completed.

 

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Surrender of ADSs for Delivery of Class A Ordinary Shares Trading in Hong Kong

An investor who holds ADSs and wishes to receive Class A ordinary shares that trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange must cancel the ADSs the investor holds and withdraw Class A ordinary shares from our ADS program and cause his or her broker or other financial institution to trade such Class A ordinary shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

An investor that holds ADSs indirectly through a broker or other financial institution should follow the procedure of the broker or financial institution and instruct the broker to arrange for cancelation of the ADSs, and transfer of the underlying Class A ordinary shares from the depositary’s account with the custodian within the CCASS system to the investor’s Hong Kong stock account.

For investors holding ADSs directly, the following steps must be taken:

 

  •  

To withdraw Class A ordinary shares from our ADS program, an investor who holds ADSs may turn in such ADSs at the office of the depositary (and the applicable ADR(s) if the ADSs are held in certificated form), and send an instruction to cancel such ADSs to the depositary. Those instructions must have a Medallion signature guarantee.

 

  •  

Upon payment or net of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, if applicable, the depositary will instruct the custodian to deliver Class A ordinary shares underlying the canceled ADSs to the CCASS account designated by an investor.

 

  •  

If an investor prefers to receive Class A ordinary shares outside CCASS, he or she must so indicate in the instruction delivered to the depositary.

For Class A ordinary shares to be received in CCASS, under normal circumstances, the above steps generally require two business days, provided that the investor has provided timely and complete instructions. For Class A ordinary shares to be received outside CCASS in physical form, the above steps may take 14 business days, or more, to complete. The investor will be unable to trade the Class A ordinary shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange until the procedures are completed.

Temporary delays may arise. For example, the transfer books of the depositary may from time to time be closed to ADS cancellations. In addition, completion of the above steps and procedures for delivery for Class A ordinary shares in a CCASS account is subject to there being a sufficient number of Class A ordinary shares on the Hong Kong share register to facilitate a withdrawal from the ADS program directly into the CCASS system. We are not under any obligation to maintain or increase the number of Class A ordinary shares on the Hong Kong share register to facilitate such withdrawals.

Depositary Requirements

Before the depositary delivers ADSs or permits withdrawal of Class A ordinary shares, the depositary may require:

 

  •  

production of satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and

 

  •  

compliance with procedures it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including completion and presentation of transfer documents.

The depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer, or register issuances, transfers and cancelations of ADSs generally when the transfer books of the depositary or our Hong Kong share registrar are closed or at any time if the depositary or we determine it advisable to do so.

All costs attributable to the transfer of ordinary shares to effect a withdrawal from or deposit of Class A ordinary shares into our ADS program will be borne by the investor requesting the transfer or deposit. In particular, holders of ordinary shares and ADSs should note that the Hong Kong share registrar will charge between HK$2.50 to HK$20, depending on the speed of service (or such higher fee as may from time to time be permitted under the Hong Kong Listing Rules), for each transfer of Class A ordinary shares from one registered owner to another, each share certificate canceled or issued by it and any applicable fee as stated in the share transfer forms used in Hong Kong. In addition, holders of ordinary shares and ADSs must pay up to US$5.00 per 100 ADSs (or portion thereof) for each issuance of ADSs and each cancelation of ADSs, as the case may be, in connection with the deposit of Class A ordinary shares into, or withdrawal of ordinary shares from, the ADS facility.

 

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