Schedule 13D

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No.  )*

China Lodging Group, Limited
(Name of Issuer)
Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001
(Title of Class of Securities)
G21182 103
(CUSIP Number)
Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
Min Fan
99 Fu Quan Road
Shanghai 200335
People’s Republic of China
Telephone: +86 21 3406 4880
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to
Receive Notices and Communications)
with a copy to:
Z. Julie Gao, Esq.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
c/o 42/F, Edinburgh Tower
The Landmark
15 Queen’s Road Central
Hong Kong
(852) 3740-4700
March 31, 2010
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. o

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

 
 


 

                     
CUSIP No.
 
G21182 103 
 

 

           
1   NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS

Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
     
     
2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

  (a)   o 
  (b)   o 
     
3   SEC USE ONLY
   
   
     
4   SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
   
  WC
     
5   CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)
   
  o
     
6   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
   
  Cayman Islands
       
  7   SOLE VOTING POWER
     
NUMBER OF   22,049,446 ordinary shares
       
SHARES 8   SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY    
OWNED BY   0
       
EACH 9   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING    
PERSON   22,049,446 ordinary shares
       
WITH 10   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
     
    0
     
11   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
   
  22,049,446 ordinary shares
     
12   CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
   
  o
     
13   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
   
  9.15%
     
14   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
   
  CO

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CUSIP No.
 
G21182 103 
 
Item 1. Security and Issuer.
This Statement on Schedule 13D (this “Statement”) relates to the ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), of China Lodging Group, Limited, a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), whose principal executive offices are located at 5th Floor, Block 57, No. 461 Hongcao Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200233, People’s Republic of China.
Item 2. Identity and Background.
This Statement is being filed by Ctrip.com International, Ltd., a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (“Ctrip”).
Ctrip is a travel service provider for hotel accommodations, airline tickets and packaged tours in China.
The principal executive offices of Ctrip are located at 99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai 200335, People’s Republic of China.
The name, business address, present principal occupation or employment and citizenship of each of the executive officers and directors of Ctrip are set forth in Schedule A hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.
During the last five years, neither Ctrip nor, to the best of its knowledge, any of the persons listed in Schedule A hereto has been: (i) convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or (ii) a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Considerations.
On March 31, 2010, pursuant to the subscription agreement (the “Subscription Agreement”) by and between Ctrip and the Company, the Company sold and issued to Ctrip 7,202,482 Shares at a purchase price of $3.0625 per share in a private placement.
On March 31, 2010, pursuant to the share purchase agreement (the “Share Purchase Agreement”) by and among Ctrip and the selling shareholders listed therein , Ctrip purchased an aggregate of 11,646,964 Shares of the Company at a purchase price of $3.0625 per Share from the selling shareholders, comprising of (i) 110,619 Shares from Chengwei Partners, L.P., (ii) 2,714,428 Shares from Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Fund, L.P., (iii) 335,491 Shares from Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Advisors Fund, LLC, (iv) 3,160,538 Shares from CDH Courtyard Limited, (v) 1,410,306 Shares from IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P., (vi) 288,210 Shares from IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P., (vii) 131,387 Shares from IDG-Accel China Investors L.P., (viii) 1,020,623 Shares from Northern Light Venture Fund, L.P., (ix)112,076 Shares from Northern Light Partners Fund, L.P., (x) 224,152 Shares from Northern Light Strategic Fund, L.P., and (xi) 2,139,134 Shares from Pinpoint Capital 2006 A Limited.

 

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CUSIP No.
 
G21182 103 
 
A copy of the Subscription Agreement and the Share Purchase Agreement are attached hereto as Exhibit A and Exhibit B, respectively. The description of the abovementioned documents contained herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit A and B, which are incorporated herein by reference.
In addition, on March 31, 2010, Ctrip purchased 800,000 ADSs representing 3,200,000 Shares of the Company in the Company’s initial public offering at a purchase price of $12.25 per ADS, or $3.0625 per Share.
Upon the closing of the transactions described above, Ctrip holds an aggregate of 22,049,446 Shares of the Company (including 3,200,000 Shares represented by ADSs), representing 9.15% of the Company’s total outstanding Shares as of March 31, 2010. The funds used by Ctrip to purchase the Shares and ADSs described above were obtained from its working capital.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
Subscription Agreement
The description of the Subscription Agreement set forth in Item 3 is hereby incorporated by reference in this Item 4. Ctrip also agreed for a period of 180 days after March 31, 2010 (i) not to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, and not to announce an intention to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of Sharers or similar securities; and (ii) not to acquire more than an additional 5% of the total outstanding Shares of the Company without the prior written approval of the Company.
Share Purchase Agreement
The description of the Share Purchase Agreement set forth in Item 3 is hereby incorporated by reference in this Item 4.
Investor and Registration Rights Agreement
On March 12, 2010, Ctrip and the Company entered into an Investor and Registration Rights Agreement (the “Investor and Registration Rights Agreement”), a copy of which is attached as Exhibit C hereto. Pursuant to the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, Ctrip is entitled to appoint one director to the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) so long as Ctrip, together with its affiliates (as defined in the Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933) remains the beneficial owner of at least (a) 5% of the Company’s then outstanding Shares for a period of three years from the closing of the Company’s IPO, and (b) 8% of the Company’s then outstanding Shares for any period thereafter.
Pursuant to the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, the Company agreed to provide Ctrip with certain registration rights in respect of the Shares held by Ctrip.
The description of the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement contained herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit C, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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CUSIP No.
 
G21182 103 
 
Although Ctrip has no present intention to acquire additional securities of the Company, it intends to review its investment on a regular basis and, as a result thereof, may at any time or from time to time determine, either alone or as part of a group (subject to the 180-days lock-up and stand-still period set forth in the Subscription Agreement as discussed above), (i) to acquire additional securities of the Company, through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, (ii) to dispose of all or a portion of the securities of the Company owned by it in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise or (iii) to take any other available course of action, which could involve one or more of the types of transactions or have one or more of the results described in the next paragraph of this Item 4. Any such acquisition or disposition or other transaction would be made in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Notwithstanding anything contained herein, Ctrip specifically reserves the right to change its intention with respect to any or all of such matters. In reaching any decision as to its course of action (as well as to the specific elements thereof), Ctrip currently expects that it would take into consideration a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the following: the Company’s business and prospects; other developments concerning the Company and its businesses generally; other business opportunities available to Ctrip; changes in law and government regulations; general economic conditions; and liquidity and stock market conditions, including the market price of the securities of the Company.
Except as set forth in this Schedule 13D, Ctrip has no present plans or proposals that relate to or would result in:
  (i)   The acquisition of additional securities of the Company, or the disposition of securities of the Company by any person;
 
  (ii)   An extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving the Company;
 
  (iii)   A sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the Company;
 
  (iv)   Any change in the present Board or management of the Company, including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board;
 
  (v)   Any material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of the Company;
 
  (vi)   Any other material change in the Company’s business or corporate structure;
 
  (vii)   Changes in the Company’s charter, bylaws or instruments corresponding thereto or other actions that may impede the acquisition of control of the Company by any person;
 
  (viii)   A class of securities of the Company being delisted from a national securities exchange or ceasing to be authorized to be quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system of a registered national securities association;
 
  (ix)   A class of equity securities of the Company becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; or
 
  (x)   Any action similar to any of those enumerated above.

 

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CUSIP No.
 
G21182 103 
 
Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.
The responses of Ctrip to Rows (7) through (13) of the cover pages of this Schedule 13D and the information set forth in Item 3 are hereby incorporated by reference in this Item 5.
Upon the closing of the transactions described above, Ctrip acquired and is deemed to beneficially own 22,049,446 Shares, representing 9.15% of the Company’s total outstanding Shares as of March 31, 2010. References to percentage ownerships of Shares in this Schedule 13D are based upon 241,018,079 Shares outstanding as of March 31, 2010.
To the best knowledge of Ctrip, the directors and executive officers of Ctrip may be deemed to beneficially own an aggregate of 132,116,228 Shares, or 54.82% of the total outstanding Shares of the Company, as of March 31, 2010, comprising of: (i) 115,759,849 Shares beneficially owned by Qi Ji, a director of Ctrip, who is also the executive chairman of the Company, including 35,000,000 Shares held by East Leader International Limited, of which Ms. Tongtong Zhao is the sole director and over which Mr. Ji has voting power pursuant to a power of attorney; (ii) 9,633,333 Shares held by John Jiong Wu, who is a director of the Company and spouse of the chief financial officer of Ctrip; (iii) a total of 6,721,046 Shares held by IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P., IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P. and IDG-Accel China Investors L.P., of which a director of Ctrip, Suyang Zhang, is an affiliate (Mr. Zhang expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of the foregoing 6,721,046 Shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interests therein); (iv) 2,000 Shares held by Tao Yang, a senior vice president of Ctrip.
Ctrip has no contract, arrangement, or understanding of any kind with any of such directors or officers with respect to the Shares, expressly disclaims any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the Shares owned by such directors and officers, and further disclaims any “group” status with such directors and officers. Such directors and officers expressly disclaim any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the Shares owned by Ctrip, and further disclaim any “group” status with Ctrip.
Except as disclosed in this Schedule 13D, neither Ctrip nor, to the best of its knowledge, any of the persons listed in Schedule A hereto, beneficially owns any Shares or has the right to acquire any Shares.
Except as disclosed in this Schedule 13D, neither Ctrip nor, to the best of its knowledge, any of the persons listed in Schedule A hereto, presently has the power to vote or to direct the vote or to dispose or direct the disposition of any of the Shares that they may be deemed to beneficially own.
Except as disclosed in this Schedule 13D, neither Ctrip nor, to the best of its knowledge, any of the persons listed in Schedule A hereto, has effected any transaction in the Shares during the past 60 days.
To the best knowledge of Ctrip, no other person has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the Shares beneficially owned by Ctrip.
Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer.
The information set forth in Items 3 and 4 is hereby incorporated by reference in this Item 6.

 

5


 

                     
CUSIP No.
 
G21182 103 
 
Except as described above or elsewhere in this Schedule 13D or incorporated by reference in this Schedule 13D, there are no contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships (legal or otherwise) between Ctrip or, to the best of its knowledge, any of the persons named in Schedule A hereto and any other person with respect to any securities of the Company, including, but not limited to, transfer or voting of any securities, finder’s fees, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees of profits, division of profits or losses, or the giving or withholding of proxies.
Item 7. Material to Be Filed as Exhibits.
     
Exhibit No.   Description
 
   
A
  Subscription Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and China Lodging Group, Limited
 
   
B
  Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and the selling shareholders named therein
 
   
C
  Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and China Lodging Group, Limited

 

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CUSIP No.
 
G21182 103 
 
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: April 9, 2010
         
  CTRIP.COM INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
 
 
  By:   /s/ Min Fan    
    Name:   Min Fan   
    Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer   

 

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SCHEDULE A
Ctrip Directors and Executive Officers
             
Name   Present Principal Occupation   Business Address   Citizenship
James Jianzhang Liang
  Co-founder; Chairman of the Board   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   USA
 
           
Min Fan
  Co-founder; President; Chief Executive Officer; Director   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Jane Jie Sun
  Chief Financial Officer   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   USA
 
           
Neil Nanpeng Shen
  Co-founder; Director   Suite 2215, Two Pacific Place, 88 Queensway Road, Hong Kong.   Hong Kong SAR, PRC
 
           
Qi Ji
  Co-founder; Director   5th Floor, Block 57, No. 461 Hongcao Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, PRC   Singapore
 
           
Gabriel Li
  Deputy Chairman of the Board   Suite 6110, 61/F, The Center, 99 Queen’s Road, Central, Hong Kong   USA
 
           
JP Gan
  Director   Room3906 Jinmao Tower, 88 Century Boulevard, Shanghai, PRC   USA
 
           
Suyang Zhang
  Director   Room 1105, Aetna Tower, No 107 Zunyi Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Jianmin Zhu
  Senior Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Tao Yang
  Senior Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Maohua Sun
  Senior Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
James Lan Tang
  Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Shaw Xiaoliang Ding
  Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Cindy Xiaofan Wang
  Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Yuxiang Zhuang
  Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Dongjie Guo
  Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC
 
           
Hao Jiang
  Vice President   99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC   PRC

 

 


 

EXHIBIT INDEX
     
Exhibit No.   Description
 
   
A
  Subscription Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and China Lodging Group, Limited
 
   
B
  Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and the Selling Shareholders
 
   
C
  Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and China Lodging Group, Limited

 

 

Exhibit A
Exhibit A
Execution Version
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This Subscription Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of March 12, 2010 by and between:
  (1)  
China Lodging Group, Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (the “Company”); and
  (2)  
Ctrip.com International, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (the “Purchaser”). The Purchaser and the Company are sometimes herein referred to each as a “Party,” and collectively as the “Parties.”
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Company has filed a registration statement on Form F-1 as of March 5, 2010 (the “Registration Statement”) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with the initial public offering (the “Offering”) by the Company of American Depositary Shares (“ADS”), each representing four ordinary shares (“Ordinary Shares”) of the Company as specified in the Registration Statement; and
WHEREAS, the Purchaser wishes to invest in the Company by acquiring Ordinary Shares in the Company in a transaction exempt from registration pursuant to Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Regulation S” and the “Securities Act,” respectively);
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
PURCHASE AND SALE
Section 1.1 Issuance, Sale and Purchase of Ordinary Shares. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, at each of the Closings (as defined below), as applicable, the Purchaser hereby agrees to purchase, and the Company hereby agrees to issue, sell and deliver to the Purchaser, subject to and concurrent with the Offering, at the Offer Price, certain number (as such number is determined pursuant to Section 1.2 below) of Ordinary Shares (the “Purchased

 

 


 

Shares”), free and clear of all liens or encumbrances (other than those created by virtue of this Agreement). The “Offer Price” means the price per ADS set forth on the cover of the Company’s final prospectus in connection with the Offering (the “Final Prospectus”) divided by the number of Ordinary Shares represented by one ADS. All such sales shall be made (i) on the same terms as the ADSs being offered in the Offering and (ii) pursuant to and in reliance upon Regulation S.
Section 1.2 Closing.
(a) Initial Closing. Subject to Section 1.3, the initial closing (the “Initial Closing”) of the sale and purchase of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to Section 1.1 shall take place concurrently with the closing of the offering of the underwritten ADSs representing Ordinary Shares (the “Firm Share Offering”) at the same offices for the closing of the Firm Share Offering or at such other place as the Company and the Purchaser may mutually agree. The total number of the Ordinary Shares that the Purchaser shall purchase at the Initial Closing shall be 7,202,482. The date and time of the Initial Closing are referred to herein as the “Initial Closing Date.”
(b) Additional Closing. Subject to Section 1.3, if the Company grants the underwriters an over-allotment option to purchase additional ADSs representing Ordinary Shares (the “Optional Shares”), then:
(i) if the underwriters purchase any such Optional Shares, and, solely as a result of (x) the issuance of ADSs by the Company in the Offering in excess of 9,000,000 ADSs; or (y) the issuance of the Optional Shares (the “Greenshoe Offering”); or (z) a combination of (x) and (y), the Purchaser’s shareholding of the Company’s total outstanding Ordinary Shares will be below 8% of the Company’s total outstanding Ordinary Shares upon the closing of the Greenshoe Offering, then the additional closing (the “Additional Closing”) of the sale and purchase of additional Ordinary Shares pursuant to Section 1.1 shall take place concurrently with the closing of the Greenshoe Offering at the same office for the closing of the Greenshoe Offering or at such other place as the Company and the Purchaser may mutually agree. The Company shall promptly issue a notice to the Purchaser if the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option, and the Purchaser shall promptly issue a notice to the Company with respect to the Purchaser’s shareholding in the Company. The total number of additional Ordinary Shares that the Purchaser will purchase at the Additional Closing shall be such that, together with the Ordinary Shares (whether or not represented by ADSs) the Purchaser has acquired, will result in the Purchaser holding 8% of the Company’s total outstanding Ordinary Shares upon the Additional Closing.
(ii) if the underwriters do not exercise such option, and, solely as a result of the issuance of ADSs by the Company in the Offering in excess of 9,000,000 ADSs, the Purchaser’s shareholding of the Company’s total outstanding Ordinary Shares will be below 8% of the Company’s total outstanding Ordinary Shares on

 

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the 30th day following the Initial Closing, then the Additional Closing of the sale and purchase of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to Section 1.1 shall take place on such 30th day following the Initial Closing at the same office for the Initial Closing or at such other place as the Company and the Purchaser may mutually agree. The Purchaser shall issue a notice to the Company with respect to the Purchaser’s shareholding in the Company as of such 30th day following the Initial Closing. The total number of additional Ordinary Shares that the Purchaser will purchase at the Additional Closing shall be such that, together with the Ordinary Shares and ADSs the Purchaser has acquired, will result in the Purchaser holding 8% of the Company’s total outstanding Ordinary Shares upon the Additional Closing.
(iii) The Additional Closing and the Initial Closing are referred to herein collectively as the “Closings” and individually a “Closing.” The date and time of the Additional Closing are referred to herein as the “Additional Closing Date.” The Additional Closing Date and the Initial Closing Date are referred to herein collectively as the “Closing Dates” and individually as a “Closing Date.” For the avoidance of doubt and solely for the purpose of shareholding calculation in this Subsection 1.2(b), the Company’s total outstanding Ordinary Shares shall exclude Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options after the applicable date of calculation.
(c) Payment and Delivery. At each of the Closings, as applicable, the Purchaser shall pay and deliver the total consideration to the Company in U.S. dollars by wire transfer, or by such other method mutually agreeable to the parties, of immediately available funds to such bank account designated in writing by the Company, and the Company shall deliver one or more duly executed share certificates in original form, registered in the name of the Purchaser, together with a certified true copy of the register of the members of the Company, evidencing the Ordinary Shares being issued and sold to the Purchaser.
(d) Restrictive Legend. Each certificate representing the Purchased Shares shall be endorsed with the following legend:
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (AS AMENDED, THE “ACT”) OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED: (A) IN THE ABSENCE OF (1) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT, (2) AN EXEMPTION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OR (3) DELIVERY TO THE COMPANY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED; AND (B) WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON, AS EACH OF THOSE TERMS IS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER

 

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THE ACT, DURING THE 40 DAYS FOLLOWING CLOSING OF THE PURCHASE. ANY ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS SECURITY IN VIOLATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS SHALL BE VOID.
Section 1.3 Closing Conditions.
(a) Conditions of the Purchaser for the Closing. The obligation of the Purchaser to purchase and pay for the Purchased Shares as contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction, on or before the applicable Closing Date, of the following conditions, any of which may be waived by the Purchaser in its sole discretion:
(i) The Investor and Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the Purchaser substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Investor and Registration Rights Agreement”), shall have been executed and delivered to the Purchaser.
(ii) The Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto shall have been adopted and become effective as of the Closing Date.
(iii) All corporate and other actions required to be taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Purchased Shares shall have been completed.
(iv) The Company shall have provided to the Purchaser a legal opinion of Cayman Islands counsel dated as of the applicable Closing Date to the Company substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C.
(v) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 2.1 of this Agreement shall have been true and correct on the date of this Agreement and on and as of the applicable Closing Date; and the Company shall have performed and complied with all, and not be in breach or default under any, agreements, covenants, conditions and obligations contained in this Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with on or before the applicable Closing Date.
(vi) No governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any law (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) that is in effect and restrains, enjoins, prevents, prohibits, imposes any damages or penalties that are substantial in relation to the Company, or otherwise makes illegal the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and no action, suit, proceeding or investigation shall have been instituted by a governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or threatened that seeks to restrain, enjoin, prevent, prohibit, impose any damages

 

4


 

or penalties that are substantial in relation to the Company, or otherwise makes illegal the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(vii) The Offering shall have been successfully completed by no later than June 30, 2010.
(viii) The ADSs shall have been listed on the NASDAQ Global Market subject to official notice of issuance.
(ix) The underwriting agreement relating to the Offering shall have been entered into and have become effective.
(x) The board of directors of the Company is constituted in accordance with the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement
(b) Conditions of the Company. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell the Purchased Shares to be sold to and purchased by the Purchaser as contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the satisfaction, on or before the applicable Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, any of which may be waived in writing by the Company in its sole discretion:
(i) The Investor and Registration Rights Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by the Purchaser.
(ii) All corporate and other actions required to be taken by the Purchaser in connection with the purchase of the Purchased Shares shall have been completed.
(iii) The representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained in Section 2.2 of this Agreement shall have been true and correct in all material respects on the date of this Agreement and on and as of the applicable Closing Date; and the Purchaser shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all, and not be in breach or default in any material respect under any, agreements, covenants, conditions and obligations contained in this Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with on or before the applicable Closing Date.
(iv) No governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any law (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) that is in effect and restrains, enjoins, prevents, prohibits, imposes any damages or penalties that are substantial in relation to the Company, or otherwise makes illegal the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and no action, suit, proceeding or investigation shall have been instituted by a governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or threatened that seeks to restrain, enjoin, prevent, prohibit, impose any damages

 

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or penalties that are substantial in relation to the Company, or otherwise makes illegal the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Section 2.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser, as of the date hereof and as of the applicable Closing Date, as follows:
(a) Organization and Authority.
(i) The Company is a company duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Company has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as it is currently being conducted.
(ii) The Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all requisite action on the part of the Company and its shareholders. This Agreement constitutes the valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its respective terms and conditions, except (i) as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies.
(b) Capitalization.
(i) The authorized share capital, option plans and issuance and warrant issuance of the Company shall be as set forth in the Registration Statement. Schedule I of this Agreement sets forth all the authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company. All issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Company are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(ii) All outstanding Ordinary Shares and all outstanding awards under the Company’s stock option plans and all outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Company’s subsidiaries and consolidated affiliates (each a “Subsidiary” and collectively “Subsidiaries”) have been issued and granted in compliance with (i) all applicable Securities Laws and other applicable laws and (ii) all requirements set forth in applicable contracts, without violation of the preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, no equity securities of the Company are or may

 

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become required to be issued by reason of any notes, bonds or other debt securities, or any option, warrant or other agreements to which the Company is a party. “Securities Laws” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Exchange Act, the listing rules of, or any listing agreement with Nasdaq Global Market and any other applicable law regulating securities or takeover matters.
(c) Due Issuance of the Purchased Shares. The Purchased Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free and clear of any pledge, mortgage, security interest, encumbrance, lien, charge, assessment, right of first refusal, right of pre-emption, third party right or interest, claim or restriction of any kind or nature, except for restrictions arising under the Securities Act and upon delivery and entry into the register of members of the Company will transfer to the Purchaser good and valid title to the Purchased Shares.
(d) Noncontravention. Neither the execution and the delivery of this Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, will (i) violate any provision of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association or other constitutional documents of the Company or its Subsidiaries or violate any constitution, statute, regulation, rule, injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling, charge, or other restriction of any government, governmental entity or court to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is subject, or (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute a default under, result in the acceleration of or creation of an encumbrance under, create in any party the right to accelerate, terminate, modify, or cancel, or require any notice under, any agreement, contract, lease, license, instrument, or other arrangement to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ assets are subject. There is no action, suit or proceeding, pending or threatened against the Company or its Subsidiaries that questions the validity of this Agreement or the right of the Company to enter into this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
(e) Consents and Approvals. Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement, nor the consummation by the Company of any of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor the performance by the Company of this Agreement in accordance with its terms requires the consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration with, or the giving notice to, any governmental or public body or authority or any third party, except such as have been obtained, made or given.
(f) Compliance with Laws. The business of the Company or its Subsidiaries is not being conducted in violation of any law or government order applicable to the Company except for violations which do not and would not

 

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reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, “Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any event, fact, circumstance or occurrence that, individually or in the aggregate with any other events, facts, circumstances or occurrences, results in or would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change in or a material adverse effect on any of (i) the financial condition, assets, liabilities, results of operations, business, or operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except to the extent that any such Material Adverse Effect results from (x) the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (y) changes in generally accepted accounting principles that are generally applicable to comparable companies, or (z) changes in general economic and market conditions; or (ii) the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and to timely perform its material obligations under the Agreement.
(g) SEC Filings; Financial Statements.
(i) Prior to the Initial Closing, the Registration Statement shall have been filed with the SEC. The Registration Statement conforms and will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder and does not and will not, as of the applicable effective date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(ii) The audited consolidated financial statement (including any notes thereto) contained in the Registration Statement was prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and each fairly presents, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof and for the respective periods indicated therein.
(iii) Except as and to the extent set forth in the Registration Statement and on the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Company and the consolidated Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009, including the notes thereto (the “Balance Sheets”), neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any liability or obligation of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) that would be required to be disclosed in accordance with GAAP, except for liabilities and obligations, incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since December 31, 2009, which would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or materially delay consummation of any of the transactions or otherwise prevent or materially delay the Company from performing its obligations under this Agreement and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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None of the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract or any commitment providing for an interest rate, currency or commodity swap, derivative, forward purchase or sale or other transaction similar in nature or effect or involving any off-balance sheet financing.
(h) Events Subsequent to Most Recent Fiscal Period. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, since December 31, 2009, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Effect or any event, fact, circumstance or occurrence that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(i) PFIC. The Company does not expect to be a passive foreign investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes for its 2009 taxable year and it does not expect to become one in the foreseeable future.
(j) Litigation. There are no actions by or against the Company or its Subsidiaries or affecting the business or any of the assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries pending before any governmental authority, or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to be brought by or before any governmental authority that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(k) Investment Company. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Company Shares, the consummation of the Public Offering and the application of the proceeds hereof thereof, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(l) Regulation S. No directed selling efforts (as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the Securities Act) have been made by any of the Company, any of its affiliates or any person acting on its behalf with respect to any Purchased Shares that are not registered under the Securities Act; and none of such persons has taken any actions that would result in the sale of the Purchased Shares to the Purchaser under this Agreement requiring registration under the Securities Act; and the Company is a “foreign issuer” (as defined in Regulation S).
Section 2.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser. The Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Company as of the date hereof and as of the applicable Closing Date, as follows:
(a) Due Formation. The Purchaser is a company duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, with full power and authority to own and operate and to carry on its business in the places and in the manner as currently conducted.

 

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(b) Authority. The Purchaser has full power and authority to enter into, execute and deliver this Agreement and each agreement, certificate, document and instrument to be executed and delivered by the Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the performance by the Purchaser of its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all requisite actions on its part.
(c) Valid Agreement. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Purchaser and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies.
(d) Consents. Neither the execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement nor the consummation by it of any of the transactions contemplated hereby nor the performance by the Purchaser of this Agreement in accordance with its terms requires the consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration with, or the giving of notice to, any governmental or public body or authority or any third party, except as have been obtained, made or given.
(e) No Conflict. Neither the execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement, nor the consummation by it of any of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance by the Purchaser with any of the terms and conditions hereof will contravene any existing agreement, federal, state, county or local law, rule or regulation or any judgment, decree or order applicable to, or binding upon, the Purchaser.
(f) Status and Investment Intent.
(i) Experience. The Purchaser has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment in the Purchased Shares. The Purchaser is capable of bearing the economic risks of such investment, including a complete loss of its investment.
(ii) Purchase Entirely for Own Account. The Purchaser is acquiring the Purchased Shares that it is purchasing pursuant to this Agreement for investment for its own account for investment purposes only and not with the view to, or with any intention of, resale, distribution or other disposition thereof. The Purchaser does not have any direct or indirect arrangement, or understanding with any other persons to distribute, or regarding the distribution of the Purchased Shares in violation of the Securities Act or any other applicable state securities law.

 

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(iii) Restricted Securities. The Purchaser acknowledges that the Purchased Shares are “restricted securities” that have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law. The Purchaser further acknowledges that, absent an effective registration under the Securities Act, the Purchased Shares may only be offered, sold or otherwise transferred (x) to the Company, (y) outside the United States in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act or (z) pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act.
(iv) Information. The Purchaser has been furnished access to all materials such Purchaser has requested relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries and other due diligence information and documents, and the Purchaser has been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from representatives of the Company concerning the foregoing, including the terms and conditions of this Agreement; provided, however, neither such inquiries nor any other investigation conducted by or on behalf of such Purchaser or by its representatives or counsel shall modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the truth, accuracy and completeness of the disclosure materials provided by the Company under this Agreement. The Purchaser has consulted to the extent deemed appropriate by such Purchaser with such Purchaser’s own advisers as to the financial, tax, legal and related matters concerning an investment in the Purchased Securities and on that basis believes that an investment in the Purchased Securities is suitable and appropriate for such Purchaser.
(v) Not U.S. Person. The Purchaser is not a “U.S. person” as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S.
(vi) Offshore Transaction. The Purchaser has been advised and acknowledges that in issuing the Purchased Shares to the Purchaser pursuant hereto, the Company is relying upon the exemption from registration provided by Regulation S.
(vii) FINRA. The Purchaser does not, directly or indirectly, own more than five per cent of the outstanding common stock (or other voting securities) of any member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) or a holding company for a FINRA member, and is not otherwise a “restricted person” for the purposes of the Free-Riding and Withholding Interpretation of FINRA.
ARTICLE III
COVENANTS

 

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Section 3.1 Lock-Up. The Purchaser agrees that it will not, during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), without the prior written consent of the Company, (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, make any short sale, lend or otherwise dispose of any ADSs or Ordinary Shares (including without limitation the Purchased Shares and Ordinary Shares that the Purchaser purchases from certain existing shareholders of the Company pursuant to a Shares Purchase Agreement dated as of the date hereof (the “Secondary Shares”)) or any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, or any options or warrants to purchase any ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, owned directly by the Purchaser (including holding as a custodian) or with respect to which the Purchaser has beneficial ownership within the rules and regulations of the SEC (collectively the “Purchaser’s Shares”), or (ii) make any demand for or exercise any right (including registration rights) with respect to the registration of any securities of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any securities of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchaser may transfer the Purchaser’s Shares to a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Purchaser that shall be bound by this Agreement as if such subsidiary were a party.
The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Agreement and continue for 180 days after the public offering date set forth on the Final Prospectus; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or announces material news or a material event or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 15-day period following the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be automatically extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the announcement of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless the Company waives, in writing, such extension.
Section 3.2 Standstill.
(a) The Purchaser hereby agrees that, without the prior written approval of the Company, the Purchaser and its affiliates will not, for a period of 180 days from the date of this Agreement, acquire more than an additional 5% of the total outstanding Ordinary Shares of Voting Securities (as defined below) of the Company, calculated on a basis that includes all Shares actually outstanding. “Voting Securities” shall mean the Shares (including Ordinary Shares represented by the Company’s American depositary shares) and any other securities entitled to vote generally for the election of directors of the Company. For the avoidance

 

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of doubt, the Purchased Shares acquired by the Purchaser on the Closing Dates are not “additional” Ordinary Shares for purposes of this Section 3.2(a).
(b) The Purchaser hereby agrees that, without the prior written approval of the Company, the Purchaser will not, and will use its reasonable efforts to cause its affiliates not to, for a period of 180 days from the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, acting alone or with others, assist, support, encourage, finance, participate with or advise any other person’s or entity’s efforts to:
(i) propose a merger, business combination, tender or exchange offer, share exchange, recapitalization, consolidation or other similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(ii) propose or offer to purchase, lease or otherwise acquire all or a substantial portion of the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(iii) form, join or in any way participate in a “group” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or act in concert with any person with respect to the securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in an attempt to circumvent the provisions of this Agreement;
(iv) solicit or participate in the solicitation of any proxies or consents with respect to the voting securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or
(v) enter into any substantial discussions or arrangements with any third party with respect to any of the foregoing.
Section 3.3 Further Assurances. From the date of this Agreement until the applicable Closing Date, the Parties shall use their best efforts to fulfill or obtain the fulfillment of the conditions precedent to the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 3.4 Business Operation. Between the date of this Agreement and the applicable Closing Date, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall operate their respective businesses only in the ordinary course consistent with past practice.
ARTICLE IV
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 4.1 Indemnification. Each of the Company and the Purchaser (an “Indemnifying Party”) shall indemnify and hold each other and their directors, officers and agents (collectively, the “Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, obligations, expenses and liabilities of any kind or nature whatsoever, including but not limited to any investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with,

 

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and any amounts paid in settlement of, any pending or threatened legal action or proceeding, and (ii) any taxes or levies that may be payable by such person by reason of the indemnification of any indemnifiable loss hereunder (collectively, “Losses”) resulting from or arising out of: (i) the breach of any representation or warranty of such Indemnifying Party contained in this Agreement or in any schedule or exhibit hereto; or (ii) the violation or nonperformance, partial or total, of any covenant or agreement of such Indemnifying Party contained in this Agreement for reasons other than gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party. In calculating the amount of any Losses of an Indemnified Party hereunder, there shall be subtracted the amount of any insurance proceeds and third-party payments received by the Indemnified Party with respect to such Losses, if any.
Section 4.2 Notice of Claims; Procedures. If an Indemnified Party makes any claim against an Indemnifying Party for indemnification, the claim shall be in writing and shall state in general terms the facts upon which such Indemnified Party makes the claim. In the event of any claim or demand asserted against an Indemnified Party by a third party upon which the Indemnified Party may claim indemnification, the Indemnifying Party shall give written notice to the Indemnified Party within 30 days after receipt from the Indemnified Party of the claim referred to above, indicating whether such Indemnifying Party intends to assume the defense of the claim or demand. If an Indemnifying Party assumes the defense, such Indemnifying Party shall have the right to fully control and settle the proceeding, provided, that, any such settlement or compromise shall be permitted hereunder only with the written consent of the Indemnified Party. If the Indemnifying Party elects not to assume the defense, fails to make such an election within the 30-day period or fails to actively and diligently conduct the defense, the Indemnified Party may, at its option, defend, settle, compromise or pay such action or claim at the expense of the Indemnifying Party; provided, that, any such settlement or compromise shall be permitted hereunder only with the written consent of the Indemnifying Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
Section 4.3 Cap. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnifying Party shall have no liability (for indemnification or otherwise) with respect to any Losses in excess of the aggregate total of the Purchase Price.
Section 4.4 Third Party Claims.
(a) If any third party shall notify any Indemnified Party in writing with respect to any matter involving a claim by such third party (a “Third Party Claim”) which such Indemnified Party believes would give rise to a claim for indemnification against the Indemnifying Party under this Article IV, then the Indemnified Party shall promptly (i) notify the Indemnifying Party thereof in writing within thirty (30) days of receipt of notice of such claim and (ii) transmit to the Indemnifying Party a written notice (“Claim Notice”) describing in

 

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reasonable detail the nature of the Third Party Claim, a copy of all papers served with respect to such claim (if any), and the basis of the Indemnified Party’s request for indemnification under this Agreement; provided, however, that no delay on the part of the Indemnified Party in so notifying the Company shall relieve the Company of any obligation under Section 4.1 with respect thereto unless (and then solely to the extent) the Company is prejudiced thereby.
(b) Subject to Section 4.4(d) below, upon receipt of a Claim Notice with respect to a Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense of any Third Party Claim by notifying the Indemnified Party in writing that the Indemnifying Party elects to assume the defense of such Third Party Claim, and upon delivery of such notice by the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend such Third Party Claim with counsel, selected by it, who is reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, by all appropriate proceedings, which proceedings shall be prosecuted actively and diligently by the Indemnifying Party to a final conclusion or settled. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnifying Party shall not be entitled to consent to the entry of a judgment or enter into any compromise or settlement with respect to such Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party (which shall not be unreasonably withheld).
(c) If requested by the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnified Party agrees, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party and its counsel in contesting any Third Party Claim which the Indemnifying Party elects to contest, including the making of any related counterclaim against the person asserting the Third Party Claim or any cross complaint against any person. The Indemnified Party shall have the right to receive copies of all pleadings, notices and communications with respect to any Third Party Claim, other than any privileged communications between the Indemnifying Party and its counsel, and shall be entitled, at its sole cost and expense, to retain separate co-counsel and participate in, but not control, any defense or settlement of any Third Party Claim assumed by the Indemnifying Party pursuant to Section 4.4(b); provided, however, if, based on written advice of counsel, the Indemnified Party concludes that there is a reasonable likelihood of a conflict of interest between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall bear the reasonable costs and expenses of counsel retained by the Indemnified Party in connection with such defense.
(d) If (i) the Indemnifying Party fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the thirty (30) days after receipt of any Claim Notice that the Indemnifying Party elects to assume the defense of any Third Party Claim pursuant to Section 4.4(b), (ii) the Indemnifying Party elects to assume the defense of any Third Party Claim pursuant to Section 4.4(b) but fails to diligently prosecute or settle such Third Party Claim, (iii) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party are parties to the same proceeding (or, assuming the veracity of the facts alleged by

 

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the party bringing the Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party may become parties to the same proceeding) and the Indemnified Party determines in good faith that a conflict of interest exists between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party, (iv) the Indemnified Party determines in good faith that there is a reasonable possibility that it will be prejudiced in any material respect beyond the ambit of such Third Party Claim by the Indemnifying Party’s control of the defense and proceedings with respect to any Third Party Claim, or (v) such Third Party Claim is a claim by a governmental tax authority, then (A) the Indemnified Party shall have the right to assume full control of the defense and proceedings with respect to such Third Party Claim, and the Indemnified Party may compromise or settle such Third Party Claim without consulting with, or obtaining consent from, the Indemnifying Party in connection therewith (it being understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Party shall not be bound by any such compromise or settlement entered into without its consent) and (B) the Indemnifying Party shall reimburse the Indemnified Party promptly and periodically for the costs of defending against the Third Party Claim (including fees and disbursements of no more than one counsel per jurisdiction (such counsel reasonably acceptable to the Indemnifying Party) reasonably incurred in connection with such Third Party Claim). The Indemnified Party shall have full control of such defense and proceedings, although the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in any defense or settlement controlled by the Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section 4.4(d) at its sole expense. Any compromise or settlement of a Third Party Claim effected by the Indemnified Party without the Indemnifying Party’s consent shall not be dispositive of the amount of any Losses with respect to such Third Party Claim.
(e) In the event any Indemnified Party should have a claim against the Indemnifying Party hereunder which does not involve a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall promptly transmit to the Indemnifying Party a written notice (the “Indemnity Notice”) describing in reasonable detail the nature of the claim, the Indemnified Party’s best estimate of the amount of Losses attributable to such claim and the basis of the Indemnified Party’s request for indemnification under this Agreement; provided that no delay on the part of the Indemnified Party in delivering the Indemnity Notice pursuant to this Section 4.4(e) shall relieve the Indemnifying Party of any obligation hereunder unless (and then solely to the extent) the Indemnifying Party is prejudiced thereby. If the Indemnifying Party does not notify the Indemnified Party within thirty (30) days from its receipt of the Indemnity Notice that the Indemnifying Party disputes such claim (the “Dispute Notice”), the Indemnifying Party shall be deemed to have accepted and agreed with such claim.
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS

 

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Section 5.1 Survival of the Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made by any Party shall survive for two years and shall terminate and be without further force or effect on the second anniversary of the date hereof, except as to (i) any claims thereunder which have been asserted in writing pursuant to Section 4.1 against the Party making such representations and warranties on or prior to such second anniversary, and (ii) the Company’s representations contained in Section 2.1(a), (b) and (c) hereof, each of which shall survive indefinitely.
Section 5.2 Governing Law; Arbitration. This Agreement shall be governed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including any question regarding its existence, validity or termination (“Dispute”) shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Administered Arbitration Rules then in force. There shall be three arbitrators. The language to be used in the arbitration proceedings shall be English. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any immunity to jurisdiction to which it may be entitled or become entitled (including without limitation sovereign immunity, immunity to pre-award attachment, post-award attachment or otherwise) in any arbitration proceedings and/or enforcement proceedings against it arising out of or based on this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 5.3 Amendment. This Agreement shall not be amended, changed or modified, except by another agreement in writing executed by the Parties hereto.
Section 5.4 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, each of the Company and the Purchaser and their respective heirs, successors and permitted assigns and legal representatives.
Section 5.5 Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, duties or obligations hereunder may be assigned by the Company or the Purchaser without the express written consent of the other Parties, except that the Purchaser may assign all or any of its rights and obligations hereunder to any affiliate of Purchaser without the consent of the other Parties, provided that no such assignment shall relieve the Purchaser of its obligations hereunder if such assignee does not perform such obligations. Any purported assignment in violation of the foregoing sentence shall be null and void.
Section 5.6 Notices. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given on the date of actual delivery if delivered personally to the Party or Parties to whom notice is to be given, on the date sent if sent by telecopier, tested telex or prepaid telegram, on the next business day following

 

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delivery to Federal Express properly addressed or on the day of attempted delivery by the U.S. Postal Service if mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage paid, and properly addressed as follows:
     
If to Purchaser, at:
  Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
 
  6F, Ctrip Building
 
  No. 99 Fu Quan Road
 
  Shanghai 200335, PRC
 
  Fax: +86-21 6239-8855
 
  Attn: Chief Executive Officer
 
   
With copy to:
  Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
 
  42/F Edinburgh Tower
 
  The Landmark
 
  15 Queen’s Road Central
 
  Fax: +852-3910-4850
 
  Attn: Z. Julie Gao
 
   
If to the Company, at:
  China Lodging Group, Limited
 
  5th Floor, Block 57, No. 461 Hongcao Road
 
  Xu Hui District
 
  Shanghai 200233, PRC
 
  Fax: +86-21-6485-6019
 
  Attn: Chief Financial Officer
 
   
With copy to:
  Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
 
  26/F, Twin Towers (West)
 
  B12 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue, Chaoyang District
 
  Beijing
 
  Fax: +8610-8567-5123
 
  Attn: Howard Zhang
Any Party may change its address for purposes of this Section 5.6 by giving the other Parties hereto written notice of the new address in the manner set forth above.
Section 5.7 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the Parties hereto with respect to the matters covered hereby, and all prior agreements and understandings, oral or in writing, if any, between the Parties with respect to the matters covered hereby are merged and superseded by this Agreement.
Section 5.8 Severability. If any provisions of this Agreement shall be adjudicated to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any action or proceeding whether in its entirety or in any portion, then such provision shall be deemed

 

18


 

amended, if possible, or deleted, as the case may be, from the Agreement in order to render the remainder of the Agreement and any provision thereof both valid and enforceable, and all other provisions hereof shall be given effect separately therefrom and shall not be affected thereby.
Section 5.9 Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Company and the Purchaser will bear their respective expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation, preparation and execution of this Agreement.
Section 5.10 Public Announcements. None of the Parties to this Agreement shall make, or cause to be made, any press release or public announcement in respect of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise communicate with any news media without the prior written consent of the Purchaser and the Company unless otherwise required by Securities Law or other applicable law, and the Parties to this Agreement shall cooperate as to the timing and contents of any such press release, public announcement or communication.
Section 5.11 Specific Performance. The Parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the Parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof, in addition to any other remedy at law or equity.
Section 5.12 Purchaser Description.
(a) The Company shall afford the Purchaser a reasonable opportunity in which to review and comment on any description of the Purchaser and/or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement that is to be included in the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof. The Purchaser hereby consents and undertakes to promptly provide a description of its organization and business activities to the Company (the “Purchaser Description”), and hereby represents that the Purchaser Description will be true and accurate in all material respects and will not be misleading, as may be reasonably required by the Company for the purpose of satisfying the disclosure obligations in connection with the Registration Statement and the prospectus therein under applicable laws, regulations and the listing rules of the NASDAQ Global Market. The Purchaser also consents to the inclusion of the Purchaser Description, the Purchaser’s name as well as the matters relating to the Purchaser’s subscription of the Purchased Shares in the Registration Statement and the prospectus therein, and in press releases and other marketing materials for the Offering. Additionally, the Purchaser hereby consents to the filing of this Agreement and the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

 

19


 

(b) The Purchaser acknowledges that the Company will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the Purchaser Description, and it agrees to notify the Company promptly in writing if any of the content contained therein ceases to be accurate and complete or becomes misleading.
Section 5.13 Distribution Compliance Period. The Purchaser agrees not to resell, pledge or transfer any Purchased Shares within the United States or to any U.S. Person, as each of those terms is defined in Regulation S, during the 40 days following the applicable Closing Date.
Section 5.14 Reliance by Underwriters. The Parties acknowledge and agree that underwriters to the Offering are third-party beneficiaries of and may rely upon the Purchaser’s representations and warranties and covenants contained in Section 2.2(d)(iv), (v) and (vi) and Sections 5.12 and 5.13 of this Agreement.
Section 5.15 Strategic Cooperation. The Parties agree to facilitate strategic cooperation between the two companies to develop mutually beneficial and long-term relations.
Section 5.16 Termination. In the event that the Initial Closing shall not have occurred by June 30, 2010, this Agreement shall be terminated unless the Parties mutually agree by June 30, 2010 to renegotiate.
Section 5.17 Headings. The headings of the various articles and sections of this Agreement are inserted merely for the purpose of convenience and do not expressly or by implication limit, define or extend the specific terms of the section so designated.
Section 5.18 Execution in Counterparts. For the convenience of the Parties and to facilitate execution, this Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute but one and the same instrument.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

20


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the day and year first above written.
         
  CHINA LODGING GROUP, LIMITED
 
 
  By:   /s/ Min (Jenny) Zhang    
    Name:   Min (Jenny) Zhang   
    Title:   Chief Financial Officer   
 

 

21


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the day and year first above written.
         
  CTRIP.COM INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
 
 
  By:   /s/ Min Fan    
    Name:   Min Fan   
    Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President   
 
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT]

 

22


 

Schedule I
Capitalization of the Company
                                         
            Series A     Series B                
    Ordinary     Preferred     Preferred             % of  
Shareholders   Shares     Shares*     Shares**     Total Shares     Total  
 
Winner Crown Holdings Limited
    34,822,510       20,000,000       25,937,339       80,759,849       41.97 %
John Jiong Wu
    4,000,000       4,000,000       1,633,333       9,633,333       5.01 %
East Leader International Limited
    15,000,000       20,000,000       3,920,000       38,920,000       20.23 %
Chengwei Partners, L.P.
                    516,910       516,910       0.27 %
Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Fund, L.P.
                    12,684,242       12,684,242       6.59 %
Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Advisors Fund, LLC
                    1,567,716       1,567,716       0.81 %
CDH Courtyard Limited
                    14,768,868       14,768,868       7.68 %
Pinpoint Capital 2006 A Limited
                    2,139,134       2,139,134       1.11 %
Northern Light Venture Fund, L.P.
                    4,769,269       4,769,269       2.48 %
Northern Light Partners Fund, L.P.
                    523,720       523,720       0.27 %
Northern Light Strategic Fund, L.P.
                    1,047,439       1,047,439       0.54 %
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P.
                    6,590,216       6,590,216       3.42 %
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P.
                    1,346,774       1,346,774       0.70 %
IDG-Accel China Investors L.P.
                    613,959       613,959       0.32 %
Jihua Ma
    211,365                       211,365       0.11 %
Shengli Wang
    325,842                       325,842       0.17 %
Rongying Xue
    143,394                       143,394       0.07 %
Crown Horse
    2,357,951                       2,357,951       1.23 %
Qinghua Cai
    554,241                       554,241       0.29 %
Huiqiu Cheng
    162,308                       162,308       0.08 %
Ge Feng
    358,435                       358,435       0.19 %
Global Crystal Consultants Limited
    81,154                       81,154       0.04 %
Jacob International Limited
    252,176                       252,176       0.13 %
Bo Li
    482,866                       482,866       0.25 %
Hei Ho Tong
    405,770                       405,770       0.21 %
Hui Wan
    811,539                       811,539       0.42 %
Jun Zhu
    243,462                       243,462       0.13 %
Richtime Dev. Limited
    735,000                       735,000       0.38 %
Prospect Resources Group Limited
    949,375                       949,375       0.49 %
JMJ Investing Limited
    857,500                       857,500       0.45 %
Sea Pearl Worldwide Holding Limited
    1,470,000                       1,470,000       0.76 %
Main See Limited
    1,470,000                       1,470,000       0.76 %
Other Individuals (through Exercise of Options in March 2010)
    2,961,790                       2,961,790       1.54 %
Everlasting Investment Management Co., Ltd
    1,500,000                       1,500,000       0.78 %
Tongren Investment Holdings Limited
    200,000                       200,000       0.10 %
 
                             
Total
    70,356,678       44,000,000       78,058,919       192,415,597       100.00 %
 
                             
     
*  
Each Series A preferred share will automatically convert into one ordinary share upon the closing of the Company’s IPO.
 
**  
Each Series B preferred share will automatically convert into one ordinary share upon the closing of the Company’s IPO.

 

23


 

Exhibit A
Investor and Registration Rights Agreement

 

24


 

Exhibit B
Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company
The Companies Law (Revised)
Company Limited by Shares
THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
China Lodging Group, Limited
(Adopted by way of a special resolution passed on March 12, 2010 and effective immediately
upon the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering on the Designated Stock Exchange)
  1.  
The name of the Company is China Lodging Group, Limited.
  2.  
The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of Cricket Square, Hutchins Drive, P.O.Box 2681, Grand Cayman KY1-1111, Cayman Islands.
  3.  
Subject to the following provisions of this Memorandum, the objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted.
  4.  
Subject to the following provisions of this Memorandum, the Company shall have and be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit, as provided by Section 27(2) of the Companies Law.
  5.  
Nothing in this Memorandum shall permit the Company to carry on a business for which a licence is required under the laws of the Cayman Islands unless duly licensed.
  6.  
The Company shall not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of the business of the Company carried on outside the Cayman Islands; provided that nothing in this clause shall be construed as to prevent the Company effecting and concluding contracts in the Cayman Islands, and exercising in the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business outside the Cayman Islands.
  7.  
The liability of each member is limited to the amount from time to time unpaid on such member’s shares.

 


 

  8.  
The authorized share capital of the Company is US$900,000 divided into 8,000,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each and 1,000,000,000 preferred shares of par value US$0.0001 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 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.
  9.  
The Company may exercise the power contained in the Companies Law to deregister in the Cayman Islands and be registered by way of continuation in another jurisdiction.

 

 


 

The Companies Law (Revised)
Company Limited by Shares
THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
China Lodging Group, Limited
(Adopted by way of a special resolution passed on March 12, 2010 and effective immediately upon the
consummation of the Company’s initial public offering on the Designated Stock Exchange)

 

 


 

I N D E X
         
SUBJECT   Article No.  
 
       
Table A
    1  
Interpretation
    1  
Share Capital
    4  
Alteration Of Capital
    5-6  
Share Rights
    6  
Variation Of Rights
    6-7  
Shares
    7-8  
Share Certificates
    8-9  
Lien
    9-10  
Calls On Shares
    10-11  
Forfeiture Of Shares
    11-13  
Register Of Members
    13  
Record Dates
    14  
Transfer Of Shares
    14-16  
Transmission Of Shares
    16  
Untraceable Members
    16-17  
General Meetings
    17  
Notice Of General Meetings
    18  
Proceedings At General Meetings
    18-19  
Voting
    20-22  
Proxies
    22-23  
Corporations Acting By Representatives
    23-24  
No Action By Written Resolutions Of Members
    24  
Board Of Directors
    24-25  
Disqualification Of Directors
    25-26  
Executive Directors
    26  
Alternate Directors
    26-27  
Directors’ Fees And Expenses
    27-28  
Directors’ Interests
    28-30  
General Powers Of The Directors
    30-32  
Borrowing Powers
    32  
Proceedings Of The Directors
    32-34  
Audit Committee
    34  
Officers
    35  
Register of Directors and Officers
    35  
Minutes
    35-36  
Seal
    36  
Authentication Of Documents
    36-37  
Destruction Of Documents
    37-38  
Dividends And Other Payments
    38-42  
Reserves
    42  
Capitalisation
    42-43  
Subscription Rights Reserve
    43-45  
Accounting Records
    45-46  
Audit
    46-47  

 

 


 

         
SUBJECT   Article No.  
 
Notices
    47-49  
Signatures
    49  
Winding Up
    49-50  
Indemnity
    50-51  
Amendment To Memorandum and Articles of Association And Name of Company
    51  
Information
    51  
Discontinuance
    51  

 

 


 

TABLE A
1. The regulations in Table A in the Schedule to the Companies Law (Revised) do not apply to the Company.
INTERPRETATION
2. (1) In these Articles, unless the context otherwise requires, the words standing in the first column of the following table shall bear the meaning set opposite them respectively in the second column.
     
WORD   MEANING
   
 
“Audit Committee”  
the audit committee of the Company formed by the Board pursuant to Article 121) hereof, or any successor audit committee.
   
 
“Auditor”  
the independent auditor of the Company which shall be an internationally recognized firm of independent accountants.
   
 
“Articles”  
these Articles in their present form or as supplemented or amended or substituted from time to time.
   
 
“Board” or “Directors”  
the board of directors of the Company or the directors present at a meeting of directors of the Company at which a quorum is present.
   
 
“capital”  
the share capital from time to time of the Company.
   
 
“clear days”  
in relation to the period of a notice, that period excluding the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect.
   
 
“clearing house”  
a clearing house recognised by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on a stock exchange or interdealer quotation system in such jurisdiction.
   
 
“Company”  
China Lodging Group, Limited.
   
 
“competent regulatory authority”  
a competent regulatory authority in the territory where the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on a stock exchange or interdealer quotation system in such territory.

 

- 1 -


 

     
WORD   MEANING
 
“debenture” and “debenture holder”  
include debenture stock and debenture stockholder respectively.
   
 
“Designated Stock Exchange”  
the Global Select Market of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.
   
 
“dollars” and “$”  
dollars, the legal currency of the United States of America.
   
 
“Exchange Act”  
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
   
 
“head office”  
such office of the Company as the Directors may from time to time determine to be the principal office of the Company.
   
 
“Law”  
The Companies Law, Cap. 22 (Law 3 of 1961, as consolidated and revised) of the Cayman Islands.
   
 
“Member”  
a duly registered holder from time to time of the shares in the capital of the Company.
   
 
“month”  
a calendar month.
   
 
“Notice”  
written notice unless otherwise specifically stated and as further defined in these Articles.
   
 
“Office”  
the registered office of the Company for the time being.
   
 
“ordinary resolution”  
a resolution shall be an ordinary resolution when it has been passed by a simple majority of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled so to do, vote in person or, in the case of any Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which not less than five (5) clear days’ Notice has been duly given;
   
 
“paid up”  
paid up or credited as paid up.
   
 
“Register”  
the principal register and where applicable, any branch register of Members to be maintained at such place within or outside the Cayman Islands as the Board shall determine from time to time.
   
 
“Registration Office”  
in respect of any class of share capital such place as the Board may from time to time determine to keep a

 

- 2 -


 

     
WORD   MEANING
 
   
branch register of Members in respect of that class of share capital and where (except in cases where the Board otherwise directs) the transfers or other documents of title for such class of share capital are to be lodged for registration and are to be registered.
   
 
“SEC”  
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
   
 
“Seal”  
common seal or any one or more duplicate seals of the Company (including a securities seal) for use in the Cayman Islands or in any place outside the Cayman Islands.
   
 
“Secretary”  
any person, firm or corporation appointed by the Board to perform any of the duties of secretary of the Company and includes any assistant, deputy, temporary or acting secretary.
   
 
“special resolution”  
a resolution shall be a special resolution when it has been passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled so to do, vote in person or, in the case of such Members as are corporations, by their respective duly authorised representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which not less than five (5) clear days’ Notice, specifying (without prejudice to the power contained in these Articles to amend the same) the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution, has been duly given. Provided that, except in the case of an annual general meeting, if it is so agreed by a majority in number of the Members having the right to attend and vote at any such meeting, being a majority together holding not less than ninety-five per cent. (95%) in nominal value of the shares giving that right and in the case of an annual general meeting, if it is so agreed by all Members entitled to attend and vote thereat, a resolution may be proposed and passed as a special resolution at a meeting of which less than five (5) clear days’ Notice has been given;
   
 
   
a special resolution shall be effective for any purpose for which an ordinary resolution is expressed to be required under any provision of these Articles or the Statutes.
   
 
“Statutes”  
the Law and every other law of the Legislature of the Cayman Islands for the time being in force applying to or affecting the Company, its Memorandum of Association and/or these Articles.

 

- 3 -


 

     
WORD   MEANING
 
“year”  
a calendar year.
(2) In these Articles, unless there be something within the subject or context inconsistent with such construction:
  (a)  
words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa;
 
  (b)  
words importing a gender include both gender and the neuter;
 
  (c)  
words importing persons include companies, associations and bodies of persons whether corporate or not;
 
  (d)  
the words:
  (i)  
“may” shall be construed as permissive;
 
  (ii)  
“shall” or “will” shall be construed as imperative;
  (e)  
expressions referring to writing shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as including printing, lithography, photography and other modes of representing words or figures in a visible form, and including where the representation takes the form of electronic display, provided that both the mode of service of the relevant document or notice and the Member’s election comply with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations;
 
  (f)  
references to any law, ordinance, statute or statutory provision shall be interpreted as relating to any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force;
 
  (g)  
save as aforesaid words and expressions defined in the Statutes shall bear the same meanings in these Articles if not inconsistent with the subject in the context;
 
  (h)  
references to a document being executed include references to it being executed under hand or under seal or by electronic signature or by any other method and references to a notice or document include a notice or document recorded or stored in any digital, electronic, electrical, magnetic or other retrievable form or medium and information in visible form whether having physical substance or not.
SHARE CAPITAL
3. (1) The share capital of the Company at the date on which these Articles come into effect shall be divided into shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each.
(2) Subject to the Law, the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and, where applicable, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and/or any competent

 

- 4 -


 

regulatory authority, the Company shall have the power to purchase or otherwise acquire its own shares and such power shall be exercisable by the Board in such manner, upon such terms and subject to such conditions as it in its absolute discretion thinks fit and any determination by the Board of the manner of purchase shall be deemed authorised by these Articles for purposes of the Law.
(3) No share shall be issued to bearer.
ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
4. The Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution in accordance with the Law alter the conditions of its Memorandum of Association to:
  (a)  
increase its capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such amounts, as the resolution shall prescribe;
  (b)  
consolidate and divide all or any of its capital into shares of larger amount than its existing shares;
  (c)  
without prejudice to the powers of the Board under Article 12, divide its shares into several classes and without prejudice to any special rights previously conferred on the holders of existing shares attach thereto respectively any preferential, deferred, qualified or special rights, privileges, conditions or such restrictions which in the absence of any such determination by the Company in general meeting, as the Directors may determine provided always that, for the avoidance of doubt, where a class of shares has been authorized by the Company no resolution of the Company in general meeting is required for the issuance of shares of that class and the Directors may issue shares of that class and determine such rights, privileges, conditions or restrictions attaching thereto as aforesaid, and further provided that where the Company issues shares which do not carry voting rights, the words “non-voting” shall appear in the designation of such shares and where the equity capital includes shares with different voting rights, the designation of each class of shares, other than those with the most favourable voting rights, must include the words “restricted voting” or “limited voting”;
  (d)  
sub-divide its shares, or any of them, into shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the Company’s Memorandum of Association (subject, nevertheless, to the Law), and may by such resolution determine that, as between the holders of the shares resulting from such sub-division, one or more of the shares may have any such preferred, deferred or other rights or be subject to any such restrictions as compared with the other or others as the Company has power to attach to unissued or new shares; and
  (e)  
cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken, or agreed to be taken, by any person, and diminish the amount of its capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled or, in the case of shares,

 

- 5 -


 

without par value, diminish the number of shares into which its capital is divided.
5. The Board may settle as it considers expedient any difficulty which arises in relation to any consolidation and division under the last preceding Article and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares or arrange for the sale of the shares representing fractions and the distribution of the net proceeds of sale (after deduction of the expenses of such sale) in due proportion amongst the Members who would have been entitled to the fractions, and for this purpose the Board may authorise some person to transfer the shares representing fractions to their purchaser or resolve that such net proceeds be paid to the Company for the Company’s benefit. Such purchaser will not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor will his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale.
6. The Company may from time to time by special resolution, subject to any confirmation or consent required by the Law, reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve or other undistributable reserve in any manner permitted by law.
7. Except so far as otherwise provided by the conditions of issue, or by these Articles, any capital raised by the creation of new shares shall be treated as if it formed part of the original capital of the Company, and such shares shall be subject to the provisions contained in these Articles with reference to the payment of calls and instalments, transfer and transmission, forfeiture, lien, cancellation, surrender, voting and otherwise.
SHARE RIGHTS
8. Subject to the provisions of the Law, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and to any special rights conferred on the holders of any shares or class of shares, and without prejudice to Article 12 hereof, any share in the Company (whether forming part of the present capital or not) may be issued with or have attached thereto such rights or restrictions whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as the Board may determine, including without limitation on terms that they may be, or at the option of the Company or the holder are, liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as the Board may deem fit.
9. Subject to the Law, any preferred shares may be issued or converted into shares that, at a determinable date or at the option of the Company or the holder, are liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner as the Company before the issue or conversion may by ordinary resolution of the Members determine. Where the Company purchases for redemption a redeemable share, purchases not made through the market or by tender shall be limited to a maximum price as may from time to time be determined by the Board, either generally or with regard to specific purchases. If purchases are by tender, tenders shall comply with applicable laws.
VARIATION OF RIGHTS

 

- 6 -


 

10. Subject to the Law and without prejudice to Article 8, all or any of the special rights for the time being attached to the shares or any class of shares may, unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, from time to time (whether or not the Company is being wound up) be varied, modified or abrogated with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. To every such separate general meeting all the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company shall, mutatis mutandis, apply, but so that:
  (a)  
the necessary quorum (whether at a separate general meeting or at its adjourned meeting) shall be a person or persons or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) its duly authorized representative together holding or representing by proxy not less than one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of that class;
  (b)  
every holder of shares of the class shall be entitled on a poll to one vote for every such share held by him; and
  (c)  
any holder of shares of the class present in person or by proxy or authorised representative may demand a poll.
11. The special rights conferred upon the holders of any shares or class of shares shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided in the rights attaching to or the terms of issue of such shares, be deemed to be varied, modified or abrogated by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu therewith.
SHARES
12. (1) Subject to the Law, these Articles and, where applicable, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and without prejudice to any special rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any shares or any class of shares, the unissued shares of the Company (whether forming part of the original or any increased capital) shall be at the disposal of the Board, which may offer, allot, grant options over or otherwise dispose of them to such persons, at such times and for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as the Board may in its absolute discretion determine but so that no shares shall be issued at a discount. In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Board is hereby empowered to authorize by resolution or resolutions from time to time the issuance of one or more classes or series of preferred shares and to fix the designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, if any, including, without limitation, the number of shares constituting each such class or series, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges, voting powers, full or limited or no voting powers, and liquidation preferences, and to increase or decrease the size of any such class or series (but not below the number of shares of any class or series of preferred shares then outstanding) to the extent permitted by Law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any class or series of preferred shares may, to the extent permitted by law, provide that such class or series shall be superior to, rank equally with or be junior to the preferred shares of any other class or series.

 

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(2) Neither the Company nor the Board shall be obliged, when making or granting any allotment of, offer of, option over or disposal of shares, to make, or make available, any such allotment, offer, option or shares to Members or others with registered addresses in any particular territory or territories being a territory or territories where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, this would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be, or be deemed to be, a separate class of members for any purpose whatsoever. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any class or series of preferred shares, no vote of the holders of preferred shares of or ordinary shares shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any shares of any class or series of the preferred shares authorized by and complying with the conditions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
(3) The Board may issue options, warrants or convertible securities or securities of similar nature conferring the right upon the holders thereof to subscribe for, purchase or receive any class of shares or securities in the capital of the Company on such terms as it may from time to time determine.
13. The Company may in connection with the issue of any shares exercise all powers of paying commission and brokerage conferred or permitted by the Law. Subject to the Law, the commission may be satisfied by the payment of cash or by the allotment of fully or partly paid shares or partly in one and partly in the other.
14. Except as required by law, no person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or required in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any share or any fractional part of a share or (except only as otherwise provided by these Articles or by law) any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder.
15. Subject to the Law and these Articles, the Board may at any time after the allotment of shares but before any person has been entered in the Register as the holder, recognise a renunciation thereof by the allottee in favour of some other person and may accord to any allottee of a share a right to effect such renunciation upon and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board considers fit to impose.
SHARE CERTIFICATES
16. Every share certificate shall be issued under the Seal or a facsimile thereof or with the Seal printed thereon and shall specify the number and class and distinguishing numbers (if any) of the shares to which it relates, and the amount paid up thereon and may otherwise be in such form as the Directors may from time to time determine. No certificate shall be issued representing shares of more than one class. The Board may by resolution determine, either generally or in any particular case or cases, that any signatures on any such certificates (or certificates in respect of other securities) need not be autographic but may be affixed to such certificates by some mechanical means or may be printed thereon.

 

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17. (1) In the case of a share held jointly by several persons, the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate therefor and delivery of a certificate to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all such holders.
(2) Where a share stands in the names of two or more persons, the person first named in the Register shall as regards service of notices and, subject to the provisions of these Articles, all or any other matters connected with the Company, except the transfer of the shares, be deemed the sole holder thereof.
18. Every person whose name is entered, upon an allotment of shares, as a Member in the Register shall be entitled, without payment, to receive one certificate for all such shares of any one class or several certificates each for one or more of such shares of such class upon payment for every certificate after the first of such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as the Board from time to time determines.
19. Share certificates shall be issued within the relevant time limit as prescribed by the Law or as the Designated Stock Exchange may from time to time determine, whichever is the shorter, after allotment or, except in the case of a transfer which the Company is for the time being entitled to refuse to register and does not register, after lodgment of a transfer with the Company.
20. (1) Upon every transfer of shares the certificate held by the transferor shall be given up to be cancelled, and shall forthwith be cancelled accordingly, and a new certificate shall be issued to the transferee in respect of the shares transferred to him at such fee as is provided in paragraph (2) of this Article. If any of the shares included in the certificate so given up shall be retained by the transferor a new certificate for the balance shall be issued to him at the aforesaid fee payable by the transferor to the Company in respect thereof.
(2) The fee referred to in paragraph (1) above shall be an amount not exceeding the relevant maximum amount as the Designated Stock Exchange may from time to time determine provided that the Board may at any time determine a lower amount for such fee.
21. If a share certificate shall be damaged or defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed a new certificate representing the same shares may be issued to the relevant Member upon request and on payment of such fee as the Company may determine and, subject to compliance with such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity and to payment of the costs and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of the Company in investigating such evidence and preparing such indemnity as the Board may think fit and, in case of damage or defacement, on delivery of the old certificate to the Company provided always that where share warrants have been issued, no new share warrant shall be issued to replace one that has been lost unless the Board has determined that the original has been destroyed.
LIEN
22. The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) for all moneys (whether presently payable or not) called or payable at a fixed time in respect of that share. The Company shall also have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) registered in the name of a Member (whether or

 

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not jointly with other Members) for all amounts of money presently payable by such Member or his estate to the Company whether the same shall have been incurred before or after notice to the Company of any equitable or other interest of any person other than such member, and whether the period for the payment or discharge of the same shall have actually arrived or not, and notwithstanding that the same are joint debts or liabilities of such Member or his estate and any other person, whether a Member or not. The Company’s lien on a share shall extend to all dividends or other moneys payable thereon or in respect thereof. The Board may at any time, generally or in any particular case, waive any lien that has arisen or declare any share exempt in whole or in part, from the provisions of this Article.
23. Subject to these Articles, the Company may sell in such manner as the Board determines any share on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless some sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable, or the liability or engagement in respect of which such lien exists is liable to be presently fulfilled or discharged nor until the expiration of fourteen (14) clear days after a notice in writing, stating and demanding payment of the sum presently payable, or specifying the liability or engagement and demanding fulfilment or discharge thereof and giving notice of the intention to sell in default, has been served on the registered holder for the time being of the share or the person entitled thereto by reason of his death or bankruptcy.
24. The net proceeds of the sale shall be received by the Company and applied in or towards payment or discharge of the debt or liability in respect of which the lien exists, so far as the same is presently payable, and any residue shall (subject to a like lien for debts or liabilities not presently payable as existed upon the share prior to the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the share at the time of the sale. To give effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some person to transfer the shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be registered as the holder of the shares so transferred and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale.
CALLS ON SHARES
25. Subject to these Articles and to the terms of allotment, the Board may from time to time make calls upon the Members in respect of any moneys unpaid on their shares (whether on account of the nominal value of the shares or by way of premium), and each Member shall (subject to being given at least fourteen (14) clear days’ Notice specifying the time and place of payment) pay to the Company as required by such notice the amount called on his shares. A call may be extended, postponed or revoked in whole or in part as the Board determines but no Member shall be entitled to any such extension, postponement or revocation except as a matter of grace and favour.
26. A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Board authorising the call was passed and may be made payable either in one lump sum or by instalments.
27. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon him notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the shares in respect of which the call was

 

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made. The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls and instalments due in respect thereof or other moneys due in respect thereof.
28. If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day appointed for payment thereof to the time of actual payment at such rate (not exceeding twenty per cent. (20%) per annum) as the Board may determine, but the Board may in its absolute discretion waive payment of such interest wholly or in part.
29. No Member shall be entitled to receive any dividend or bonus or to be present and vote (save as proxy for another Member) at any general meeting either personally or by proxy, or be reckoned in a quorum, or exercise any other privilege as a Member until all calls or instalments due by him to the Company, whether alone or jointly with any other person, together with interest and expenses (if any) shall have been paid.
30. On the trial or hearing of any action or other proceedings for the recovery of any money due for any call, it shall be sufficient to prove that the name of the Member sued is entered in the Register as the holder, or one of the holders, of the shares in respect of which such debt accrued, that the resolution making the call is duly recorded in the minute book, and that notice of such call was duly given to the Member sued, in pursuance of these Articles; and it shall not be necessary to prove the appointment of the Directors who made such call, nor any other matters whatsoever, but the proof of the matters aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence of the debt.
31. Any amount payable in respect of a share upon allotment or at any fixed date, whether in respect of nominal value or premium or as an instalment of a call, shall be deemed to be a call duly made and payable on the date fixed for payment and if it is not paid the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
32. On the issue of shares the Board may differentiate between the allottees or holders as to the amount of calls to be paid and the times of payment.
33. The Board may, if it thinks fit, receive from any Member willing to advance the same, and either in money or money’s worth, all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid or instalments payable upon any shares held by him and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate (if any) as the Board may decide. The Board may at any time repay the amount so advanced upon giving to such Member not less than one (1) month’s Notice of its intention in that behalf, unless before the expiration of such notice the amount so advanced shall have been called up on the shares in respect of which it was advanced. Such payment in advance shall not entitle the holder of such share or shares to participate in respect thereof in a dividend subsequently declared.
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
34. (1) If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the Board may give to the person from whom it is due not less than fourteen (14) clear days’ Notice:

 

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  (a)  
requiring payment of the amount unpaid together with any interest which may have accrued and which may still accrue up to the date of actual payment; and
  (b)  
stating that if the Notice is not complied with the shares on which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.
(2) If the requirements of any such Notice are not complied with, any share in respect of which such Notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before payment of all calls and interest due in respect thereof has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Board to that effect, and such forfeiture shall include all dividends and bonuses declared in respect of the forfeited share but not actually paid before the forfeiture.
35. When any share has been forfeited, notice of the forfeiture shall be served upon the person who was before forfeiture the holder of the share. No forfeiture shall be invalidated by any omission or neglect to give such Notice.
36. The Board may accept the surrender of any share liable to be forfeited hereunder and, in such case, references in these Articles to forfeiture will include surrender.
37. Any share so forfeited shall be deemed the property of the Company and may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of to such person, upon such terms and in such manner as the Board determines, and at any time before a sale, re-allotment or disposition the forfeiture may be annulled by the Board on such terms as the Board determines.
38. A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the forfeited shares but nevertheless shall remain liable to pay the Company all moneys which at the date of forfeiture were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares, with (if the Directors shall in their discretion so require) interest thereon from the date of forfeiture until payment at such rate (not exceeding twenty per cent. (20%) per annum) as the Board determines. The Board may enforce payment thereof if it thinks fit, and without any deduction or allowance for the value of the forfeited shares, at the date of forfeiture, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all such moneys in respect of the shares. For the purposes of this Article any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, is payable thereon at a fixed time which is subsequent to the date of forfeiture, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium, shall notwithstanding that time has not yet arrived be deemed to be payable at the date of forfeiture, and the same shall become due and payable immediately upon the forfeiture, but interest thereon shall only be payable in respect of any period between the said fixed time and the date of actual payment.
39. A declaration by a Director or the Secretary that a share has been forfeited on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share, and such declaration shall (subject to the execution of an instrument of transfer by the Company if necessary) constitute a good title to the share, and the person to whom the share is disposed of shall be registered as the holder of the share and shall not be bound to see to the application of the consideration (if any), nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the share. When any share shall have been forfeited, notice of

 

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the declaration shall be given to the Member in whose name it stood immediately prior to the forfeiture, and an entry of the forfeiture, with the date thereof, shall forthwith be made in the register, but no forfeiture shall be in any manner invalidated by any omission or neglect to give such notice or make any such entry.
40. Notwithstanding any such forfeiture as aforesaid the Board may at any time, before any shares so forfeited shall have been sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of, permit the shares forfeited to be bought back upon the terms of payment of all calls and interest due upon and expenses incurred in respect of the share, and upon such further terms (if any) as it thinks fit.
41. The forfeiture of a share shall not prejudice the right of the Company to any call already made or instalment payable thereon.
42. 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.
REGISTER OF MEMBERS
43. (1) The Company shall keep in one or more books a Register of its Members and shall enter therein the following particulars, that is to say:
  (a)  
the name and address of each Member, the number and class of shares held by him and the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid on such shares;
(b) the date on which each person was entered in the Register; and
(c) the date on which any person ceased to be a Member.
(2) The Company may keep an overseas or local or other branch register of Members resident in any place, and the Board may make and vary such regulations as it determines in respect of the keeping of any such register and maintaining a Registration Office in connection therewith.
44. The Register and branch register of Members, as the case may be, shall be open to inspection for such times and on such days as the Board shall determine by Members without charge or by any other person, upon a maximum payment of $2.50 or such other sum specified by the Board, at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the Law or, if appropriate, upon a maximum payment of $1.00 or such other sum specified by the Board at the Registration Office. The Register including any overseas or local or other branch register of Members may, after notice has been given by advertisement in an appointed newspaper or any other newspapers in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange or by any electronic means in such manner as may be accepted by the Designated Stock Exchange to that effect, be closed at such times or for such periods not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in each year as the Board may determine and either generally or in respect of any class of shares.

 

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RECORD DATES
45. (1) For the purpose of determining the Members entitled to notice of or to vote at any general meeting, or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of shares or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix, in advance, a date as the record date for any such determination of Members, which date shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other such action.
(2) If the Board does not fix a record date for any general meeting, the record date for determining the Members entitled to a notice of or to vote at such meeting shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if in accordance with these Articles notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. If corporate action without a general meeting is to be taken, the record date for determining the Members entitled to express consent to such corporate action in writing, when no prior action by the Board is necessary, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Company by delivery to its head office. The record date for determining the Members for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
(3) A determination of the Members of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Members shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
TRANSFER OF SHARES
46. Subject to these Articles, any Member may transfer all or any of his shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the Designated Stock Exchange or in any other form approved by the Board and may be under hand or, if the transferor or transferee is a clearing house or its nominee(s), by hand or by machine imprinted signature or by such other manner of execution as the Board may approve from time to time.
47. The instrument of transfer shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and the transferee provided that the Board may dispense with the execution of the instrument of transfer by the transferee in any case which it thinks fit in its discretion to do so. Without prejudice to the last preceding Article, the Board may also resolve, either generally or in any particular case, upon request by either the transferor or transferee, to accept mechanically executed transfers. The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of the share until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register in respect thereof. Nothing in these Articles shall preclude the Board from recognising a renunciation of the allotment or provisional allotment of any share by the allottee in favour of some other person.

 

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48. (1) The Board may, in its absolute discretion, and without giving any reason therefor, refuse to register a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) to a person of whom it does not approve, or any share issued under any share incentive scheme for employees upon which a restriction on transfer imposed thereby still subsists, and it may also, without prejudice to the foregoing generality, refuse to register a transfer of any share to more than four joint holders or a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) on which the Company has a lien.
(2) The Board in so far as permitted by any applicable law may, in its absolute discretion, at any time and from time to time transfer any share upon the Register to any branch register or any share on any branch register to the Register or any other branch register. In the event of any such transfer, the shareholder requesting such transfer shall bear the cost of effecting the transfer unless the Board otherwise determines.
(3) Unless the Board otherwise agrees (which agreement may be on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board in its absolute discretion may from time to time determine, and which agreement the Board shall, without giving any reason therefor, be entitled in its absolute discretion to give or withhold), no shares upon the Register shall be transferred to any branch register nor shall shares on any branch register be transferred to the Register or any other branch register and all transfers and other documents of title shall be lodged for registration, and registered, in the case of any shares on a branch register, at the relevant Registration Office, and, in the case of any shares on the Register, at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the Law.
49. Without limiting the generality of the last preceding Article, the Board may decline to recognise any instrument of transfer unless:-
  (a)  
a fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchange may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require is paid to the Company in respect thereof;
(b) the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of share;
  (c)  
the instrument of transfer is lodged at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the Law or the Registration Office (as the case may be) accompanied by the relevant share certificate(s) and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer (and, if the instrument of transfer is executed by some other person on his behalf, the authority of that person so to do); and
(d) if applicable, the instrument of transfer is duly and properly stamped.
50. If the Board refuses to register a transfer of any share, it shall, within two months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, send to each of the transferor and transferee notice of the refusal.
51. The registration of transfers of shares or of any class of shares may, after notice has been given by advertisement in any newspapers or by any other means in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange to that effect be

 

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suspended at such times and for such periods (not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in any year) as the Board may determine.
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
52. If a Member dies, the survivor or survivors where the deceased was a joint holder, and his legal personal representatives where he was a sole or only surviving holder, will be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest in the shares; but nothing in this Article will release the estate of a deceased Member (whether sole or joint) from any liability in respect of any share which had been solely or jointly held by him.
53. Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member may, upon such evidence as to his title being produced as may be required by the Board, elect either to become the holder of the share or to have some person nominated by him registered as the transferee thereof. If he elects to become the holder he shall notify the Company in writing either at the Registration Office or Office, as the case may be, to that effect. If he elects to have another person registered he shall execute a transfer of the share in favour of that person. The provisions of these Articles relating to the transfer and registration of transfers of shares shall apply to such notice or transfer as aforesaid as if the death or bankruptcy of the Member had not occurred and the notice or transfer were a transfer signed by such Member.
54. A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member 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. However, the Board may, if it thinks fit, withhold the payment of any dividend payable or other advantages in respect of such share until such person shall become the registered holder of the share or shall have effectually transferred such share, but, subject to the requirements of Article 75(2) being met, such a person may vote at meetings.
UNTRACEABLE MEMBERS
55. (1) Without prejudice to the rights of the Company under paragraph (2) of this Article, the Company may cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants by post if such cheques or warrants have been left uncashed on two consecutive occasions. However, the Company may exercise the power to cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants after the first occasion on which such a cheque or warrant is returned undelivered.
(2) The Company shall have the power to sell, in such manner as the Board thinks fit, any shares of a Member who is untraceable, but no such sale shall be made unless:
  (a)  
all cheques or warrants in respect of dividends of the shares in question, being not less than three in total number, for any sum payable in cash to the holder of such shares in respect of them sent during the relevant period in the manner authorised by the Articles have remained uncashed;

 

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  (b)  
so far as it is aware at the end of the relevant period, the Company has not at any time during the relevant period received any indication of the existence of the Member who is the holder of such shares or of a person entitled to such shares by death, bankruptcy or operation of law; and
  (c)  
the Company, if so required by the rules governing the listing of shares on the Designated Stock Exchange, has given notice to, and caused advertisement in newspapers to be made in accordance with the requirements of, the Designated Stock Exchange of its intention to sell such shares in the manner required by the Designated Stock Exchange, and a period of three (3) months or such shorter period as may be allowed by the Designated Stock Exchange has elapsed since the date of such advertisement.
For the purpose of the foregoing, the “relevant period” means the period commencing twelve (12) years before the date of publication of the advertisement referred to in paragraph (c) of this Article and ending at the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph.
(3) To give effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some person to transfer the said shares and an instrument of transfer signed or otherwise executed by or on behalf of such person shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the registered holder or the person entitled by transmission to such shares, and the purchaser shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale. The net proceeds of the sale will belong to the Company and upon receipt by the Company of such net proceeds it shall become indebted to the former Member for an amount equal to such net proceeds. No trust shall be created in respect of such debt and no interest shall be payable in respect of it and the Company shall not be required to account for any money earned from the net proceeds which may be employed in the business of the Company or as it thinks fit. Any sale under this Article shall be valid and effective notwithstanding that the Member holding the shares sold is dead, bankrupt or otherwise under any legal disability or incapacity.
GENERAL MEETINGS
56. An annual general meeting of the Company shall be held in each year other than the year of the Company’s incorporation at such time and place as may be determined by the Board.
57. Each general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, shall be called an extraordinary general meeting. General meetings may be held at such times and in any location in the world as may be determined by the Board.
58. Only a majority of the Board or the Chairman of the Board may call extraordinary general meetings, which extraordinary general meetings shall be held at such times and locations (as permitted hereby) as such person or persons shall determine.

 

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NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
59. (1) An annual general meeting and any extraordinary general meeting may be called by not less than five (5) clear days’ Notice but a general meeting may be called by shorter notice, subject to the Law, if it is so agreed:
  (a)  
in the case of a meeting called as an annual general meeting, by all the Members entitled to attend and vote thereat; and
  (b)  
in the case of any other meeting, by a majority in number of the Members having the right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less than ninety-five per cent. (95%) in nominal value of the issued shares giving that right.
(2) The notice shall specify the time and place of the meeting and, in case of special business, the general nature of the business. The notice convening an annual general meeting shall specify the meeting as such. Notice of every general meeting shall be given to all Members other than to such Members as, under the provisions of these Articles or the terms of issue of the shares they hold, are not entitled to receive such notices from the Company, to all persons entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member and to each of the Directors and the Auditors.
60. The accidental omission to give Notice of a meeting or (in cases where instruments of proxy are sent out with the Notice) to send such instrument of proxy to, or the non-receipt of such Notice or such instrument of proxy by, any person entitled to receive such Notice shall not invalidate any resolution passed or the proceedings at that meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
61. (1) All business shall be deemed special that is transacted at an extraordinary general meeting, and also all business that is transacted at an annual general meeting, with the exception of:
  (a)  
the declaration and sanctioning of dividends;
 
  (b)  
consideration and adoption of the accounts and balance sheet and the reports of the Directors and Auditors and other documents required to be annexed to the balance sheet;
 
  (c)  
the election of Directors;
 
  (d)  
appointment of Auditors (where special notice of the intention for such appointment is not required by the Law) and other officers;
 
  (e)  
the fixing of the remuneration of the Auditors, and the voting of remuneration or extra remuneration to the Directors;

 

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  (f)  
the granting of any mandate or authority to the Directors to offer, allot, grant options over or otherwise dispose of the unissued shares in the capital of the Company representing not more than twenty per cent. (20%) in nominal value of its existing issued share capital; and
  (g)  
the granting of any mandate or authority to the Directors to repurchase securities of the Company.
(2) No business other than the appointment of a chairman of a meeting shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present at the commencement of the business. At any general meeting of the Company, one (1) Member entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative representing not less than one-third in nominal value of the total issued voting shares in the Company throughout the meeting shall form a quorum for all purposes.
62. If within thirty (30) minutes (or such longer time not exceeding one hour as the chairman of the meeting may determine to wait) after the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and place or to such time and place as the Board may determine. If at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved.
63. The chairman of the Company shall preside as chairman at every general meeting. If at any meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen (15) minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or is not willing to act as chairman, the Directors present shall choose one of their number to act, or if one Director only is present he shall preside as chairman if willing to act. If no Director is present, or if each of the Directors present declines to take the chair, or if the chairman chosen shall retire from the chair, the Members present in person or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and entitled to vote shall elect one of their number to be chairman.
64. The chairman may 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 which might lawfully have been transacted at the meeting had the adjournment not taken place. When a meeting is adjourned for fourteen (14) days or more, at least five (5) clear days’ notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given specifying the time and place of the adjourned meeting but it shall not be necessary to specify in such notice the nature of the business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. Save as aforesaid, it shall be unnecessary to give notice of an adjournment.
65. If an amendment is proposed to any resolution under consideration but is in good faith ruled out of order by the chairman of the meeting, the proceedings on the substantive resolution shall not be invalidated by any error in such ruling. In the case of a resolution duly proposed as a special resolution, no amendment thereto (other than a mere clerical amendment to correct a patent error) may in any event be considered or voted upon.

 

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VOTING
66. Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any shares by or in accordance with these Articles, at any general meeting on a show of hands every Member present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorised representative), or by proxy shall have one vote and on a poll every Member present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative shall have one vote for every fully paid share of which he is the holder but so that no amount paid up or credited as paid up on a share in advance of calls or instalments is treated for the foregoing purposes as paid up on the share. Notwithstanding anything contained in these Articles, where more than one proxy is appointed by a Member which is a clearing house (or its nominee(s)), each such proxy shall have one vote on a show of hands. A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless voting by way of a poll is required by he rules of the Designated Stock Exchange or (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands or on the withdrawal of any other demand for a poll) a poll is demanded:
  (a)  
by the chairman of such meeting; or
  (b)  
by at least three Members present in person or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy for the time being entitled to vote at the meeting; or
  (c)  
by a Member or Members present in person or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and representing not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all Members having the right to vote at the meeting; or
  (d)  
by a Member or Members present in person or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and holding shares in the Company conferring a right to vote at the meeting being shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid up on all shares conferring that right; or
  (e)  
if required by the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, by any Director or Directors who, individually or collectively, hold proxies in respect of shares representing five per cent. (5%) or more of the total voting rights at such meeting.
A demand by a person as proxy for a Member or in the case of a Member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative shall be deemed to be the same as a demand by a Member.
67. Unless a poll is duly demanded and the demand is not withdrawn, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or not carried by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect made in the minute book of the Company, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded for or against the resolution.

 

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68. If a poll is duly demanded the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. The Company shall only be required to disclose the voting figures on a poll if such disclosure is required by the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange.
69. 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 in such manner (including the use of ballot or voting papers or tickets) and either forthwith or at such time (being not later than thirty (30) days after the date of the demand) and place as the chairman directs. It shall not be necessary (unless the chairman otherwise directs) for notice to be given of a poll not taken immediately.
70. The demand for a poll shall not prevent the continuance of a meeting or the transaction of any business other than the question on which the poll has been demanded, and, with the consent of the chairman, it may be withdrawn at any time before the close of the meeting or the taking of the poll, whichever is the earlier.
71. On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy.
72. A person entitled to more than one vote on a poll need not use all his votes or cast all the votes he uses in the same way.
73. All questions submitted to a meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes except where a greater majority is required by these Articles or by the Law. In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of such meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.
74. Where there are joint holders of any share any one of such joint holders may vote, either in person or by proxy, in respect of such share as if he were solely entitled thereto, but if more than one of such joint holders be present at any meeting the vote of the senior holder 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 in respect of the joint holding. Several executors or administrators of a deceased Member in whose name any share stands shall for the purposes of this Article be deemed joint holders thereof.
75. (1) A Member who is a patient for any purpose relating to mental health or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction for the protection or management of the affairs of persons incapable of managing their own affairs may vote, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, by his receiver, committee, curator bonis or other person in the nature of a receiver, committee or curator bonis appointed by such court, and such receiver, committee, curator bonis or other person may vote on a poll by proxy, and may otherwise act and be treated as if he were the registered holder of such shares for the purposes of general meetings, provided that such evidence as the Board may require of the authority of the person claiming to vote shall have been deposited at the Office, head office or Registration Office, as appropriate, not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting, or adjourned meeting or poll, as the case may be.

 

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(2) Any person entitled under Article 53 to be registered as the holder of any shares may vote at any general meeting in respect thereof in the same manner as if he were the registered holder of such shares, provided that forty-eight (48) hours at least before the time of the holding of the meeting or adjourned meeting, as the case may be, at which he proposes to vote, he shall satisfy the Board of his entitlement to such shares, or the Board shall have previously admitted his right to vote at such meeting in respect thereof.
76. No Member shall, unless the Board otherwise determines, be entitled to attend and vote and to be reckoned in a quorum at any general meeting unless he is duly registered and all calls or other sums presently payable by him in respect of shares in the Company have been paid.
77. If:
  (a)  
any objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter; or
  (b)  
any votes have been counted which ought not to have been counted or which might have been rejected; or
 
  (c)  
any votes are not counted which ought to have been counted;
the objection or error shall not vitiate the decision of the meeting or adjourned meeting on any resolution unless the same is raised or pointed out at the meeting or, as the case may be, the adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered or at which the error occurs. Any objection or error shall be referred to the chairman of the meeting and shall only vitiate the decision of the meeting on any resolution if the chairman decides that the same may have affected the decision of the meeting. The decision of the chairman on such matters shall be final and conclusive.
PROXIES
78. Any Member entitled to attend and vote at a meeting of the Company shall be entitled to appoint another person as his proxy to attend and vote instead of him. A Member who is the holder of two or more shares may appoint more than one proxy to represent him and vote on his behalf at a general meeting of the Company or at a class meeting. A proxy need not be a Member. In addition, a proxy or proxies representing either a Member who is an individual or a Member which is a corporation shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the Member which he or they represent as such Member could exercise.
79. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorised in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under its seal or under the hand of an officer, attorney or other person authorised to sign the same. In the case of an instrument of proxy purporting to be signed on behalf of a corporation by an officer thereof it shall be assumed, unless the contrary appears, that such officer was duly authorised to sign such instrument of proxy on behalf of the corporation without further evidence of the facts.

 

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80. The instrument appointing a proxy and (if required by the Board) the power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed, or a certified copy of such power or authority, shall be delivered to such place or one of such places (if any) as may be specified for that purpose in or by way of note to or in any document accompanying the notice convening the meeting (or, if no place is so specified at the Registration Office or the Office, as may be appropriate) not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote or, in the case of a poll taken subsequently to the date of a meeting or adjourned meeting, not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the time appointed for the taking of the poll and in default the instrument of proxy shall not be treated as valid. No instrument appointing a proxy shall be valid after the expiration of twelve (12) months from the date named in it as the date of its execution, except at an adjourned meeting or on a poll demanded at a meeting or an adjourned meeting in cases where the meeting was originally held within twelve (12) months from such date. Delivery of an instrument appointing a proxy shall not preclude a Member from attending and voting in person at the meeting convened and in such event, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to be revoked.
81. Instruments of proxy shall be in any common form or in such other form as the Board may approve (provided that this shall not preclude the use of the two-way form) and the Board may, if it thinks fit, send out with the notice of any meeting forms of instrument of proxy for use at the meeting. The instrument of proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll and to vote on any amendment of a resolution put to the meeting for which it is given as the proxy thinks fit. The instrument of proxy shall, unless the contrary is stated therein, be valid as well for any adjournment of the meeting as for the meeting to which it relates.
82. 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 instrument of proxy or of the authority under which it was executed, provided that no intimation in writing of such death, insanity or revocation shall have been received by the Company at the Office or the Registration Office (or such other place as may be specified for the delivery of instruments of proxy in the notice convening the meeting or other document sent therewith) two (2) hours at least before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting, or the taking of the poll, at which the instrument of proxy is used.
83. Anything which under these Articles a Member may do by proxy he may likewise do by his duly appointed attorney and the provisions of these Articles relating to proxies and instruments appointing proxies shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to any such attorney and the instrument under which such attorney is appointed.
CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES
84. (1) Any corporation which is a Member may by resolution of its directors or other governing body authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or at any meeting of any class of Members. The person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of such corporation as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member and such corporation shall for the

 

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purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so authorised is present thereat.
(2) If a clearing house (or its nominee(s)), being a corporation, is a Member, it may authorise such persons as it thinks fit to act as its representatives at any meeting of the Company or at any meeting of any class of Members provided that the authorisation shall specify the number and class of shares in respect of which each such representative is so authorised. Each person so authorised under the provisions of this Article shall be deemed to have been duly authorised without further evidence of the facts and be entitled to exercise the same rights and powers on behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) as if such person was the registered holder of the shares of the Company held by the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) including the right to vote individually on a show of hands.
(3) Any reference in these Articles to a duly authorised representative of a Member being a corporation shall mean a representative authorised under the provisions of this Article.
NO ACTION BY WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS OF MEMBERS
85. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or extraordinary general meetings of the Company may be taken only upon the vote of the Members at an annual or extraordinary general meeting duly noticed and convened in accordance with these Articles and the Law and may not be taken by written resolution of Members without a meeting.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
86. (1) Unless otherwise determined by the Company in general meeting, the number of Directors shall not be less than two (2). There shall be no maximum number of Directors unless otherwise determined from time to time by the Members in general meeting. The Directors shall be elected or appointed in the first place by the subscribers to the Memorandum of Association or by a majority of them and thereafter in accordance with these Articles such purpose and who shall hold office until their successors are elected or appointed or their office is otherwise vacated.
(2) Subject to the Articles and the Law, the Company may by ordinary resolution elect any person to be a Director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the existing Board.
(3) The Directors shall have the power from time to time and at any time to appoint any person as a Director to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board. Any Director appointed by the Board to fill a casual vacancy shall hold office until the first general meeting of Members after his appointment and be subject to re-election at such meeting and any Director appointed by the Board as an addition to the existing Board shall hold office only until the next following annual general meeting of the Company and shall then be eligible for re-election.

 

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(4) No Director shall be required to hold any shares of the Company by way of qualification and a Director who is not a Member shall be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak at any general meeting of the Company and of all classes of shares of the Company.
(5) Subject to any provision to the contrary in these Articles, a Director may be removed by way of (i) an ordinary resolution of the Members or (ii) the consent of a majority of the Directors then in office at any time before the expiration of his period of office notwithstanding anything in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director (but without prejudice to any claim for damages under any such agreement).
(6) A vacancy on the Board created by the removal of a Director under the provisions of subparagraph (5) above may be filled by the election or appointment by ordinary resolution of the Members at the meeting at which such Director is removed or by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting.
(7) The Company may from time to time in general meeting by ordinary resolution increase or reduce the number of Directors but so that the number of Directors shall never be less than two (2).
86(1A) (i) For a period of three (3) years from the closing of the Company’s initial public offering of American depositary shares and so long as Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (“Ctrip”), together with its affiliates as defined in Rule 405 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, continues to hold at least 5% of the Company’s outstanding ordinary shares and (ii) thereafter for so long as Ctrip, together with its affiliates, continues to hold at least 8% of the Company’s outstanding ordinary shares:
  (a)  
Ctrip shall have the right to appoint one (1) Director to the Board (the “Ctrip Director”);
 
  (b)  
the Ctrip Director may only be removed or replaced by Ctrip; and
  (c)  
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person nominated by Ctrip to serve as the Ctrip Director must be accepted by a majority of the Board, in their reasonable discretion, before such nomination becomes effective.
(ii) Any amendment or revocation of this Article 86(1A) shall require the prior written consent of Ctrip as long as Ctrip has the right to appoint the Ctrip Director according to this Article 86(1A).
DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS
87. The office of a Director shall be vacated if the Director:
(1) resigns his office by notice in writing delivered to the Company at the Office or tendered at a meeting of the Board;

 

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(2) becomes of unsound mind or dies;
(3) without special leave of absence from the Board, is absent from meetings of the Board for six consecutive months and the Board resolves that his office be vacated;
(4) becomes bankrupt or has a receiving order made against him or suspends payment or compounds with his creditors;
(5) is prohibited by law from being a Director; or
(6) ceases to be a Director by virtue of any provision of the Statutes or is removed from office pursuant to these Articles.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
88. The Board may from time to time appoint any one or more of its body to be a managing director, joint managing director or deputy managing director or to hold any other employment or executive office with the Company for such period (subject to their continuance as Directors) and upon such terms as the Board may determine and the Board may revoke or terminate any of such appointments. Any such revocation or termination as aforesaid shall be without prejudice to any claim for damages that such Director may have against the Company or the Company may have against such Director. A Director appointed to an office under this Article shall be subject to the same provisions as to removal as the other Directors of the Company, and he shall (subject to the provisions of any contract between him and the Company) ipso facto and immediately cease to hold such office if he shall cease to hold the office of Director for any cause.
89. Notwithstanding Articles 94, 95, 96 and 97, an executive director appointed to an office under Article 88 hereof shall receive such remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise or by all or any of those modes) and such other benefits (including pension and/or gratuity and/or other benefits on retirement) and allowances as the Board may from time to time determine, and either in addition to or in lieu of his remuneration as a Director.
ALTERNATE DIRECTORS
90. Any Director may at any time by Notice delivered to the Office or head office or at a meeting of the Directors appoint any person (including another Director) to be his alternate Director. Any person so appointed shall have all the rights and powers of the Director or Directors for whom such person is appointed in the alternative provided that such person shall not be counted more than once in determining whether or not a quorum is present. An alternate Director may be removed at any time by the body which appointed him and, subject thereto, the office of alternate Director shall continue until the happening of any event which, if we were a Director, would cause him to vacate such office or if his appointer ceases for any reason to be a Director. Any appointment or removal of an alternate Director shall be effected by Notice signed by the appointor and delivered to the Office or head office or tendered at a meeting of the Board. An alternate Director may also be a Director in his

 

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own right and may act as alternate to more than one Director. An alternate Director shall, if his appointor so requests, be entitled to receive notices of meetings of the Board or of committees of the Board to the same extent as, but in lieu of, the Director appointing him and shall be entitled to such extent to attend and vote as a Director at any such meeting at which the Director appointing him is not personally present and generally at such meeting to exercise and discharge all the functions, powers and duties of his appointor as a Director and for the purposes of the proceedings at such meeting the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if he were a Director save that as an alternate for more than one Director his voting rights shall be cumulative.
91. An alternate Director shall only be a Director for the purposes of the Law and shall only be subject to the provisions of the Law insofar as they relate to the duties and obligations of a Director when performing the functions of the Director for whom he is appointed in the alternative and shall alone be responsible to the Company for his acts and defaults and shall not be deemed to be the agent of or for the Director appointing him. An alternate Director shall be entitled to contract and be interested in and benefit from contracts or arrangements or transactions and to be repaid expenses and to be indemnified by the Company to the same extent mutatis mutandis as if he were a Director but he shall not be entitled to receive from the Company any fee in his capacity as an alternate Director except only such part, if any, of the remuneration otherwise payable to his appointor as such appointor may by Notice to the Company from time to time direct.
92. Every person acting as an alternate Director shall have one vote for each Director for whom he acts as alternate (in addition to his own vote if he is also a Director). If his appointor is for the time being absent from the People’s Republic of China or otherwise not available or unable to act, the signature of an alternate Director to any resolution in writing of the Board or a committee of the Board of which his appointor is a member shall, unless the notice of his appointment provides to the contrary, be as effective as the signature of his appointor.
93. An alternate Director shall ipso facto cease to be an alternate Director if his appointor ceases for any reason to be a Director, however, such alternate Director or any other person may be re-appointed by the Directors to serve as an alternate Director PROVIDED always that, if at any meeting any Director retires but is re-elected at the same meeting, any appointment of such alternate Director pursuant to these Articles which was in force immediately before his retirement shall remain in force as though he had not retired.
DIRECTORS’ FEES AND EXPENSES
94. The Directors shall receive such remuneration as the Board may from time to time determine. Each Director shall be entitled to be repaid or prepaid all traveling, hotel and incidental expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred by him in attending meetings of the Board or committees of the board or general meetings or separate meetings of any class of shares or of debenture of the Company or otherwise in connection with the discharge of his duties as a Director.
95. Each Director shall be entitled to be repaid or prepaid all travelling, hotel and incidental expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred by him in attending

 

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meetings of the Board or committees of the Board or general meetings or separate meetings of any class of shares or of debentures of the Company or otherwise in connection with the discharge of his duties as a Director.
96. Any Director who, by request, goes or resides abroad for any purpose of the Company or who performs services which in the opinion of the Board go beyond the ordinary duties of a Director may be paid such extra remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board may determine and such extra remuneration shall be in addition to or in substitution for any ordinary remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article.
DIRECTORS’ INTERESTS
97. A Director may:
  (a)  
hold any other office or place of profit with the Company (except that of Auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and upon such terms as the Board may determine. Any remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) paid to any Director in respect of any such other office or place of profit shall be in addition to any remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article;
  (b)  
act by himself or his firm in a professional capacity for the Company (otherwise than as Auditor) and he or his firm may be remunerated for professional services as if he were not a Director;
  (c)  
continue to be or become a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer or member of any other company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be interested as a vendor, shareholder or otherwise and (unless otherwise agreed) no such Director shall be accountable for any remuneration, profits or other benefits received by him as a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer or member of or from his interests in any such other company. Subject as otherwise provided by these Articles the Directors may exercise or cause to be exercised the voting powers conferred by the shares in any other company held or owned by the Company, or exercisable by them as Directors of such other company in such manner in all respects as they think fit (including the exercise thereof in favour of any resolution appointing themselves or any of them directors, managing directors, joint managing directors, deputy managing directors, executive directors, managers or other officers of such company) or voting or providing for the payment of remuneration to the director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officers of such other company and any Director may vote in favour of the exercise of such voting rights in manner aforesaid notwithstanding that he may be, or about to be, appointed a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer of such

 

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a company, and that as such he is or may become interested in the exercise of such voting rights in manner aforesaid.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no “Independent Director” as defined in the NASDAQ Listing Rules or in Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, and with respect of whom the Board has determined constitutes an “Independent Director” for purposes of compliance with applicable law or the Company’s listing requirements, shall without the consent of the Audit Committee take any of the foregoing actions or any other action that would reasonably be likely to affect such Director’s status as an “Independent Director” of the Company.
98. Subject to the Law and to these Articles, no Director or proposed or intending Director shall be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company, either with regard to his tenure of any office or place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or in any other manner whatsoever, nor shall any such contract or any other contract or arrangement in which any Director is in any way interested be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company or the Members for any remuneration, profit or other benefits realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relationship thereby established provided that such Director shall disclose the nature of his interest in any contract or arrangement in which he is interested in accordance with Article 99 herein. Any such transaction that would reasonably be likely to affect a Director’s status as an “Independent Director”, or that would constitute a “related party transaction” as defined by Item 7.N of Form 20F promulgated by the SEC, shall require the approval of the Audit Committee.
99. A Director who to his knowledge is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or arrangement or proposed contract or arrangement with the Company shall declare the nature of his interest at the meeting of the Board at which the question of entering into the contract or arrangement is first considered, if he knows his interest then exists, or in any other case at the first meeting of the Board after he knows that he is or has become so interested. For the purposes of this Article, a general Notice to the Board by a Director to the effect that:
  (a)  
he is a member or officer of a specified company or firm and is to be regarded as interested in any contract or arrangement which may after the date of the Notice be made with that company or firm; or
  (b)  
he is to be regarded as interested in any contract or arrangement which may after the date of the Notice be made with a specified person who is connected with him;
shall be deemed to be a sufficient declaration of interest under this Article in relation to any such contract or arrangement, provided that no such Notice shall be effective unless either it is given at a meeting of the Board or the Director takes reasonable steps to secure that it is brought up and read at the next Board meeting after it is given.
100. Following a declaration being made pursuant to the last preceding two Articles, subject to any separate requirement for Audit Committee approval under applicable law or the listing rules of the Company’s Designated Stock Exchange, and unless disqualified by the chairman of the relevant Board meeting, a Director may vote in respect of any contract or

 

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proposed contract or arrangement in which such Director is interested and may be counted in the quorum at such meeting.
GENERAL POWERS OF THE DIRECTORS
101. (1) The business of the Company shall be managed and conducted by the Board, which may pay all expenses incurred in forming and registering the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company (whether relating to the management of the business of the Company or otherwise) which are not by the Statutes or by these Articles required to be exercised by the Company in general meeting, subject nevertheless to the provisions of the Statutes and of these Articles and to such regulations being not inconsistent with such provisions, as may be prescribed by the Company in general meeting, but no regulations made by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Board which would have been valid if such regulations had not been made. The general powers given by this Article shall not be limited or restricted by any special authority or power given to the Board by any other Article.
(2) Any person contracting or dealing with the Company in the ordinary course of business shall be entitled to rely on any written or oral contract or agreement or deed, document or instrument entered into or executed as the case may be by any two of the Directors acting jointly on behalf of the Company and the same shall be deemed to be validly entered into or executed by the Company as the case may be and shall, subject to any rule of law, be binding on the Company.
(3) Without prejudice to the general powers conferred by these Articles it is hereby expressly declared that the Board shall have the following powers:
  (a)  
to give to any person the right or option of requiring at a future date that an allotment shall be made to him of any share at par or at such premium as may be agreed;
  (b)  
to give to any Directors, officers or employees of the Company an interest in any particular business or transaction or participation in the profits thereof or in the general profits of the Company either in addition to or in substitution for a salary or other remuneration; and
  (c)  
to resolve that the Company be deregistered in the Cayman Islands and continued in a named jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands subject to the provisions of the Law.
102. The Board may establish any regional or local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company in any place, and may appoint any persons to be members of such local boards, or any managers or agents, and may fix their remuneration (either by way of salary or by commission or by conferring the right to participation in the profits of the Company or by a combination of two or more of these modes) and pay the working expenses of any staff employed by them upon the business of the Company. The Board may delegate to any regional or local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in or exercisable by the Board (other than its powers to

 

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make calls and forfeit shares), with power to sub-delegate, and may authorise the members of any of them to fill any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies. Any such appointment or delegation may be made upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board may think fit, and the Board may remove any person appointed as aforesaid, and may revoke or vary such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such revocation or variation shall be affected thereby.
103. The Board may by power of attorney appoint any company, firm or person or any fluctuating body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Board, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Board under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as it may think fit, and any such power of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney as the Board may think fit, and may also authorise any such attorney to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in him. Such attorney or attorneys may, if so authorised under the Seal of the Company, execute any deed or instrument under their personal seal with the same effect as the affixation of the Company’s Seal.
104. The Board may entrust to and confer upon a managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, an executive director or any Director any of the powers exercisable by it upon such terms and conditions and with such restrictions as it thinks fit, and either collaterally with, or to the exclusion of, its own powers, and may from time to time revoke or vary all or any of such powers but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of such revocation or variation shall be affected thereby.
105. All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other instruments, whether negotiable or transferable or not, and all receipts for moneys paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, in such manner as the Board shall from time to time by resolution determine. The Company’s banking accounts shall be kept with such banker or bankers as the Board shall from time to time determine.
106. (1) The Board may establish or concur or join with other companies (being subsidiary companies of the Company or companies with which it is associated in business) in establishing and making contributions out of the Company’s moneys to any schemes or funds for providing pensions, sickness or compassionate allowances, life assurance or other benefits for employees (which expression as used in this and the following paragraph shall include any Director or ex-Director who may hold or have held any executive office or any office of profit under the Company or any of its subsidiary companies) and ex-employees of the Company and their dependants or any class or classes of such person.
(2) The Board may pay, enter into agreements to pay or make grants of revocable or irrevocable pensions or other benefits to employees and ex-employees and their dependants, or to any of such persons, including pensions or benefits additional to those, if any, to which such employees or ex-employees or their dependants are or may become entitled under any such scheme or fund as mentioned in the last preceding paragraph. Any such pension or benefit may, as the Board considers desirable, be granted to an employee

 

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either before and in anticipation of or upon or at any time after his actual retirement, and may be subject or not subject to any terms or conditions as the Board may determine.
BORROWING POWERS
107. The Board may exercise all the powers of the Company to raise or borrow money and to mortgage or charge all or any part of the undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital of the Company and, subject to the Law, to issue debentures, bonds and other securities, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.
108. Debentures, bonds and other securities may be made assignable free from any equities between the Company and the person to whom the same may be issued.
109. Any debentures, bonds or other securities may be issued at a discount (other than shares), premium or otherwise and with any special privileges as to redemption, surrender, drawings, allotment of shares, attending and voting at general meetings of the Company, appointment of Directors and otherwise.
110. (1) Where any uncalled capital of the Company is charged, all persons taking any subsequent charge thereon shall take the same subject to such prior charge, and shall not be entitled, by notice to the Members or otherwise, to obtain priority over such prior charge.
(2) The Board shall cause a proper register to be kept, in accordance with the provisions of the Law, of all charges specifically affecting the property of the Company and of any series of debentures issued by the Company and shall duly comply with the requirements of the Law in regard to the registration of charges and debentures therein specified and otherwise.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE DIRECTORS
111. The Board may meet for the despatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings as it considers appropriate. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes. In the case of any equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have an additional or casting vote.
112. A meeting of the Board may be convened by the Secretary on request of a Director or by any Director. The Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Board. Notice of a meeting of the Board shall be deemed to be duly given to a Director if it is given to such Director in writing or verbally (including in person or by telephone) or via electronic mail or by telephone or in such other manner as the Board may from time to time determine whenever he shall be required so to do by any Director.
113. (1) The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Board may be fixed by the Board and, unless so fixed at any other number, shall be two (2). An alternate Director shall be counted in a quorum in the case of the absence of a Director for whom he is

 

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the alternate provided that he shall not be counted more than once for the purpose of determining whether or not a quorum is present.
(2) Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment through which all persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other simultaneously and instantaneously and, for the purpose of counting a quorum, such participation shall constitute presence at a meeting as if those participating were present in person.
(3) Any Director who ceases to be a Director at a Board meeting may continue to be present and to act as a Director and be counted in the quorum until the termination of such Board meeting if no other Director objects and if otherwise a quorum of Directors would not be present.
114. The continuing Directors or a sole continuing Director may act notwithstanding any vacancy in the Board but, if and so long as the number of Directors is reduced below the minimum number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles, the continuing Directors or Director, notwithstanding that the number of Directors is below the number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles as the quorum or that there is only one continuing Director, may act for the purpose of filling vacancies in the Board or of summoning general meetings of the Company but not for any other purpose.
115. The Chairman of the Board shall be the chairman of all meetings of the Board. If the Chairman of the Board is not present at any meeting within five (5) minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
116. A meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in or exercisable by the Board.
117. (1) The Board may delegate any of its powers, authorities and discretions to committees (including, without limitation, the Audit Committee), consisting of such Director or Directors and other persons as it thinks fit, and they may, from time to time, revoke such delegation or revoke the appointment of and discharge any such committees either wholly or in part, and either as to persons or purposes. Any committee so formed shall, in the exercise of the powers, authorities and discretions so delegated, conform to any regulations which may be imposed on it by the Board.
(2) All acts done by any such committee in conformity with such regulations, and in fulfilment of the purposes for which it was appointed, but not otherwise, shall have like force and effect as if done by the Board, and the Board (or if the Board delegates such power, the committee) shall have power to remunerate the members of any such committee, and charge such remuneration to the current expenses of the Company.
118. The meetings and proceedings of any committee consisting of two or more members shall be governed by the provisions contained in these Articles for regulating the meetings and proceedings of the Board so far as the same are applicable and are not superseded by any regulations imposed by the Board under the last preceding Article,

 

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indicating, without limitation, any committee charter adopted by the Board for purposes or in respect of any such committee.
119. A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors except such as are temporarily unable to act through ill-health or disability shall (provided that such number is sufficient to constitute a quorum and further provided that a copy of such resolution has been given or the contents thereof communicated to all the Directors for the time being entitled to receive notices of Board meetings in the same manner as notices of meetings are required to be given by these Articles) be as valid and effectual as if a resolution had been passed at a meeting of the Board duly convened and held. Such resolution may be contained in one document or in several documents in like form each signed by one or more of the Directors and for this purpose a facsimile signature of a Director shall be treated as valid.
120. All acts bona fide done by the Board or by any committee or by any person acting as a Director or members of a committee, shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any member of the Board or such committee or person acting as aforesaid or that they or any of them were disqualified or had vacated office, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified and had continued to be a Director or member of such committee.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
121. Without prejudice to the freedom of the Directors to establish any other committees, for so long as the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Board shall establish and maintain an Audit Committee as a committee of the Board, the composition and responsibilities of which shall comply with the NASDAQ Listing Rules and the rules and regulations of the SEC.
122. (1) The Board shall adopt a formal written audit committee charter and review and assess the adequacy of the formal written charter on an annual basis.
(2) The Audit Committee shall meet at least once every financial quarter, or more frequently as circumstances dictate.
123. For so long as the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company shall conduct an appropriate review of all related party transactions on an ongoing basis and shall utilize the Audit Committee for the review and approval of potential conflicts of interest. Specially, the Audit Committee shall approve any transaction or transactions between the Company and any of the following parties: (i) any shareholder owning an interest in the voting power of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company that gives such shareholder significant influence over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any director or executive officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company and any relative of such director or executive officer, (iii) any person in which a substantial interest in the voting power of the Company is owned, directly or indirectly, by any person described in (i) or (ii) or over which such a person is able to exercise significant influence, and (iv) any affiliate (other than a subsidiary) of the Company.

 

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OFFICERS
124. (1) The officers of the Company shall consist of the Chairman of the Board, the Directors and Secretary and such additional officers (who may or may not be Directors) as the Board may from time to time determine, all of whom shall be deemed to be officers for the purposes of the Law and these Articles.
(2) The Directors shall, as soon as may be after each appointment or election of Directors, elect amongst the Directors a chairman and if more than one Director is proposed for this office, the election to such office shall take place in such manner as the Directors may determine.
(3) The officers shall receive such remuneration as the Directors may from time to time determine.
125. (1) The Secretary and additional officers, if any, shall be appointed by the Board and shall hold office on such terms and for such period as the Board may determine. If thought fit, two or more persons may be appointed as joint Secretaries. The Board may also appoint from time to time on such terms as it thinks fit one or more assistant or deputy Secretaries.
(2) The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Members and shall keep correct minutes of such meetings and enter the same in the proper books provided for the purpose. He shall perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Law or these Articles or as may be prescribed by the Board.
126. The officers of the Company shall have such powers and perform such duties in the management, business and affairs of the Company as may be delegated to them by the Directors from time to time.
127. A provision of the Law or of these Articles requiring or authorising a thing to be done by or to a Director and the Secretary shall not be satisfied by its being done by or to the same person acting both as Director and as or in place of the Secretary.
REGISTER OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
128. The Company shall cause to be kept in one or more books at its Office a Register of Directors and Officers in which there shall be entered the full names and addresses of the Directors and Officers and such other particulars as required by the Law or as the Directors may determine. The Company shall send to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands a copy of such register, and shall from time to time notify to the said Registrar of any change that takes place in relation to such Directors and Officers as required by the Law.
MINUTES

 

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129. (1) The Board shall cause minutes to be duly entered in books provided for the purpose:
  (a)  
of all elections and appointments of officers;
 
  (b)  
of the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors;
  (c)  
of all resolutions and proceedings of each general meeting of the Members, meetings of the Board and meetings of committees of the Board and where there are managers, of all proceedings of meetings of the managers.
(2) Minutes shall be kept by the Secretary at the Office.
SEAL
130. (1) The Company shall have one or more Seals, as the Board may determine. For the purpose of sealing documents creating or evidencing securities issued by the Company, the Company may have a securities seal which is a facsimile of the Seal of the Company with the addition of the word “Securities” on its face or in such other form as the Board may approve. The Board shall provide for the custody of each Seal and no Seal shall be used without the authority of the Board or of a committee of the Board authorised by the Board in that behalf. Subject as otherwise provided in these Articles, any instrument to which a Seal is affixed shall be signed autographically by one Director and the Secretary or by two Directors or by such other person (including a Director) or persons as the Board may appoint, either generally or in any particular case, save that as regards any certificates for shares or debentures or other securities of the Company the Board may by resolution determine that such signatures or either of them shall be dispensed with or affixed by some method or system of mechanical signature. Every instrument executed in manner provided by this Article shall be deemed to be sealed and executed with the authority of the Board previously given.
(2) Where the Company has a Seal for use abroad, the Board may by writing under the Seal appoint any agent or committee abroad to be the duly authorised agent of the Company for the purpose of affixing and using such Seal and the Board may impose restrictions on the use thereof as may be thought fit. Wherever in these Articles reference is made to the Seal, the reference shall, when and so far as may be applicable, be deemed to include any such other Seal as aforesaid.
AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS
131. Any Director or the Secretary or any person appointed by the Board for the purpose may authenticate any documents affecting the constitution of the Company and any resolution passed by the Company or the Board or any committee, and any books, records, documents and accounts relating to the business of the Company, and to certify copies thereof or extracts therefrom as true copies or extracts, and if any books, records, documents

 

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or accounts are elsewhere than at the Office or the head office the local manager or other officer of the Company having the custody thereof shall be deemed to be a person so appointed by the Board. A document purporting to be a copy of a resolution, or an extract from the minutes of a meeting, of the Company or of the Board or any committee which is so certified shall be conclusive evidence in favour of all persons dealing with the Company upon the faith thereof that such resolution has been duly passed or, as the case may be, that such minutes or extract is a true and accurate record of proceedings at a duly constituted meeting.
DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
132. (1) The Company shall be entitled to destroy the following documents at the following times:
  (a)  
any share certificate which has been cancelled at any time after the expiry of one (1) year from the date of such cancellation;
  (b)  
any dividend mandate or any variation or cancellation thereof or any notification of change of name or address at any time after the expiry of two (2) years from the date such mandate variation cancellation or notification was recorded by the Company;
  (c)  
any instrument of transfer of shares which has been registered at any time after the expiry of seven (7) years from the date of registration;
  (d)  
any allotment letters after the expiry of seven (7) years from the date of issue thereof; and
  (e)  
copies of powers of attorney, grants of probate and letters of administration at any time after the expiry of seven (7) years after the account to which the relevant power of attorney, grant of probate or letters of administration related has been closed;
and it shall conclusively be presumed in favour of the Company that every entry in the Register purporting to be made on the basis of any such documents so destroyed was duly and properly made and every share certificate so destroyed was a valid certificate duly and properly cancelled and that every instrument of transfer so destroyed was a valid and effective instrument duly and properly registered and that every other document destroyed hereunder was a valid and effective document in accordance with the recorded particulars thereof in the books or records of the Company. Provided always that: (1) the foregoing provisions of this Article shall apply only to the destruction of a document in good faith and without express notice to the Company that the preservation of such document was relevant to a claim; (2) nothing contained in this Article shall be construed as imposing upon the Company any liability in respect of the destruction of any such document earlier than as aforesaid or in any case where the conditions of proviso (1) above are not fulfilled; and (3) references in this Article to the destruction of any document include references to its disposal in any manner.

 

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(2) Notwithstanding any provision contained in these Articles, the Directors may, if permitted by applicable law, authorise the destruction of documents set out in sub-paragraphs (a) to (e) of paragraph (1) of this Article and any other documents in relation to share registration which have been microfilmed or electronically stored by the Company or by the share registrar on its behalf provided always that this Article shall apply only to the destruction of a document in good faith and without express notice to the Company and its share registrar that the preservation of such document was relevant to a claim.
DIVIDENDS AND OTHER PAYMENTS
133. Subject to the Law, the Company in general meeting or the Board may from time to time declare dividends in any currency to be paid to the Members but no dividend shall be declared in excess of the amount recommended by the Board.
134. Dividends may be declared and paid out of the profits of the Company, realised or unrealised, or from any reserve set aside from profits which the Directors determine is no longer needed. The Board may also declare and pay dividends out of share premium account or any other fund or account which can be authorised for this purpose in accordance with the Law.
135. Except in so far as the rights attaching to, or the terms of issue of, any share otherwise provide:
  (a)  
all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the shares in respect of which the dividend is paid, but no amount paid up on a share in advance of calls shall be treated for the purposes of this Article as paid up on the share; and
  (b)  
all dividends shall be apportioned and paid pro rata according to the amounts paid up on the shares during any portion or portions of the period in respect of which the dividend is paid.
136. The Board may from time to time pay to the Members such interim dividends as appear to the Board to be justified by the profits of the Company and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) if at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes, the Board may pay such interim dividends in respect of those shares in the capital of the Company which confer on the holders thereof deferred or non-preferential rights as well as in respect of those shares which confer on the holders thereof preferential rights with regard to dividend and provided that the Board acts bona fide the Board shall not incur any responsibility to the holders of shares conferring any preference for any damage that they may suffer by reason of the payment of an interim dividend on any shares having deferred or non-preferential rights and may also pay any fixed dividend which is payable on any shares of the Company half-yearly or on any other dates, whenever such profits, in the opinion of the Board, justifies such payment.
137. The Board may deduct from any dividend or other moneys payable to a Member by the Company on or in respect of any shares all sums of money (if any) presently payable by him to the Company on account of calls or otherwise.

 

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138. No dividend or other moneys payable by the Company on or in respect of any share shall bear interest against the Company.
139. Any dividend, interest or other sum payable in cash to the holder of shares may be paid by cheque or warrant sent through the post addressed to the holder at his registered address or, in the case of joint holders, addressed to the holder whose name stands first in the Register in respect of the shares at his address as appearing in the Register or addressed to such person and at such address as the holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall, unless the holder or joint holders otherwise direct, be made payable to the order of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the order of the holder whose name stands first on the Register in respect of such shares, and shall be sent at his or their risk and payment of the cheque or warrant by the bank on which it is drawn shall constitute a good discharge to the Company notwithstanding that it may subsequently appear that the same has been stolen or that any endorsement thereon has been forged. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual receipts for any dividends or other moneys payable or property distributable in respect of the shares held by such joint holders.
140. All dividends or bonuses unclaimed for one (1) year after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by the Board for the benefit of the Company until claimed. Any dividend or bonuses unclaimed after a period of six (6) years from the date of declaration shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company. The payment by the Board of any unclaimed dividend or other sums payable on or in respect of a share into a separate account shall not constitute the Company a trustee in respect thereof.
141. Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared, the Board may further resolve that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part by the distribution of specific assets of any kind and in particular of paid up shares, debentures or warrants to subscribe securities of the Company or any other company, or in any one or more of such ways, and where any difficulty arises in regard to the distribution the Board may settle the same as it thinks expedient, and in particular may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares, disregard fractional entitlements or round the same up or down, and may 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 parties, and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to the Board and may appoint any person to sign any requisite instruments of transfer and other documents on behalf of the persons entitled to the dividend, and such appointment shall be effective and binding on the Members. The Board may resolve that no such assets shall be made available to Members with registered addresses in any particular territory or territories where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, such distribution of assets would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable and in such event the only entitlement of the Members aforesaid shall be to receive cash payments as aforesaid. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be or be deemed to be a separate class of Members for any purpose whatsoever.
142. (1) Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared on any class of the share capital of the Company, the Board may further resolve either:

 

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  (a)  
that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up, provided that the Members entitled thereto will be entitled to elect to receive such dividend (or part thereof if the Board so determines) in cash in lieu of such allotment. In such case, the following provisions shall apply:
  (i)  
the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the Board;
  (ii)  
the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give not less than ten (10) days’ Notice to the holders of the relevant shares of the right of election accorded to them and shall send with such notice forms of election and specify the procedure to be followed and the place at which and the latest date and time by which duly completed forms of election must be lodged in order to be effective;
  (iii)  
the right of election may be exercised in respect of the whole or part of that portion of the dividend in respect of which the right of election has been accorded; and
  (iv)  
the dividend (or that part of the dividend to be satisfied by the allotment of shares as aforesaid) shall not be payable in cash on shares in respect whereof the cash election has not been duly exercised (“the non-elected shares”) and in satisfaction thereof shares of the relevant class shall be allotted credited as fully paid up to the holders of the non-elected shares on the basis of allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Board shall capitalise and apply out of any part of the undivided profits of the Company (including profits carried and standing to the credit of any reserves or other special account, share premium account, capital redemption reserve other than the Subscription Rights Reserve) as the Board may determine, such sum as may be required to pay up in full the appropriate number of shares of the relevant class for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the non-elected shares on such basis; or
  (b)  
that the Members entitled to such dividend shall be entitled to elect to receive an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up in lieu of the whole or such part of the dividend as the Board may think fit. In such case, the following provisions shall apply:
  (i)  
the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the Board;
  (ii)  
the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give not less than ten (10) days’ Notice to the holders of the relevant shares of the right of election accorded to them and shall send with such notice forms of election and specify the procedure to be followed and the place at which and the latest date and time by which duly completed forms of election must be lodged in order to be effective;

 

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  (iii)  
the right of election may be exercised in respect of the whole or part of that portion of the dividend in respect of which the right of election has been accorded; and
  (iv)  
the dividend (or that part of the dividend in respect of which a right of election has been accorded) shall not be payable in cash on shares in respect whereof the share election has been duly exercised (“the elected shares”) and in lieu thereof shares of the relevant class shall be allotted credited as fully paid up to the holders of the elected shares on the basis of allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Board shall capitalise and apply out of any part of the undivided profits of the Company (including profits carried and standing to the credit of any reserves or other special account, share premium account, capital redemption reserve other than the Subscription Rights Reserve) as the Board may determine, such sum as may be required to pay up in full the appropriate number of shares of the relevant class for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the elected shares on such basis.
  (2)   (a)  
 The shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article shall rank pari passu in all respects with shares of the same class (if any) then in issue save only as regards participation in the relevant dividend or in any other distributions, bonuses or rights paid, made, declared or announced prior to or contemporaneously with the payment or declaration of the relevant dividend unless, contemporaneously with the announcement by the Board of their proposal to apply the provisions of sub-paragraph (a) or (b) of paragraph (2) of this Article in relation to the relevant dividend or contemporaneously with their announcement of the distribution, bonus or rights in question, the Board shall specify that the shares to be allotted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article shall rank for participation in such distribution, bonus or rights.
  (b)  
The Board may do all acts and things considered necessary or expedient to give effect to any capitalisation pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article, with full power to the Board to make such provisions as it thinks fit in the case of shares becoming distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby, in whole or in part, fractional entitlements are aggregated and sold and the net proceeds distributed to those entitled, or are disregarded or rounded up or down or whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrues to the Company rather than to the Members concerned). The Board may authorise any person to enter into on behalf of all Members interested, an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalisation and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made pursuant to such authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned.
(3) The Company may upon the recommendation of the Board by ordinary resolution resolve in respect of any one particular dividend of the Company that

 

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notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article a dividend may be satisfied wholly in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up without offering any right to shareholders to elect to receive such dividend in cash in lieu of such allotment.
(4) The Board may on any occasion determine that rights of election and the allotment of shares under paragraph (1) of this Article shall not be made available or made to any shareholders with registered addresses in any territory where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, the circulation of an offer of such rights of election or the allotment of shares would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable, and in such event the provisions aforesaid shall be read and construed subject to such determination. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be or be deemed to be a separate class of Members for any purpose whatsoever.
(5) Any resolution declaring a dividend on shares of any class, whether a resolution of the Company in general meeting or a resolution of the Board, may specify that the same shall be payable or distributable to the persons registered as the holders of such shares at the close of business on a particular date, notwithstanding that it may be a date prior to that on which the resolution is passed, and thereupon the dividend shall be payable or distributable to them in accordance with their respective holdings so registered, but without prejudice to the rights inter se in respect of such dividend of transferors and transferees of any such shares. The provisions of this Article shall mutatis mutandis apply to bonuses, capitalisation issues, distributions of realised capital profits or offers or grants made by the Company to the Members.
RESERVES
143. (1) The Board shall establish an account to be called the share premium account and shall carry to the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any share in the Company. Unless otherwise provided by the provisions of these Articles, the Board may apply the share premium account in any manner permitted by the Law. The Company shall at all times comply with the provisions of the Law in relation to the share premium account.
(2) Before recommending any dividend, the Board may set aside out of the profits of the Company such sums as it determines as reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Board, be applicable for any purpose to which the profits of the Company may be properly applied and pending such application may, also at such discretion, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments as the Board may from time to time think fit and so that it shall not be necessary to keep any investments constituting the reserve or reserves separate or distinct from any other investments of the Company. The Board may also without placing the same to reserve carry forward any profits which it may think prudent not to distribute.
CAPITALISATION
144. The Company may, upon the recommendation of the Board, at any time and from time to time pass an ordinary resolution to the effect that it is desirable to capitalise all

 

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or any part of any amount for the time being standing to the credit of any reserve or fund (including a share premium account and capital redemption reserve and the profit and loss account) whether or not the same is available for distribution and accordingly that such amount be set free for distribution among the Members or any class of Members who would be entitled thereto if it were distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportions, on the footing that the same is not paid in cash but is applied either in or towards paying up the amounts for the time being unpaid on any shares in the Company held by such Members respectively or in paying up in full unissued shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company, to be allotted and distributed credited as fully paid up among such Members, or partly in one way and partly in the other, and the Board shall give effect to such resolution provided that, for the purposes of this Article, a share premium account and any capital redemption reserve or fund representing unrealised profits, may be applied only in paying up in full unissued shares of the Company to be allotted to such Members credited as fully paid.
145. The Board may settle, as it considers appropriate, any difficulty arising in regard to any distribution under the last preceding Article and in particular may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares or authorise any person to sell and transfer any fractions or may resolve that the distribution should be as nearly as may be practicable in the correct proportion but not exactly so or may ignore fractions altogether, and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Members in order to adjust the rights of all parties, as may seem expedient to the Board. The Board may appoint any person to sign on behalf of the persons entitled to participate in the distribution any contract necessary or desirable for giving effect thereto and such appointment shall be effective and binding upon the Members.
SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS RESERVE
146. The following provisions shall have effect to the extent that they are not prohibited by and are in compliance with the Law:
  (1)  
If, so long as any of the rights attached to any warrants issued by the Company to subscribe for shares of the Company shall remain exercisable, the Company does any act or engages in any transaction which, as a result of any adjustments to the subscription price in accordance with the provisions of the conditions of the warrants, would reduce the subscription price to below the par value of a share, then the following provisions shall apply:
  (a)  
as from the date of such act or transaction the Company shall establish and thereafter (subject as provided in this Article) maintain in accordance with the provisions of this Article a reserve (the “Subscription Rights Reserve”) the amount of which shall at no time be less than the sum which for the time being would be required to be capitalised and applied in paying up in full the nominal amount of the additional shares required to be issued and allotted credited as fully paid pursuant to sub-paragraph (c) below on the exercise in full of all the subscription rights outstanding and shall apply the Subscription Rights Reserve in paying up such additional shares in full as and when the same are allotted;

 

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  (b)  
the Subscription Rights Reserve shall not be used for any purpose other than that specified above unless all other reserves of the Company (other than share premium account) have been extinguished and will then only be used to make good losses of the Company if and so far as is required by law;
  (c)  
upon the exercise of all or any of the subscription rights represented by any warrant, the relevant subscription rights shall be exercisable in respect of a nominal amount of shares equal to the amount in cash which the holder of such warrant is required to pay on exercise of the subscription rights represented thereby (or, as the case may be the relevant portion thereof in the event of a partial exercise of the subscription rights) and, in addition, there shall be allotted in respect of such subscription rights to the exercising warrantholder, credited as fully paid, such additional nominal amount of shares as is equal to the difference between:
  (i)  
the said amount in cash which the holder of such warrant is required to pay on exercise of the subscription rights represented thereby (or, as the case may be, the relevant portion thereof in the event of a partial exercise of the subscription rights); and
  (ii)  
the nominal amount of shares in respect of which such subscription rights would have been exercisable having regard to the provisions of the conditions of the warrants, had it been possible for such subscription rights to represent the right to subscribe for shares at less than par and immediately upon such exercise so much of the sum standing to the credit of the Subscription Rights Reserve as is required to pay up in full such additional nominal amount of shares shall be capitalised and applied in paying up in full such additional nominal amount of shares which shall forthwith be allotted credited as fully paid to the exercising warrantholders; and
  (d)  
if, upon the exercise of the subscription rights represented by any warrant, the amount standing to the credit of the Subscription Rights Reserve is not sufficient to pay up in full such additional nominal amount of shares equal to such difference as aforesaid to which the exercising warrantholder is entitled, the Board shall apply any profits or reserves then or thereafter becoming available (including, to the extent permitted by law, share premium account) for such purpose until such additional nominal amount of shares is paid up and allotted as aforesaid and until then no dividend or other distribution shall be paid or made on the fully paid shares of the Company then in issue. Pending such payment and allotment, the exercising warrantholder shall be issued by the Company with a certificate evidencing his right to the allotment of such additional nominal amount of shares. The rights represented by any such certificate shall be in registered form and shall be transferable in whole or in part in units of one share in the like manner as the shares for the time being are transferable, and the Company shall make such arrangements in relation to the maintenance of a register therefor and other matters in relation thereto as the

 

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Board may think fit and adequate particulars thereof shall be made known to each relevant exercising warrantholder upon the issue of such certificate.
(2) Shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of this Article shall rank pari passu in all respects with the other shares allotted on the relevant exercise of the subscription rights represented by the warrant concerned. Notwithstanding anything contained in paragraph (1) of this Article, no fraction of any share shall be allotted on exercise of the subscription rights.
(3) The provision of this Article as to the establishment and maintenance of the Subscription Rights Reserve shall not be altered or added to in any way which would vary or abrogate, or which would have the effect of varying or abrogating the provisions for the benefit of any warrantholder or class of warrantholders under this Article without the sanction of a special resolution of such warrantholders or class of warrantholders.
(4) A certificate or report by the auditors for the time being of the Company as to whether or not the Subscription Rights Reserve is required to be established and maintained and if so the amount thereof so required to be established and maintained, as to the purposes for which the Subscription Rights Reserve has been used, as to the extent to which it has been used to make good losses of the Company, as to the additional nominal amount of shares required to be allotted to exercising warrantholders credited as fully paid, and as to any other matter concerning the Subscription Rights Reserve shall (in the absence of manifest error) be conclusive and binding upon the Company and all warrantholders and shareholders.
ACCOUNTING RECORDS
147. The Board shall cause true accounts to be kept of the sums of money received and expended by the Company, and the matters in respect of which such receipt and expenditure take place, and of the property, assets, credits and liabilities of the Company and of all other matters required by the Law or necessary to give a true and fair view of the Company’s affairs and to explain its transactions.
148. The accounting records shall be kept at the Office or, at such other place or places as the Board decides and shall always be open to inspection by the Directors. No Member (other than a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any accounting record or book or document of the Company except as conferred by law or authorised by the Board or the Company in general meeting.
149. Subject to Article 150, a printed copy of the Directors’ report, accompanied by the balance sheet and profit and loss account, including every document required by law to be annexed thereto, made up to the end of the applicable financial year and containing a summary of the assets and liabilities of the Company under convenient heads and a statement of income and expenditure, together with a copy of the Auditors’ report, shall be sent to each person entitled thereto at least ten (10) days before the date of the general meeting and laid before the Company at the annual general meeting held in accordance with Article 56 provided that this Article shall not require a copy of those documents to be sent to any person whose address the Company is not aware or to more than one of the joint holders of any shares or debentures.

 

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150. Subject to due compliance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, and to obtaining all necessary consents, if any, required thereunder, the requirements of Article 149 shall be deemed satisfied in relation to any person by sending to the person in any manner not prohibited by the Statutes, summarised financial statements derived from the Company’s annual accounts and the directors’ report which shall be in the form and containing the information required by applicable laws and regulations, provided that any person who is otherwise entitled to the annual financial statements of the Company and the directors’ report thereon may, if he so requires by notice in writing served on the Company, demand that the Company sends to him, in addition to summarised financial statements, a complete printed copy of the Company’s annual financial statement and the directors’ report thereon.
151. The requirement to send to a person referred to in Article 149 the documents referred to in that article or a summary financial report in accordance with Article 150 shall be deemed satisfied where, in accordance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company publishes copies of the documents referred to in Article 149 and, if applicable, a summary financial report complying with Article 150, on the Company’s computer network or in any other permitted manner (including by sending any form of electronic communication), and that person has agreed or is deemed to have agreed to treat the publication or receipt of such documents in such manner as discharging the Company’s obligation to send to him a copy of such documents.
AUDIT
152. Subject to applicable law and rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the Board may appoint an Auditor of the Company to audit the accounts of the Company for such period and on such terms as the Board may think fit. Such auditor may be a Member but no Director or officer or employee of the Company shall, during his continuance in office, be eligible to act as an auditor of the Company.

 

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153. Subject to the Law the accounts of the Company shall be audited at least once in every year.
154. The remuneration of the Auditor shall be determined by the Audit Committee or, in the absence of such an Audit Committee, by the Board.
155. The Auditor shall at all reasonable times have access to all books kept by the Company and to all accounts and vouchers relating thereto; and he may call on the Directors or officers of the Company for any information in their possession relating to the books or affairs of the Company.
156. The statement of income and expenditure and the balance sheet provided for by these Articles shall be examined by the Auditor and compared by him with the books, accounts and vouchers relating thereto; and he shall make a written report thereon stating whether such statement and balance sheet are drawn up so as to present fairly the financial position of the Company and the results of its operations for the period under review and, in case information shall have been called for from Directors or officers of the Company, whether the same has been furnished and has been satisfactory. The financial statements of the Company shall be audited by the Auditor in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The Auditor shall make a written report thereon in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the report of the Auditor shall be submitted to the Members in general meeting. The generally accepted auditing standards referred to herein may be those of a country or jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. If so, the financial statements and the report of the Auditor should disclose this fact and name such country or jurisdiction.
NOTICES
157. Any Notice or document, whether or not, to be given or issued under these Articles from the Company to a Member shall be in writing or by cable, telex or facsimile transmission message or other form of electronic transmission or communication and any such Notice and document may be served or delivered by the Company on or to any Member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid envelope addressed to such Member at his registered address as appearing in the Register or at any other address supplied by him to the Company for the purpose or, as the case may be, by transmitting it to any such address or transmitting it to any telex or facsimile transmission number or electronic number or address or website supplied by him to the Company for the giving of Notice to him or which the person transmitting the notice reasonably and bona fide believes at the relevant time will result in the Notice being duly received by the Member or may also be served by advertisement in appropriate newspapers in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange or, to the extent permitted by the applicable laws, by placing it on the Company’s website and giving to the member a notice stating that the notice or other document is available there (a “notice of availability”). The notice of availability may be given to the Member by any of the

 

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means set out above. In the case of joint holders of a share all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register and notice so given shall be deemed a sufficient service on or delivery to all the joint holders.
158. Any Notice or other document:
  (a)  
if served or delivered by post, shall where appropriate be sent by airmail and shall be deemed to have been served or delivered on the day following that on which the envelope containing the same, properly prepaid and addressed, is put into the post; in proving such service or delivery it shall be sufficient to prove that the envelope or wrapper containing the notice or document was properly addressed and put into the post and a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Board that the envelope or wrapper containing the Notice or other document was so addressed and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence thereof;
  (b)  
if sent by electronic communication, shall be deemed to be given on the day on which it is transmitted from the server of the Company or its agent. A Notice placed on the Company’s website is deemed given by the Company to a Member on the day following that on which a notice of availability is deemed served on the Member;
  (c)  
if served or delivered in any other manner contemplated by these Articles, shall be deemed to have been served or delivered at the time of personal service or delivery or, as the case may be, at the time of the relevant despatch or transmission; and in proving such service or delivery a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Board as to the act and time of such service, delivery, despatch or transmission shall be conclusive evidence thereof; and
  (d)  
may be given to a Member either in the English language or the Chinese language, subject to due compliance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations.
159. (1) Any Notice or other document delivered or sent by post to or left at the registered address of any Member in pursuance of these Articles shall, notwithstanding that such Member is then dead or bankrupt or that any other event has occurred, and whether or not the Company has notice of the death or bankruptcy or other event, be deemed to have been duly served or delivered in respect of any share registered in the name of such Member as sole or joint holder unless his name shall, at the time of the service or delivery of the Notice or document, have been removed from the Register as the holder of the share, and such service or delivery shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service or delivery of such Notice or document on all persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the share.

 

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(2) A Notice may be given by the Company to the person entitled to a share in consequence of the death, mental disorder or bankruptcy of a Member by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter, envelope or wrapper addressed to him by name, or by the title of representative of the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt, or by any like description, at the address, if any, supplied for the purpose by the person claiming to be so entitled, or (until such an address has been so supplied) by giving the notice in any manner in which the same might have been given if the death, mental disorder or bankruptcy had not occurred.
(3) Any person who by operation of law, transfer or other means whatsoever shall become entitled to any share shall be bound by every Notice in respect of such share which prior to his name and address being entered on the Register shall have been duly given to the person from whom he derives his title to such share.
SIGNATURES
160. For the purposes of these Articles, a cable or telex or facsimile or electronic transmission message purporting to come from a holder of shares or, as the case may be, a Director, or, in the case of a corporation which is a holder of shares from a director or the secretary thereof or a duly appointed attorney or duly authorised representative thereof for it and on its behalf, shall in the absence of express evidence to the contrary available to the person relying thereon at the relevant time be deemed to be a document or instrument in writing signed by such holder or Director in the terms in which it is received.
WINDING UP
161. (1) The Board shall have power in the name and on behalf of the Company to present a petition to the court for the Company to be wound up.
(2) A resolution that the Company be wound up by the court or be wound up voluntarily shall be a special resolution.
162. (1) Subject to any special rights, privileges or restrictions as to the distribution of available surplus assets on liquidation for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares (i) if the Company shall be wound up and 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 pari passu amongst such members in proportion to the amount paid up on the shares held by them respectively and (ii) 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, a 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.

 

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(2) If the Company shall be wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary or by the court) the liquidator may, with the authority of a special resolution and any other sanction required by the Law, divide among the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company and whether or not the assets shall consist of properties of one kind or shall consist of properties to be divided as aforesaid of different kinds, and may for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property 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 authority, vest any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the Members as the liquidator with the like authority shall think fit, and the liquidation of the Company may be closed and the Company dissolved, but so that no contributory shall be compelled to accept any shares or other property in respect of which there is a liability.
(3) In the event of winding-up of the Company in the People’s Republic of China, every Member who is not for the time being in the People’s Republic of China shall be bound, within fourteen (14) days after the passing of an effective resolution to wind up the Company voluntarily, or the making of an order for the winding-up of the Company, to serve notice in writing on the Company appointing some person resident in the People’s Republic of China and stating that person’s full name, address and occupation upon whom all summonses, notices, process, orders and judgements in relation to or under the winding-up of the Company may be served, and in default of such nomination the liquidator of the Company shall be at liberty on behalf of such Member to appoint some such person, and service upon any such appointee, whether appointed by the Member or the liquidator, shall be deemed to be good personal service on such Member for all purposes, and, where the liquidator makes any such appointment, he shall with all convenient speed give notice thereof to such Member by advertisement as he shall deem appropriate or by a registered letter sent through the post and addressed to such Member at his address as appearing in the register, and such notice shall be deemed to be service on the day following that on which the advertisement first appears or the letter is posted.
INDEMNITY
163. (1) The Directors, Secretary and other officers and every Auditor for the time being of the Company and the liquidator or trustees (if any) for the time being acting in relation to any of the affairs of the Company and everyone of them, and everyone of their heirs, executors and administrators, shall be indemnified and secured harmless out of the assets and profits of the Company from and against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses which they or any of them, their or any of their heirs, executors or administrators, shall or may incur or sustain by or by reason of any act done, concurred in or omitted in or about the execution of their duty, or supposed duty, in their respective offices or trusts; and none of them shall be answerable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of the other or others of them or for joining in any receipts for the sake of conformity, or for any bankers or other persons with whom any moneys or effects belonging to the Company shall or may be lodged or deposited for safe custody, or for

 

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insufficiency or deficiency of any security upon which any moneys of or belonging to the Company shall be placed out on or invested, or for any other loss, misfortune or damage which may happen in the execution of their respective offices or trusts, or in relation thereto; PROVIDED THAT this indemnity shall not extend to any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to any of said persons.
(2) 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 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.
AMENDMENT TO MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
AND NAME OF COMPANY
164. No Article shall be rescinded, altered or amended and no new Article shall be made until the same has been approved by a special resolution of the Members. A special resolution shall be required to alter the provisions of the Memorandum of Association or to change the name of the Company.
INFORMATION
165. No Member shall be entitled to require discovery of or any information respecting any detail of the Company’s trading or any matter 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 it will be inexpedient in the interests of the members of the Company to communicate to the public.
DISCONTINUANCE
166. The Board may exercise all the powers of the Company to transfer by way of continuation the Company to a named country or jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands pursuant to the Companies Law.

 

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Exhibit C
Cayman Legal Opinion
[], 2010
     
Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
  DIRECT LINE: 2842 9550
6F, Ctrip Building
  E-MAIL:            Brian.Lee@conyersdillandpearman.com
No. 99 Fu Quan Road
  OUR REF:         BLHK/rc/320305 (M#874249)
Shanghai 200335, PRC
  YOUR REF:
Dear Sirs,
China Lodging Group, Limited (the “Company”)
We have acted as special legal counsel in the Cayman Islands to the Company in connection with the issue and sale of certain number of new ordinary shares to Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (the “Purchaser”).
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined the following documents:
(i)  
a copy of the subscription agreement (the “Subscription Agreement”) made as of [] March, 2010 by and between the Company and the Purchaser;
 
(ii)  
a copy of the investor and registration rights agreement (the “IRR Agreement”) made as of [] March, 2010 by and among the Company, Winner Crown Holdings Limited and the Purchaser as investor; and
 
(iii)  
a copy of a shares purchase agreement (the “Shares Purchase Agreement”) made as of [] March, 2010 by and among the Purchaser as investor and certain selling shareholders set out therein (“Selling Shareholders”).
The documents listed in items (i) through (iii) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “Documents” and the documents listed in items (i) and (ii) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “Transaction Documents” (which term does not include any other instrument or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule thereto).

 

 


 

We have also reviewed the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, each certified by the [Secretary] of the Company on [], 2010, resolutions in writing of all of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company dated [], 2010 and minutes of an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the Company approving, inter alia, the adoption of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association which will become effective at the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering the [Global Select Market of the NASDAQ Omx Group, Inc.] (“IPO”) (the “Minutes”), a Certificate of Good Standing issued by the Registrar of Companies in relation to the Company on [], 2010 (the “Certificate Date”) and such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.
We have assumed (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken; (b) that where a document has been examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or otherwise drawn to our attention; (c) the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to the Documents, other than the Company, to enter into and perform its respective obligations under the Documents; (d) the due execution and delivery of the Documents by each of the parties thereto, other than the Company, and the physical delivery thereof by the Company with an intention to be bound thereby; (e) the accuracy and completeness of all factual representations made in the Documents and other documents reviewed by us (except to the extent that we expressly opine herein on matters of Cayman Islands law); (f) that the resolutions contained in the Minutes were passed at one or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain in full force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended; (g) that there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the Cayman Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein; (h) the validity and binding effect under the laws of the State of New York (the “Foreign Laws”) of the Documents which are expressed to be governed by such Foreign Laws in accordance with their respective terms; (i) the validity and binding effect under the Foreign Laws of the submission by the Company pursuant to the Documents to arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Administered Arbitration Rules then in force; (j) that on the date of entering into the Documents the Company is and after entering into the Documents will be able to pay its liabilities as they become due.
The obligations of the Company under the Documents (a) will be subject to the laws from time to time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory liens, rights of set off, reorganisation, amalgamation, moratorium or any other laws or legal procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of creditors; (b) will be subject to statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be brought; (c) will be subject to general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and injunctive relief, being equitable remedies, may not be available; (d) may not be given effect to by a Cayman Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to the extent they constitute the

 

 


 

payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty and not in the nature of liquidated damages; (e) may not be given effect by a Cayman Islands court to the extent that they are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and such performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the jurisdiction of specific courts, a Cayman Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow proceedings in the Cayman Islands against the Company under the Documents if there are other proceedings in respect of those Documents simultaneously underway against the Company in another jurisdiction. Under Cayman Islands law, a person who is not one of the parties to an agreement is, in general, unable to enforce it.
We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Documents which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after the date of judgement.
We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and practice in the Cayman Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your benefit and is not to be relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any other matter.
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1.  
As at the Certificate Date, the Company is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands in good standing (meaning solely that it has not failed to make any filing with any Cayman Islands government authority or to pay any Cayman Islands government fee which would make it liable to be struck off by the Registrar of Companies and thereby cease to exist under the laws of the Cayman Islands).
 
2.  
The Company has the necessary corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder will not violate the Memorandum or Articles of Association of the Company Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association nor any applicable law, regulation, order or decree in the Cayman Islands.
 
3.  
The Company has taken all corporate action required to authorise its execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents. The Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Company, and constitute the valid and binding obligations of the Company in accordance with the terms thereof.
 
4.  
No order, consent, approval, licence, authorisation or validation of or exemption by any government or public body or authority of the Cayman Islands or any sub-division thereof is required to authorise or is required in connection with the execution, delivery,

 

 


 

performance and enforcement of the Documents, except such as have been duly obtained in accordance with Cayman Islands law.
5.  
Based solely on the review of the Minutes, the authorised share capital of the Company on the consummation of the Company’s IPO shall be US$900,000 divided into 8,000,000,000 ordinary shares of par value of US$0.0001 each and 1,000,000,000 preferred shares of par value of US$0.0001. The ordinary shares of the Company will have the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions set forth in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
 
6.  
The Purchased Shares (as defined in the Subscription Agreement) to be issued and sold by the Company under the Subscription Agreement have been duly authorised and when issued by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Subscription Agreement against payment in full of the consideration thereof set forth in the Subscription Agreement and the appropriate entries made on the register of members of the Company, the Purchased Shares will be validly issued and allotted as fully paid and non-assessable (meaning that no further sums are payable to the Company on such shares) and will not be subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights under Cayman Islands Companies law or the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
 
7.  
The Secondary Shares (as defined in the Shares Purchase Agreement) have been duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (meaning that no further sums are payable to the Company on such shares) and the Secondary Shares are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights under Cayman Islands Companies law or the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
 
8.  
The register of members of the Company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein and a member registered in the register of members will be deemed, as a matter of Cayman Islands law, to have prima facie legal title to those Purchased Shares and Secondary Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) as set against its name in the register of members.
 
9.  
The form of share certificate used to evidence the Purchased Shares and Secondary Shares is admissible in evidence as proof of the title of that member to the shares set out therein.
 
10.  
It is not necessary or desirable to ensure the enforceability in the Cayman Islands of the Documents that they be registered in any register kept by, or filed with, any governmental authority or regulatory body in the Cayman Islands. However, to the extent that any of the Documents creates a charge over assets of the Company, the Company and its Directors are under an obligation to enter such charge in the Register of Mortgages and Charges of the Company in accordance with section 54 of the Companies Law. While there is no exhaustive definition of a charge under Cayman Islands law, a charge normally has the following characteristics:

 

 


 

  (i)  
it is a proprietary interest granted by way of security which entitles the chargee to resort to the charged property only for the purposes of satisfying some liability due to the chargee (whether from the chargor or a third party); and
  (ii)  
the chargor retains an equity of redemption to have the property restored to him when the liability has been discharged.
However, as the Documents are governed by the Foreign Laws, the question of whether they would possess these particular characteristics would be determined under the Foreign Laws.
11.  
The Documents will be subject to nominal stamp duty if they are executed in or brought into the Cayman Islands but will otherwise not be subject to stamp duty.
 
12.  
The choice of the Foreign Laws as the governing law of the Documents is a valid choice of law and would be recognised and given effect to in any action brought before a court of competent jurisdiction in the Cayman Islands, except for those laws (i) which such court considers to be procedural in nature, (ii) which are revenue or penal laws or (iii) the application of which would be inconsistent with public policy, as such term is interpreted under the laws of the Cayman Islands.
 
13.  
Foreign arbitration awards may be enforced in the Cayman Islands under the Foreign Arbitral Awards Enforcement Law, which applies where the arbitration award to be enforced (the “Award”) was made in pursuance of an arbitration agreement in a state which is a party to the New York Convention on the Recognition of Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards adopted by the 1958 United Nations Conference on International Commercial Arbitration (the “Convention”). In general, the courts of the Cayman Islands will enforce an Award made under the Convention unless it is proved by the party against whom the Award was made that:
  (i)  
a party to the arbitration agreement was under some incapacity;
 
  (ii)  
the arbitration agreement was not valid under the law to which the parties subjected it or, in default, under the law of the jurisdiction where the Award was made;
 
  (iii)  
the Award was made in circumstances contrary to natural justice;
 
  (iv)  
the Award dealt with a matter or matters not contemplated by or falling within the terms of the submission to arbitration or contained decisions on matters beyond the scope of such submission; or

 

 


 

  (v)  
the composition of the arbitral authority or the arbitral procedure was not in accordance with the agreement of the parties or, in default of such agreement, with the laws of the jurisdiction where the arbitration took place.
Enforcement of an Award made under the Convention may also be refused by the courts of the Cayman Islands where the Award is in respect of a matter which is not capable of settlement by arbitration or where it would be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands to enforce such an Award.
A foreign arbitration award may also be enforced in the Cayman Islands pursuant to common law principles by action on the Award or pursuant to the Arbitration Law by leave of the Cayman Islands court.
14.  
The Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association are consistent and in compliance with the Companies Law and do not conflict with any other applicable law, regulation, order or decree currently in force in the Cayman Islands.
Yours faithfully
Conyers Dill & Pearman

 

 

Exhibit B
Exhibit B
EXECUTION VERSION
SHARES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS SHARES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of March 12, 2010, by and among:
  (1)   Ctrip.com International, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (the “Investor”);
 
  (2)   Each of the selling shareholders listed on Schedule I hereto (each a “Selling Shareholder” and collectively, the “Selling Shareholders”).
The parties listed above are collectively referred to herein collectively as the “Parties” and individually as a “Party.”
RECITALS
(A)   China Lodging Group, Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (the “Company”) desires to engage in a public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the Company of American Depositary Shares (“ADS”), each representing such number of ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Ordinary Shares”); and
(B)   at the Closing (as defined below) and subject to terms and the conditions of this Agreement, the Investor wishes to purchase certain number of Ordinary Shares from each of the Selling Shareholders.
WITNESSETH
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale.
1.1 Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the Investor hereby agrees to purchase, and each of the Selling Shareholders hereby agrees to sell and deliver to the Investor, severally but not jointly, at the Closing, at the Offer Price Per Share (as defined

 

 


 

below) that number of Ordinary Shares (as adjusted for any share splits, share dividends, share combinations, share reclassifications, capitalization issue or like transactions affecting such Ordinary Share between the date hereof and the Closing Date (as defined below)) (the “Secondary Shares”) set forth opposite the name of such Selling Shareholder on Schedule I hereto.
1.2 The “Offer Price Per Share” means the “public offering price per ADS” set forth on the cover of the Company’s final prospectus (the “Final Prospectus”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) in connection with the Public Offering divided by the number of Ordinary Shares represented by one ADS as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
2. Closing.
2.1 Subject to Section 6, the closing (the “Closing”) of the sale and purchase of the Secondary Shares pursuant to Section 1 shall take place upon and concurrently with the closing of the Public Offering at the same offices for the closing of the Public Offering or at such other time and place as the Selling Shareholders holding a majority of the Secondary Shares and the Investor may mutually agree. The date and time of the Closing are referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”
2.2 At the Closing, the Investor shall pay and deliver the total purchase price to each of the Selling Shareholders in U.S. dollars by wire transfer, or by such other method mutually agreeable to the parties, of immediately available funds to such bank account designated in writing by such Selling Shareholder and each Selling Shareholder shall cause the Company to deliver one or more duly executed share certificates in original form, registered in the name of the Investor, together with a certified true copy of the register of the members of the Company, evidencing the Secondary Shares being transferred to the Investor. For the avoidance of doubt, the failure by one or more Selling Shareholders to perform their respective obligations or to fulfill or waive any condition precedent to the Closing hereunder shall not affect the ability of any other Selling Shareholder to consummate or not to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder in accordance with this Agreement.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholders.
Each of the Selling Shareholders hereby severally but not jointly represents and warrants to, and agrees with the Investor that:
3.1 Such Selling Shareholder, if an entity, has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company or a limited partnership, as the case may be, in good standing in its jurisdiction of formation.

 

2


 

3.2 This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Selling Shareholders and constitutes valid, legal and binding obligations of such Selling Shareholders, enforceable against the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies.
3.3 Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the performance by each of the Selling Shareholders of its respective obligations under this Agreement (A) violates or will violate such Selling Shareholders’ organizational documents, if any, (B) conflicts with or results in a breach of any agreement of such Selling Shareholders or to which such Selling Shareholders or any of its respective assets are bound or will be bound.
3.4 Subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Investor in Section 4 hereof, no consent or approval of, or filing with, any governmental authority or other person is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Selling Shareholders or consummation of the transaction contemplated by this Agreement, other than those have been duly obtained and are in full force and effect or will be duly obtained prior to the Closing.
3.5 Such Selling Shareholder has good and valid title to the Secondary Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder. Each of the Secondary Shares, when sold in accordance with the terms of this Agreement will have been fully paid and non-assessable, will be free from any mortgage, charge, pledge, lien, option, restriction, right of first refusal, right of pre-emption, third party right or interest, other encumbrance or security interest of any kind or another type of preferential arrangement.
3.6 No “directed selling efforts” (as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the Securities Act) have been made by any of the Selling Shareholders, any of its affiliates or any person acting on its behalf with respect to any Secondary Shares that are not registered under the Securities Act; and none of such persons has taken any actions that would result in the sale of the Secondary Shares to the Investor under this Agreement requiring registration under the Securities Act.
4. Representations and Warranties of the Investor.
The Investor hereby represents and warrants to each of the Selling Shareholders that:
4.1 The Investor has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing in the jurisdiction of its incorporation.

 

3


 

4.2 This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Investor and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Investor, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies.
4.3 Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the performance by the Investor of its obligations under this Agreement (A) violates or will violate the Investor’s organizational documents, (B) conflicts with or results in a breach of any agreement of the Investor or to which the Investor or any of its respective assets are bound or will be bound.
4.4 The Investor is an “Accredited Investor” as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act. The Investor has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment in the Secondary Shares. The Investor is capable of bearing the economic risks of such investment, including a complete loss of its investment. The Secondary Shares purchased hereunder, and to be received by the Investor will be acquired for investment purposes for the Investor’s own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view to the resale or distribution, and the Investor does not have any present intention of selling, granting any participation in, or otherwise distributing the same. The Investor does not have any direct or indirect arrangement, or understanding with any other persons to distribute, or regarding the distribution of the Secondary Shares in violation of the Securities Act or any other applicable state securities law. The Investor understands that the Secondary Shares have not been qualified or registered under the Securities Act or laws of any other jurisdiction and therefore may be viewed as restricted securities under any or all of such other applicable securities laws.
4.5 The Investor is not a “U.S. person” as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Investor has been advised and acknowledges that in selling the Secondary Shares to the Investor pursuant hereto, the Selling Shareholders are relying upon the exemption from registration provided by Regulation S under the Securities Act.
4.6 The Investor has received and reviewed the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1 filed with the Commission on March 5, 2010, including the related prospectus and exhibits attached thereto, with respect to the Public Offering. The Investor is not relying on any statements or representations of any Selling Shareholder made in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby other than statements and representations contained in this Agreement.

 

4


 

5. Restrictive Legend.
Each certificate representing the Secondary Shares shall be endorsed with the following legend (in addition to any legend required under applicable state securities laws):
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (AS AMENDED, THE “ACT”) OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED: (A) IN THE ABSENCE OF (1) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT, (2) AN EXEMPTION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OR (3) DELIVERY TO THE COMPANY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED; AND (B) WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON, AS EACH OF THOSE TERMS IS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE ACT, DURING THE 40 DAYS FOLLOWING CLOSING OF THE PURCHASE. ANY ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS SECURITY IN VIOLATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS SHALL BE VOID.
6. Conditions Precedent to Closing.
6.1 Conditions to Investor’s Obligations. The obligations of the Investor to purchase the Secondary Shares from the Selling Shareholders are subject to the satisfaction, or the waiver by the Investor, on or prior to the Closing Date, of the following conditions:
(i) successful completion of the Public Offering and the listing of the ADSs on the NASDAQ Global Market by June 30, 2010;
(ii) the representations and warranties of the Selling Shareholders contained herein shall be true and complete when made and shall be true and complete on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the Closing Date, except in either case for those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a particular date, which representations will have been true and complete as of such particular date;
(iii) the Selling Shareholders shall have performed in all material respects all of their covenants and agreements required to be performed by them under this Agreement on or prior to the Closing;

 

5


 

(iv) the underwriting agreement relating to the Public Offering shall have been entered into and become effective; and
(v) the Investor shall have received legal opinion letters, dated as of the Closing Date, of Conyers Dill & Pearman, the Cayman and British Virgin Islands counsel for the Selling Shareholders, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
6.2 Conditions to the Selling Shareholders’ Obligations. The obligations of each of the Selling Shareholders to sell the Secondary Shares to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement are subject to the satisfaction, or the waiver of such Selling Shareholder at or prior to the Closing Date, of the following conditions:
(i) successful completion of the Public Offering and the listing of the ADSs on the NASDAQ Global Market by June 30, 2010;
(ii) the representations and warranties of the Investor contained herein shall be true and complete when made and shall be true and complete on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the Closing Date, except in either case for those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a particular date, which representations will have been true and complete as of such particular date;
(iii) all of the Series A preferred shares and Series B preferred shares of the Company shall have been converted into Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company adopted on January 18, 2008; and
(iv) the Investor shall have performed and complied with all agreements required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Investor on or prior to the Closing Date.
7. Indemnity.
For a period of eight months commencing the Closing Date, each of the Selling Shareholders shall severally but not jointly, and the Investor (each an “Indemnifying Party”) shall, indemnify and hold each other and their respective directors, officers and agents (collectively, the “Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, obligations, expenses and liabilities of any kind or nature whatsoever, including but not limited to any investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amounts paid in settlement of, any pending or threatened legal action or proceeding, and (ii) any taxes or levies that may be payable by such person by reason of the indemnification of any indemnifiable loss hereunder (collectively, “Losses”) resulting from or arising out of: (i) the breach of any representation or warranty of such Indemnifying Party

 

6


 

contained in this Agreement or in any schedule or exhibit hereto; or (ii) the violation or nonperformance, partial or total, of any covenant or agreement of such Indemnifying Party contained in this Agreement for reasons other than gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party. In calculating the amount of any Losses of an Indemnified Party hereunder, there shall be subtracted the amount of any insurance proceeds and third-party payments received by the Indemnified Party with respect to such Losses, if any. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnifying Party shall have no liability (for indemnification or otherwise) with respect to any Losses in excess of the aggregate total purchase price (and with respect to each Selling Shareholder, its proportionate share of such total purchase price).
8. Lock-Up.
Each Party agrees that it shall enter into a lock-up agreement (the “Lock-up Agreement”) with the underwriters in the Public Offering substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B. The Investor agrees that it shall not seek any waiver from the underwriters to waive any restrictions set forth in the Lock-Agreement without the prior written consent of each of the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder agrees that it shall not seek any waiver from the underwriters to waive any restrictions set forth in the Lock-Agreement without the prior written consent of the Investor.
9. Amendment and Termination.
9.1 This Agreement may not be amended or varied without the prior written consent of the Parties hereto.
9.2 In the event that the Closing shall not have occurred by June 30, 2010, this Agreement shall be terminated unless the Parties mutually agree by June 30, 2010 to renegotiate.
9.3 Upon termination, except this Section 9.3 and Section 10 (Miscellaneous), this Agreement shall be of no more force and effect.
10. Miscellaneous.
10.1 (i) Unless otherwise notified by the relevant parties, all notices delivered hereunder shall be in writing and may be delivered by hand or given by facsimile to the related addresses listed beneath each party’s signature hereto.
(ii) Any notice delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received when physically received by the person referred to in this Section 10.1 (including receipt by facsimile).

 

7


 

10.2 This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the Parties hereto with respect to the matters covered hereby, and all prior agreements and understandings, oral or in writing, if any, between the Parties with respect to the matters covered hereby are merged and superseded by this Agreement.
10.3 Each Party hereto acknowledges that the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and all schedules, exhibits, restatements and amendments hereto and thereto, including their existence, shall be considered confidential information and shall not be disclosed by it to any third party without the prior written consent of the other Parties, unless such disclosure is required by applicable laws, regulations or securities exchange rules.
10.4 Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations under this Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise by any of the parties without the prior written consent of the other parties. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties and their respective successors and assigns.
10.5 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.
10.6 Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including any question regarding its existence, validity or termination (“Dispute”) shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. There shall be three arbitrators. The language to be used in the arbitration proceedings shall be English. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any immunity to jurisdiction to which it may be entitled or become entitled (including without limitation sovereign immunity, immunity to pre-award attachment, post-award attachment or otherwise) in any arbitration proceedings and/or enforcement proceedings against it arising out of or based on this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
10.7 This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
10.8 The parties acknowledge that money damages will not be a sufficient remedy for breach of this Agreement and that the parties hereto may obtain specific performance or other injunctive relief, without the necessity of posting a bond or security therefor.
10.9 The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

 

8


 

10.10 If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement and the remainder of this Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were excluded and shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.
10.11 Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
[Signature page to follow]

 

9


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
         
  CHENGWEI PARTNERS, L.P.
CHENGWEI VENTURES EVERGREEN FUND, L.P.
CHENGWEI VENTURES EVERGREEN
ADVISORS FUND, LLC

 
 
  By:   /s/ Aline Moulia    
    Name:   Aline Moulia   
    Title:   Authorized signer   
 
  Address:
58 West Portal Av. #146,
San Francisco, CA, 94127

CDH Courtyard Limited
 
 
  By:   /s/ Huang Yan    
    Name:   Huang Yan   
    Title:   Director   
 
  Address:
Attn: Huang Yan / Wang Jun
1503 Level 15, International Commerce Centre
1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3518 8000
Fax: +852 2810 7083  
 
[signature page to the share purchase agreement]

 

S-1


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
         
  IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P.
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P.
IDG-Accel China Investors L.P.

 
 
  By:   /s/ Authorized Signatory    
    Name:      
    Title:   Authorized Signatory   
 
  Address:
C/o IDG VC Management Ltd.
Unit 1509, The Center
99 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong

Fax: (852) 2529 1619  
 
 
  Northern Light Venture Fund, L.P.
Northern Light Partners Fund, L.P.
Northern Light Strategic Fund, L.P.

 
 
  By:   /s/ Jin Wang    
    Name:   Jin Wang   
    Title:   an authorized signatory   
 
  Address:

Pinpoint Capital 2006 A Limited
 
 
  By:   /s/ Jiyi Weng    
    Name:   Jiyi Weng   
    Title:   Director   
 
  Address:
299 Bisheng Road, Suite 13-101
Zhangjiang, Shanghai 201204
People’s Republic of China
Tel: +86 21 5080 7651
Fax: +86 21 5080 1333  
 
[signature page to the share purchase agreement]

 

S-2


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
         
  CTRIP.COM INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
 
 
  By:   /s/ Min Fan    
    Name:   Min Fan   
    Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President   
 
  Address:
99 Fu Quan Road,
Shanghai 200335
People’s Republic of China
Attention: Chief Financial Officer  
 
[signature page to the share purchase agreement]

 

S-3


 

Schedule I
Selling Shareholder
     
    Number of Shares
Names of Selling Shareholders   to be Sold
Chengwei Partners, L.P.   110,619
Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Fund, L.P.   2,714,428
Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Advisors Fund, LLC   335,491
CDH Courtyard Limited   3,160,538
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P.   1,410,306
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P.   288,210
IDG-Accel China Investors L.P.   131,387
Northern Light Venture Fund, L.P.   1,020,623
Northern Light Partners Fund, L.P.   112,076
Northern Light Strategic Fund, L.P.   224,152
Pinpoint Capital 2006 A Limited   2,139,134
Total   11,646,964

 

 


 

Exhibit A-2
Exhibit A
Form of Legal Opinions from Conyers Dill & Pearman

 

 


 

[], 2010
         
Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
  DIRECT LINE:   2842 9550
6F, Ctrip Building
  E-MAIL:   Brian.Lee@conyersdillandpearman.com
No. 99 Fu Quan Road
  OUR REF:   BLHK/rc/320307 (M#874249)
Shanghai 200335, PRC
  YOUR REF:    
Dear Sirs,
Names of Selling Shareholders (collectively, the “Companies”)
We have acted as special legal counsel in the Cayman Islands to the Companies in connection with the sale of certain number of shares of China Lodging Group, Limited by the Companies to Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (the “Purchaser”).
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined a copy of a shares purchase agreement (the “Shares Purchase Agreement”) made as of [] March, 2010 by and among the Purchaser as investor and each of the Companies as selling shareholders. (which term does not include any other instrument or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule thereto).
We have also reviewed the Memorandum and Articles of Association of each of the Companies, each certified by the [Secretary] of each of the Companies on [], 2010, minutes of a meeting of its directors of each of the Companies(the “Minutes”), Certificates of Good Standing issued by the Registrar of Companies in relation to each of the Companies on [], 2010 (the “Certificate Dates”) and such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.
We have assumed (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken; (b) that where a document has been examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or otherwise drawn to our attention; (c) the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to the Shares Purchase Agreement, other than the Companies, to enter into and perform its respective obligations under the Shares Purchase Agreement; (d) the due execution and delivery of the Shares Purchase Agreement by each of the parties thereto, other than the Companies, and the physical delivery thereof by each of the Companies with an intention to be bound thereby; (e) the accuracy and completeness of all factual representations made in the Shares Purchase Agreement and other documents reviewed by us (except to the extent that we expressly opine herein on matters of Cayman Islands law); (f) that the resolutions contained in the Minutes were passed at one or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain in full force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended; (g) that there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the Cayman

 

 


 

Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein; (h) the validity and binding effect under the laws of the State of New York (the “Foreign Laws”) of the Shares Purchase Agreement which are expressed to be governed by such Foreign Laws in accordance with their respective terms; (i) the validity and binding effect under the Foreign Laws of the submission by each of the Companies pursuant to the Shares Purchase Agreement to arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules; (j) that on the date of entering into the Shares Purchase Agreement the Companies is and after entering into the Shares Purchase Agreement will be able to pay its liabilities as they become due.
The obligations of each of the Companies under the Shares Purchase Agreement (a) will be subject to the laws from time to time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory liens, rights of set off, reorganisation, amalgamation, moratorium or any other laws or legal procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of creditors; (b) will be subject to statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be brought; (c) will be subject to general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and injunctive relief, being equitable remedies, may not be available; (d) may not be given effect to by a Cayman Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to the extent they constitute the payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty and not in the nature of liquidated damages; (e) may not be given effect by a Cayman Islands court to the extent that they are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and such performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the jurisdiction of specific courts, a Cayman Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow proceedings in the Cayman Islands against each of the Companies under the Shares Purchase Agreement if there are other proceedings in respect of those Shares Purchase Agreement simultaneously underway against each of the Companies in another jurisdiction. Under Cayman Islands law, a person who is not one of the parties to an agreement is, in general, unable to enforce it.
We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Shares Purchase Agreement which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after the date of judgement. We express no opinion in respect of the enforceability of any provision in the Shares Purchase Agreement which purports to fetter the statutory powers of each of the Companies.
We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and practice in the Cayman Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your benefit and is not to be relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any other matter.
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1.   As at the Certificate Dates, each of the Companies is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands in good standing (meaning solely that it has not failed to make any filing with any Cayman Islands government authority or to pay any

 

 


 

    Cayman Islands government fee which would make it liable to be struck off by the Registrar of Companies and thereby cease to exist under the laws of the Cayman Islands).
2.   Each of the Companies has the necessary corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under the Shares Purchase Agreement. The execution and delivery of the Shares Purchase Agreement by each of the Companies and the performance by each of the Companies of its obligations thereunder will not violate the Memorandum or Articles of Association of each of the Companies nor any applicable law, regulation, order or decree in the Cayman Islands.
3.   Each of the Companies has taken all corporate action required to authorise its execution, delivery and performance of the Shares Purchase Agreement. The Shares Purchase Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the Companies, and constitutes the valid and binding obligations of each of the Companies in accordance with the terms thereof.
4.   No order, consent, approval, licence, authorisation or validation of or exemption by any government or public body or authority of the Cayman Islands or any sub-division thereof is required to authorise or is required in connection with the execution, delivery, performance and enforcement of the Shares Purchase Agreement, except such as have been duly obtained in accordance with Cayman Islands law.
5.   It is not necessary or desirable to ensure the enforceability in the Cayman Islands of the Shares Purchase Agreement that it be registered in any register kept by, or filed with, any governmental authority or regulatory body in the Cayman Islands. However, to the extent that the Shares Purchase Agreement creates a charge over assets of each of the Companies, each of the Companies and its Directors are under an obligation to enter such charge in the Register of Mortgages and Charges of each of the Companies in accordance with section 54 of the Companies Law. While there is no exhaustive definition of a charge under Cayman Islands law, a charge normally has the following characteristics:
  (i)   it is a proprietary interest granted by way of security which entitles the chargee to resort to the charged property only for the purposes of satisfying some liability due to the chargee (whether from the chargor or a third party); and
 
  (ii)   the chargor retains an equity of redemption to have the property restored to him when the liability has been discharged.
However, as the Shares Purchase Agreement is governed by the Foreign Laws, the question of whether they would possess these particular characteristics would be determined under the Foreign Laws.
6.   The Shares Purchase Agreement will be subject to nominal stamp duty if it is executed in or brought into the Cayman Islands but will otherwise not be subject to stamp duty.

 

 


 

7.   The choice of the Foreign Laws as the governing law of the Shares Purchase Agreement is a valid choice of law and would be recognised and given effect to in any action brought before a court of competent jurisdiction in the Cayman Islands, except for those laws (i) which such court considers to be procedural in nature, (ii) which are revenue or penal laws or (iii) the application of which would be inconsistent with public policy, as such term is interpreted under the laws of the Cayman Islands.
8.   Foreign arbitration awards may be enforced in the Cayman Islands under the Foreign Arbitral Awards Enforcement Law, which applies where the arbitration award to be enforced (the “Award”) was made in pursuance of an arbitration agreement in a state which is a party to the New York Convention on the Recognition of Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards adopted by the 1958 United Nations Conference on International Commercial Arbitration (the “Convention”). In general, the courts of the Cayman Islands will enforce an Award made under the Convention unless it is proved by the party against whom the Award was made that:
  (i)   a party to the arbitration agreement was under some incapacity;
 
  (ii)   the arbitration agreement was not valid under the law to which the parties subjected it or, in default, under the law of the jurisdiction where the Award was made;
 
  (iii)   the Award was made in circumstances contrary to natural justice;
 
  (iv)   the Award dealt with a matter or matters not contemplated by or falling within the terms of the submission to arbitration or contained decisions on matters beyond the scope of such submission; or
 
  (v)   the composition of the arbitral authority or the arbitral procedure was not in accordance with the agreement of the parties or, in default of such agreement, with the laws of the jurisdiction where the arbitration took place.
Enforcement of an Award made under the Convention may also be refused by the courts of the Cayman Islands where the Award is in respect of a matter which is not capable of settlement by arbitration or where it would be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands to enforce such an Award.
A foreign arbitration award may also be enforced in the Cayman Islands pursuant to common law principles by action on the Award or pursuant to the Arbitration Law by leave of the Cayman Islands court.
Yours faithfully
Conyers Dill & Pearman

 

 


 

[], 2010
         
Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
  DIRECT LINE:   2842 9550
6F, Ctrip Building
  E-MAIL:   Brian.Lee@conyersdillandpearman.com
No. 99 Fu Quan Road
  OUR REF:   BLHK/rc/320291 (M#874249)
Shanghai 200335, PRC
  YOUR REF:    
Dear Sirs,
Names of Selling Shareholders (collectively, the “Companies”)
We have acted as special legal counsel in the British Virgin Islands to the Companies in connection with the sale of certain number of shares of China Lodging Group, Limited by the Companies to Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (the “Purchaser”).
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined a copy of a shares purchase agreement (the “Shares Purchase Agreement”) made as of [] March, 2010 by and among the Purchaser as investor and each of the Companies as selling shareholders (which term does not include any other instrument or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule thereto).
We have also reviewed the memorandum of association and the articles of association of each of the Companies, as obtained from the Registrar of Corporate Affairs on [], 2010, [resolutions in writing signed by all the directors of each of the Companies and dated [], 2010, ] [minutes of a meeting of its directors] [Options:] [and minutes of a meeting of its shareholders[, each] ] held on [], 2010, (the “Minutes”), and such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.
We have assumed (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken; (b) that where a document has been examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or otherwise drawn to our attention; (c) the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to the Shares Purchase Agreement, other than the Companies, to enter into and perform its respective obligations under the Shares Purchase Agreement; (d) the due execution and delivery of the Shares Purchase Agreement by each of the parties thereto, other than the Companies, and the physical delivery thereof by each of the Companies with an intention to be bound thereby; (e) the accuracy and completeness of all factual representations made in the Shares Purchase Agreement and other documents reviewed by us (except to the extent that we expressly opine herein on matters of British Virgin Islands law); (f) that the resolutions contained in the Minutes were passed at one or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain in full force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended; (g) that there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the British Virgin Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein;

 

 


 

(h) the validity and binding effect under the laws of the State of New York (the “Foreign Laws”) of the Shares Purchase Agreement which are expressed to be governed by such Foreign Laws in accordance with its terms; (i) the validity and binding effect under the Foreign Laws of the submission by each of the Companies pursuant to the Shares Purchase Agreement to arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules; and (j) that on the date of entering into the Shares Purchase Agreement each of the Companies is and after entering into the Shares Purchase Agreement will be able to pay its liabilities as they become due.
The obligations of each of the Companies under the Shares Purchase Agreement (a) will be subject to the laws from time to time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory liens, rights of set off, reorganisation, merger, consolidation, moratorium or any other laws or legal procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of creditors; (b) will be subject to statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be brought; (c) will be subject to general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and injunctive relief, being equitable remedies, may not be available; (d) may not be given effect to by a British Virgin Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to the extent they constitute the payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty and not in the nature of liquidated damages; and (e) may not be given effect by a British Virgin Islands court to the extent that they are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the British Virgin Islands and such performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the jurisdiction of specific courts, a British Virgin Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow proceedings in the British Virgin Islands courts.
We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Shares Purchase Agreement which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after the date of judgment or which purports to fetter the statutory powers of each of the Companies.
We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the British Virgin Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the British Virgin Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and practice in the British Virgin Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your benefit and is not to be relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any other matter.
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1.   Each of the Companies is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands.
2.   Each of the Companies has the necessary corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under the Shares Purchase Agreement. The execution and delivery of the Shares Purchase Agreement by each of the Companies and the performance by each of the Companies of its obligations thereunder will not violate the respective memorandum of association or articles of association of each of the Companies nor any applicable law, regulation, order or decree in the British Virgin Islands.

 

 


 

3.   Each of the Companies has taken all corporate action required to authorise its execution, delivery and performance of the Shares Purchase Agreement. The Shares Purchase Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the Companies, and constitutes the valid and binding obligations of each of the Companies in accordance with the terms thereof.
4.   No order, consent, approval, licence, authorisation or validation of or exemption by any government or public body or authority of the British Virgin Islands or any sub-division thereof is required to authorise or is required in connection with the execution, delivery, performance and enforcement of the Shares Purchase Agreement, except such as have been duly obtained in accordance with British Virgin Islands law.
5.   Except as set out in this paragraph, it is not necessary or desirable to ensure the enforceability in the British Virgin Islands of the Shares Purchase Agreement that it be registered in any register kept by, or filed with, any governmental authority or regulatory body in the British Virgin Islands. Each of the Companies is required to keep a register of all charges [created on or after the date that each of the Companies re-registered as a BVI business company under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004] (“relevant charges”). To the extent that the Shares Purchase Agreement creates a relevant charge over assets of each of the Companies, particulars of the charge must be entered in the register and a copy of the register shall be kept at the registered office of each of the Companies or at the office of its registered agent. Where the Shares Purchase Agreement creates a relevant charge, it may be desirable to ensure the priority in the British Virgin Islands of the charge that the particulars of the charge be registered at the office of the Registrar of Corporate Affairs pursuant to Section 163(1) of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004. On registration, to the extent that British Virgin Islands law governs the priority of a charge, such charge will have priority in the British Virgin Islands over a relevant charge on the property that is subsequently registered in accordance with section 163 and a relevant charge on the property that is not registered in accordance with that section, provided that a registered floating charge is postponed to a subsequently registered fixed charge unless the floating charge contains a prohibition or restriction on the power of the company to create any future charge ranking in priority to or equally with the charge. A registration fee of [$100.00] will be payable in respect of the registration.
[It should be noted that charges created before the date that each of the Companies re-registered as a BVI business company under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 will continue to rank in the order in which they would have ranked had the relevant section of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 not come into force and thus may have priority over any of the Shares Purchase Agreement which creates a relevant charge.]

 

 


 

Under British Virgin Islands law, “charge” means any form of security interest, whether fixed or floating, over property, wherever situated, other than an interest arising by operation of law.
However, as the Shares Purchase Agreement is governed by the Foreign Laws, the question of whether they would constitute a charge would be determined under the Foreign Laws.
6.   The Shares Purchase Agreement will not be subject to stamp duty in the British Virgin Islands.
7.   The choice of the Foreign Laws as the governing law of the Shares Purchase Agreement is a valid choice of law and would be recognised and given effect to in any action brought before a court of competent jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands, except for those laws (i) which such court considers to be procedural in nature, (ii) which are revenue or penal laws or (iii) the application of which would be inconsistent with public policy, as such term is interpreted under the laws of the British Virgin Islands.
8.   An award granted pursuant to arbitration proceedings in Hong Kong and conducted in accordance with the Foreign Laws against each of the Companies based upon the Shares Purchase Agreement would be enforceable in the British Virgin Islands under the Arbitration Act Cap. 6 (which incorporates the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards adopted by the United Nations Conference on International Commercial Arbitration on 10th June, 1958) either by action or by leave of the Supreme Court or a judge thereof, in the same manner as a judgment or order to the same effect, and where leave is so given, judgment may be entered in the terms of the award. Enforcement of an award may be refused if the person against whom it is invoked proves:
  (a)   that a party to the arbitration agreement was (under the law applicable to him) under some incapacity; or
 
  (b)   that the arbitration agreement was not valid under the law to which the parties subjected it or, failing any indication thereof, under the law of the country where the award was made; or
 
  (c)   that he was not given proper notice of the appointment of the arbitrator or of the arbitration proceedings or was otherwise unable to present his case; or
 
  (d)   that the award deals with a difference not contemplated by or not falling within the terms of the submission to arbitration or contains decisions on matters beyond the scope of the submission to arbitration; or
 
  (e)   that the composition of the arbitral authority or the arbitral procedure was not in accordance with the agreement of the parties or, failing such agreement, with the law of the country where the arbitration took place; or

 

 


 

  (f)   that the award has not yet become binding on the parties, or has been set aside or suspended by a competent authority of the country in which, or under the law of which, it was made.
Enforcement may also be refused if the award is in respect of a matter which is not capable of settlement by arbitration, or if it would be contrary to public policy to enforce the award.
Yours faithfully
Conyers Dill & Pearman

 

 


 

Exhibit B
Form of Lock-up Agreement
[___], 2010
Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C.,
68th Floor, Cheung Kong Center
2 Queen’s Road Central
Hong Kong
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc
25 Cobot Square, Canary Wharf
London E14 4QA
United Kingdom
Re: China Lodging Group, Limited — Lock-Up Agreement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as representatives (the “Representatives”), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement on behalf of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I to such agreement (collectively, the “Underwriters”), with China Lodging Group, Limited, a Cayman Islands corporation (the “Company”), providing for a public offering of American Depositary Shares (the “ADSs”) representing ordinary shares of the Company, par value US$0.001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-165247) and a Registration Statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-[•]) to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
In consideration of the agreement by the Underwriters to offer and sell the ADSs, and of other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees that, during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, make any short sale, lend or otherwise dispose of any ADSs or Ordinary Shares or any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, or any options or warrants to purchase any ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, owned directly by the undersigned (including holding as a custodian) or with respect to which the undersigned has beneficial ownership within the rules and regulations of the SEC (collectively the “Undersigned’s Shares”), or (ii) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any securities of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any securities of the Company; provided, however, that the restrictions in clause (1) shall not apply to (x) transactions relating to ADSs acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public

 

 


 

Offering or to ADSs, if any, acquired as part of the Directed Share Program, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of ADSs, Shares or other securities acquired in such open market transactions, or (y) if applicable, the sale of Shares to Ctrip.com International Ltd. (“Ctrip”) in connection with a private placement pursuant to a Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of March [ ], 2010, among Ctrip and certain shareholders of the Company. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of the Undersigned’s Shares even if such Shares would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include without limitation any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including without limitation any put or call option) with respect to any of the Undersigned’s Shares or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from such Shares.
The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continue for 180 days after the public offering date set forth on the final prospectus used to sell the ADSs (the “Public Offering Date”) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or announces material news or a material event or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 15-day period following the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be automatically extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the announcement of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension.
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to provide written notice of any event that would result in an extension of the Lock-Up Period pursuant to the previous paragraph to the undersigned (in accordance with Section 13 of the Underwriting Agreement) and agrees that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned hereby further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement during the period from the date of this Lock-Up Agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period (as such may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Shares (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, or (iii) with the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters. For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin. In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, if the undersigned is a corporation,

 

 


 

the corporation may transfer the capital stock of the Company to any wholly-owned subsidiary of such corporation; provided, however, that in any such case, it shall be a condition to the transfer that the transferee execute an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and holding such capital stock subject to the provisions of this Agreement and there shall be no further transfer of such capital stock except in accordance with this Agreement, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value. The undersigned now has, and, except as contemplated by clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above, for the duration of this Lock-Up Agreement will have, good and marketable title to the Undersigned’s Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, and claims whatsoever. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Undersigned’s Shares except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Lock-Up Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the offering. The undersigned further understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors, and assigns.
         
 
  Very truly yours,    
 
       
 
 
 
Exact Name of Shareholder
   
 
       
 
 
 
Authorized Signature
   
 
       
 
 
 
Title
   

 

 

Exhibit C
Exhibit C
Execution Version
INVESTOR AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS INVESTOR REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of March 12, 2010, by and among:
  (1)   China Lodging Group, Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (the “Company”);
 
  (2)   Ctrip.com International, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (the “Investor”).
The parties listed above are referred to herein collectively as “Parties” and individually as a “Party.”
RECITALS
A.   The Company and the Investor have entered into a Subscription Agreement dated as of the date hereof (the “Subscription Agreement”); and
 
B.   In connection with the Subscription Agreement and in order to induce the Investor to consummate the transactions contemplated under the Subscription Agreement, the Company and the Investors have agreed to enter into this Agreement.
WITNESSETH
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises set forth above, the mutual promises and covenants set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
1. Interpretation
1.1 Definitions. The following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them below:

 

 


 

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified person, a person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified.
Applicable Securities Laws” means the securities law of the United States, including the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, and any applicable securities law of any state of the United States.
Board” or “Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.
Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, public holiday or other day on which commercial banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in the PRC, the Cayman Islands or the City of New York.
Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States or any other federal agency at the time administering the Securities Act.
Ordinary Shares” means the ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001, of the Company.
Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Existing Registration Right Holder” means any holder of Registrable Securities other than the Investor.
Form F-3” means Form F-3 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act or any successor form or substantially similar form then in effect.
Form S-3” means Form S-3 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act or any successor form or substantially similar form then in effect.
Governmental Authority” means any nation or government or any nation, province or state or any other political subdivision thereof; any entity, authority or body exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including any government authority, agency, department, board, commission or instrumentality of the PRC or any other country, or any political subdivision thereof, any court, tribunal or arbitrator, and any self-regulatory organization.
Holder” means any holder of the Registrable Securities.

 

2


 

IPO” means the Company’s underwritten registered initial public offering.
Law” means any constitutional provision, statute or other law, rule, regulation, official policy or interpretation of any Governmental Authority and any injunction, judgment, order, ruling, assessment or writ issued by any Governmental Authority.
Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, proprietorship, association, limited liability company, firm, trust, estate or other enterprise or entity.
PRC” means the People’s Republic of China, but solely for the purposes of this Agreement, excluding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan.
Registration” means a registration effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement and the declaration or ordering of the effectiveness of that Registration Statement; and the terms “Register” and “Registered” have meanings concomitant with the foregoing.
Registrable Securities” means (i) all of the Ordinary Shares acquired by the Investor, pursuant to the Subscription Agreement and the Shares Purchase Agreement.
Registration Statement” means a registration statement prepared on Form F-1, F-3, S-1 or S-3 under the Securities Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415 under the Securities Act).
Securities Act” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Shareholder Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Shareholder Agreement dated as of June 20, 2007 by and among the Company and other parties thereof, as such agreement may be amended and restated.
Shares Purchase Agreement” means the share purchase agreement dated as of the date hereof by and among the Investor and certain selling shareholders of the Company.
U.S.” means the United States of America.
1.2 Interpretation. For all purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided, (i) the terms defined in this Section 1 shall have the meanings assigned to them in this Section 1 and include the plural as well as the singular, (ii) all references in this Agreement to

 

3


 

designated “Sections” and other subdivisions are to the designated Sections and other subdivisions of the body of this Agreement, (iii) pronouns of either gender or neuter shall include, as appropriate, the other pronoun forms, (iv) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Section or other subdivision, (v) all references in this Agreement to designated schedules, exhibits and annexes are to the schedules, exhibits and annexes attached to this Agreement unless explicitly stated otherwise, (vi) “or” is not exclusive, (vii) the term “including” will be deemed to be followed by “, but not limited to,” (viii) the terms “shall,” “will,” and “agrees” are mandatory, and the term “may” is permissive, and (ix) the term “day” means “calendar day.”
2. Corporate Governance.
2.1 Board of Directors.
(i) (a) For a period of three (3) years from the closing of the Company’s initial public offering of American depositary shares on the Nasdaq Global Market and so long as the Investor, together with its affiliates as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, continues to hold at least 5% of the Company’s outstanding ordinary shares and (b) thereafter for so long as the Investor, together with its affiliates, continues to hold at least 8% of the Company’s outstanding ordinary shares: (a) the Investor shall have the right to appoint one (1) director to the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Ctrip Director”); and the Ctrip Director may only be removed or replaced by the Investor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person nominated by the Investor to serve as the Ctrip Director must be accepted by a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company, in their reasonable discretion before such nomination becomes effective.
2.2 D&O Insurance. The Company shall, as promptly as practicable and in any event prior to the completion of the IPO, purchase, and thereafter shall maintain, directors’ and officers’ insurance on terms approved by the Investor, in relation to any person who is or was a director, against any liability asserted against the person and incurred by the person in that capacity. The Memorandum and Articles shall at all times provide that the Company shall indemnify the members of the Board to the maximum extent permitted by the law of the jurisdiction in which the Company is organized.
2.3 Additional Covenants. The Company shall ensure that the rights granted hereunder are effective and that the Investor enjoys the benefits thereof. Such actions include, without limitation, to cause the nomination and election of the director as provided above and the amendment of the Company’s memorandum and articles of association.
3. Registration Rights.
3.1 Demand Registration.

 

4


 

  (a)   Request by Holders.
 
      If the Company shall, at any time or from time to time after the date that is six (6) months after the closing of the IPO, receive a written request from the Investor that the Company file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act covering the registration of at least fifty percent (50%) of the Registrable Securities held by the Investor, then the Company shall, within ten (10) Business Days of the receipt of such written request, give written notice of such request to all Existing Registration Right Holders, and use its best efforts to effect, as soon as practicable, the registration under the Securities Act of all Registrable Securities that the Holders request to be registered and included in such registration; provided that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such registration if the Company has, within the six (6) month period preceding the date of such request, already effected a registration under the Securities Act pursuant to this Section 3.1 or Section 3.3 or in which the Holders had an opportunity to participate pursuant to Section 3.2, other than a registration from which the Registrable Securities of the Investor has been excluded (with respect to all or any portion of the Registrable Securities the Investor requested be included in such registration) pursuant to Section 3.2(a). The Company shall not be obligated to effect more than three (3) such demand registrations for the Investor pursuant to this Section 3.1(a).
 
  (b)   Underwriting. If the Investor who initiates the registration request under this Section 3.1 (such Investor, the “Initiating Holder”) intends to distribute the Registrable Securities covered by its request by means of an underwriting, then it shall so advise the Company as a part of its request made pursuant to this Section 3.1(a) and the Company shall include such information in the Request Notice. In such event, the right of any Holder to include its Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting (unless otherwise mutually agreed by a majority in voting power of the Initiating Holder and other Holders) to the extent provided herein. All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting by the Holders representing a majority in voting power of the Registrable Securities requested to be registered. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 3.1, if the underwriter(s) advise(s) the Company in writing that marketing factors require a limitation of the number of securities to be underwritten, then the Company shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities which would otherwise be registered and underwritten pursuant hereto, and the number of Registrable Securities that may be included in the underwriting shall be reduced as required by the underwriter(s) and allocated among the Holders of Registrable Securities on a pro rata basis according to the number of Registrable Securities then outstanding held by each Holder requesting registration (including the Initiating Holder); provided, however, that the number of Registrable Securities held by the Investor to be

 

5


 

      included in such underwriting and registration shall not be reduced unless all other securities (other than Registrable Securities held by Existing Registration Right Holders) are first excluded from the underwriting and registration (including, without limitation, any securities which the Company may seek to include in the underwriting for its own account); provided further, that at least 25% of any Registrable Securities requested by the Investor to be included in such underwriting and registration shall be so included. If the Investor disapproves of the terms of any such underwriting, the Investor may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company and the underwriter(s), delivered at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the effective date of the registration statement. Any Registrable Securities excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be excluded and withdrawn from the registration.
 
  (c)   Deferral. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company shall furnish to the Investor requesting registration pursuant to this Section 3.1(a), a certificate signed by its Chief Executive Officer stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board, it would be materially detrimental to the Company and its shareholders for such Registration Statement to be filed at such time, then the Company shall have the right to defer such filing for a period of not more than ninety (90) days after receipt of the request of the Initiating Holder; provided, however, that the Company may not utilize this right more than once in any twelve (12) month period; provided, further, that the Company shall not register any other of its Ordinary Shares during such twelve (12) month period. A demand right shall not be deemed to have been exercised until such deferred registration shall have been effected.
3.2 Piggyback Registrations.
  (a)   The Company shall notify the Investor in writing at least thirty (30) days prior to filing any Registration Statement under the Securities Act for purposes of effecting a public offering of securities of the Company (including, but not limited to, registration statements relating to secondary offerings of securities of the Company, but excluding registration statements filed under Section 3.3 of this Agreement or relating to any employee benefit plan or a corporate reorganization), and shall afford the Investor an opportunity to include in such Registration Statement all or any part of the Registrable Securities then held by the Investor. If the Investor desires to include in any such registration statement all or any part of the Registrable Securities held by it, it shall within twenty (20) days after receipt of the above-described notice from the Company so notify the Company in writing and in such notice shall inform the Company of the number of Registrable Securities the Investor wishes to include in such registration statement. If the Investor decides not to include all of its Registrable Securities in any registration statement thereafter filed by the Company, the Investor shall nevertheless continue to have the right to include any Registrable Securities in any subsequent

 

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      registration statement or registration statements as may be filed by the Company with respect to offerings of its securities, all upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.
 
  (b)   Underwriting. If a registration statement under which the Company gives notice under this Section 3.2(a) is for an underwritten offering, then the Company shall so advise the Investor. In such event, the right of any the Investor’s Registrable Securities to be included in a registration pursuant to this Section 3.2(a) shall be conditioned upon the Investor’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of the Investor’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. If the Investor proposes to distribute its Registrable Securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting. If the managing underwriter(s) determine(s) in good faith that marketing factors require a limitation of the number of Ordinary Shares to be underwritten, then the managing underwriter(s) may exclude Ordinary Shares from the registration and the underwriting, and the number of Ordinary Shares that may be included in the registration and the underwriting shall be allocated, first, to the Company, second, to the Investor, and thereafter to the Existing Registration Right Holders according to the Shareholder Agreement. If the Investor disapproves of the terms of any such underwriting, the Investor may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company and the underwriter(s), delivered at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the effective date of the registration statement. Any Registrable Securities excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be excluded and withdrawn from the registration.
 
  (c)   Not Demand Registration. Registration pursuant to this Section 3.2 shall not be deemed to be a demand registration as described in Section 3.1 above. There shall be no limit on the number of times the Holders may request registration of Registrable Securities under this Section 3.2.
3.3 Form F-3 Registration.
  (a)   In case the Company shall receive from the Investor a written request or requests that the Company effect a registration on Form F-3 (and any related qualification or compliance) with respect to all or any part of the Registrable Securities owned by the Investor, then the Company shall promptly give written notice of the proposed registration and the Investor’s request therefor, and any related qualification or compliance, to all other Holders of Registrable Securities; and as soon as practicable, effect such registration and all such qualifications and compliances as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate the sale and distribution of such Registrable Securities of the Investor as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any other

 

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      Holders joining in such request as are specified in a written request given within twenty (20) days after the Company provides the notice contemplated above.
 
  (b)   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided above, the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such registration, qualification or compliance pursuant to this Section 3.3:
  (1)   if Form F-3 is not available for such offering by the Holders;
 
  (2)   if the aggregate anticipated price to the public of any Registrable Securities which such Holders propose to sell pursuant to such registration, together with the aggregate anticipated price to the public of any other securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such registration, is less than US$500,000 (or the equivalent thereof in other currencies);
 
  (3)   if the Company shall furnish to the Holders a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board, it would be materially detrimental to the Company and its shareholders for such Form F-3 Registration to be effected at such time, in which event the Company shall have the right to defer the filing of the Form F-3 registration statement no more than once during any twelve (12) month period for a period of not more than ninety (90) days after receipt of the request of the Investor or other Holders under this Section 3.3(a); provided, that the Company shall not register any of its other Shares during such ninety (90) day period; or
 
  (4)   if the Company has, within the six (6) month period preceding the date of such request, already effected a registration under the Securities Act other than a registration from which the Registrable Securities of Holders have been excluded (with respect to all or any portion of the Registrable Securities the Holders requested be included in such registration) pursuant to Section 3.1(b) or Section 3.2(b).
  (c)   Not Demand Registration. Form F-3 registrations shall not be deemed to be demand registrations as described in Section 3.1 above. Except as otherwise provided herein, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holders may request registration of Registrable Securities under this Section 3.3.
3.4 Expenses. All expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and selling commissions (which shall be borne by the Holders requesting Registration on a pro rata basis in proportion to their respective numbers of Registrable Securities sold in such Registration)

 

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applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement, incurred in connection with Registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to this Agreement, including (without limitation) all Registration, filing and qualification fees, printers’ and accounting fees, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and reasonable fees and disbursement of the Investor’s counsel, shall be borne by the Company. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any expenses of any Registration proceeding begun pursuant to this Agreement if the Registration request is subsequently withdrawn at the request of a majority-in-interest of the Holders requesting such Registration (in which case all participating Holders shall bear such expenses pro rata based upon the number of Registrable Securities that were to be thereby Registered in the withdrawn Registration).
3.5 Obligations of the Company. Whenever required to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under this Agreement the Company shall, as expeditiously as reasonably possible:
  (a)   Registration Statement. Prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and keep such Registration Statement effective for a period of up to 120 days or, in the case of Registrable Securities registered under Form F-3 in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act or a successor rule, until the distribution contemplated in the registration statement has been completed; provided, however, that (i) such 120 day period shall be extended for a period of time equal to the period any Holder refrains from selling any securities included in such registration at the request of the underwriter(s), and (ii) in the case of any registration of Registrable Securities on Form F-3 which are intended to be offered on a continuous or delayed basis, such 120 day period shall be extended, if necessary, to keep the registration statement effective until all such Registrable Securities are sold.
 
  (b)   Amendments and Supplements. Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection with such registration statement as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement.
 
  (c)   Prospectuses. Furnish to the Investor such number of copies of a prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other documents as they may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by them that are included in such registration.
 
  (d)   Blue Sky. Use its best efforts to register and qualify the securities covered by such registration statement under such other securities or “blue sky” laws of such

 

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      jurisdictions as shall be reasonably requested by the Investor, provided that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to qualify to do business or to file a general consent to service of process in any such states or jurisdictions, unless the Company is already subject to service in such jurisdiction and except as may be required by the Securities Act.
 
  (e)   Underwriting. In the event of any underwritten public offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement in usual and customary form, with the managing underwriter(s) of such offering. If the Investor participates in such underwriting, the Investor shall also enter into and perform its obligations under such an agreement.
 
  (f)   Notification. Notify the Investor if the Investor has Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act of (i) the issuance of any stop order by the SEC in respect of such Registration Statement, or (ii) the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing, and at the request of the Investor, prepare and furnish to the Investor a reasonable number of copies of a supplement or amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Ordinary Shares, such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or incomplete in light of the circumstances then existing.
 
  (g)   Opinion and Comfort Letter. Furnish, at the request of the Investor, on the date that such Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriter(s) for sale, if such securities are being sold through underwriters, or, if such securities are not being sold through underwriters, on the date that the registration statement with respect to such securities becomes effective, (i) opinion letters, dated as of such date, of the counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such registration, in form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public offering and reasonably satisfactory to the Investor, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and to the Investor and (ii) a “comfort” letter, dated as of such date, from the independent certified public accountants of the Company, in form and substance as is customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering and reasonably satisfactory to the Investor, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and to the Investor.

 

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  (h)   Transfer Agent and CUSIP. Provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement and held by the Investor and, where applicable, a CUSIP number for all those Registrable Securities, in each case not later than the effective date of the Registration.
 
  (i)   Further Actions. Take all reasonable action necessary to list the Registrable Securities on the primary exchange upon which the Company’s securities are traded.
3.6 Furnish Information. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to take any action pursuant to this Section 3 that the Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of such securities as shall be required to timely effect the Registration of its Registrable Securities.
3.7 Indemnification. In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a registration statement under this Section 3:
  (a)   Indemnification by the Company. To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Investor, its partners, officers, directors, legal counsel, any underwriter (as defined in the Securities Act) for the Investor and each Person, if any, who controls the Investor or underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (joint or several; or actions, proceedings or settlements in respect thereof) to which they may become subject under laws which are applicable to the Company and relate to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any registration, qualification or compliance, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions, proceedings or settlements in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any of the following statements, omissions or violations (collectively a “Violation”):
  (i)   any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in such registration statement, including any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein or any amendments or supplements thereto;
 
  (ii)   the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or

 

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  (iii)   any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Applicable Securities Law, or any rule or regulation promulgated under the Applicable Securities Law;
      and the Company shall reimburse the Investor, and its respective partners, officers, directors, legal counsel, underwriter and controlling Person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them, as such expenses are incurred, in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 3.7(a) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), nor shall the Company be liable in any such case for any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action to the extent that it arises out of or is based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished expressly for use in connection with such registration by the Investor, partner, officer, director, legal counsel, underwriter or controlling Person of such Investor.
 
  (b)   Indemnification by the Investor. To the extent permitted by law, the Investor shall, if Registrable Securities held by the Investor are included in the securities as to which such registration, qualifications or compliance is being effected, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who has signed the registration statement, each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and any underwriter, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (joint or several) to which the Company or any such director, officer, legal counsel, controlling Person underwriter may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other United States federal or state law, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereto) arise out of or are based upon any of the following statements, omissions or Violations, in each case to the extent (and only to the extent) that such statement, omission or Violation occurs in sole reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by the Investor expressly for use in connection with such registration:
  (i)   untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in such registration statement, including any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein or any amendments or supplements thereto; or
 
  (ii)   omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,

 

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      and the Investor shall reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director, officer, controlling Person or underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 3.7(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected without the consent of the Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; and provided, further, that except for liability for willful fraud or misrepresentation, in no event shall any indemnity under this Section 3.7(b) exceed the net proceeds received by the Investor in such registration.
 
  (c)   Notice. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of the commencement of any action (including any governmental action), such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the parties; provided, however, that an indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, as incurred, if representation of such indemnified party by the counsel retained by the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential conflict of interests between such indemnified party and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding.
 
  (d)   Survival; Consents to Judgments and Settlements. The obligations of the Company and Holders under this Section 3.7 shall survive the completion of any offering of Registrable Securities in a registration statement, regardless of the expiration of any statutes of limitation or extensions of such statutes. No indemnifying party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation, shall, except with the consent of each indemnified party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
3.8 No Registration Rights to Third Parties. Without the prior written consent of the Investor, the Company covenants and agrees that it shall not grant, or cause or permit to be created, for the benefit of any Person any registration rights of any kind relating to any securities of the Company that is more favorable to such third-party that those have been granted to the Investor.
3.9 Rule 144 Reporting. With a view to making available to the Investor the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the SEC which may at any time permit the sale of the

 

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Registrable Securities to the public without registration or pursuant to a registration on Form F-3, after such time as a public market exists for the Ordinary Shares, the Company agrees to:
  (a)   Make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, at all times after the effective date of the first registration under the Securities Act filed by the Company for an offering of its securities to the general public;
 
  (b)   File with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting requirements); and
 
  (c)   So long as the Investor owns any Registrable Securities, to furnish to the Investor forthwith upon request (i) a written statement by the Company as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of Rule 144 (at any time after ninety (90) days after the effective date of the Company’s initial public offering), the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting requirements), or its qualification as a registrant whose securities may be resold pursuant to Form F-3 (at any time after it so qualifies), (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and (iii) such other reports and documents of the Company as the Investor may reasonably request in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the SEC that permits the selling of any such securities without registration or pursuant to Form F-3.
3.10 Termination. The Company shall have no obligations to register any Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by the Investor if, in the written opinion of counsel to the Company (with such opinion to be addressed to the Investor), all such Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by the Investor may then be freely sold without registration and without restriction (including, volume limitations) pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
4. Miscellaneous.
4.1 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the Laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of law thereunder.
4.2 Dispute Resolution.
(a) Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including any question regarding its existence, validity or termination (“Dispute”) shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the

 

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Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Administered Arbitration Rules then in force. There shall be three arbitrators. The language to be used in the arbitration proceedings shall be English. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any immunity to jurisdiction to which it may be entitled or become entitled (including without limitation sovereign immunity, immunity to pre-award attachment, post-award attachment or otherwise) in any arbitration proceedings and/or enforcement proceedings against it arising out of or based on this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
4.3 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Facsimile and e-mailed copies of signatures shall be deemed to be originals for purposes of the effectiveness of this Agreement.
4.4 Notices. Any notice required or permitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in writing and shall be given either personally or by sending it by next-day or second-day courier service, fax, electronic mail or similar means to such Party. Where a notice is sent by next-day or second-day courier service, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and sending by next-day or second-day service through an internationally-recognized courier a letter containing the notice, with a confirmation of delivery, and to have been effected at the expiration of two days after the letter containing the same is sent as aforesaid. Where a notice is sent by fax or electronic mail, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, and sending such notice through a transmitting organization, with a written confirmation of delivery, and to have been effected on the day the same is sent as aforesaid.
4.5 Headings and Titles. Headings and titles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
4.6 Expenses. If any action at law or in equity is necessary to enforce or interpret the terms of this Agreement, the prevailing Party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and necessary disbursements in addition to any other relief to which such Party may be entitled.
4.7 Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement (including any Schedules or Exhibits hereto) constitutes the full and entire understanding and agreement among the Parties with regard to the subjects hereof and thereof, and supersedes all other agreements between or among any of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively) only with the written consent of both Parties.
4.8 Severability. If a provision of this Agreement is held to be unenforceable under applicable Laws, such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement and the remainder of the

 

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Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were so excluded and shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.
4.9 Further Assurances. The Parties agree to execute such further instruments and to take such further action as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the intent of this Agreement.
4.10 Rights Cumulative. Each and all of the various rights, powers and remedies of a Party hereto will be considered to be cumulative with and in addition to any other rights, powers and remedies which such Party may have at law or in equity in the event of the breach of any of the terms of this Agreement. The exercise or partial exercise of any right, power or remedy will neither constitute the exclusive election thereof nor the waiver of any other right, power or remedy available to such Party.
4.11 No Waiver. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants, or conditions hereof will not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant, or condition, nor will any waiver or relinquishment of, or failure to insist upon strict compliance with, any right, power or remedy power hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right, power or remedy at any other time or times.
4.12 No Presumption. The Parties acknowledge that any applicable Law that would require interpretation of any claimed ambiguities in this Agreement against the Party that drafted it has no application and is expressly waived. If any claim is made by a Party relating to any conflict, omission or ambiguity in the provisions of this Agreement, no presumption or burden of proof or persuasion will be implied because this Agreement was prepared by or at the request of any Party or its counsel.
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
         
  CHINA LODGING GROUP, LIMITED
 
 
  By:   /s/ Min (Jenny) Zhang    
    Name:   Min (Jenny) Zhang   
    Title:   Chief Financial Officer   
[Signature page to the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
         
  CTRIP.COM INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
 
 
  By:   /s/ Min Fan    
    Name:   Min Fan   
    Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President   
[Signature page to the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement]

 

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