(Promulgated by Decree
No.189 of the State Council on December 25, 1995)
Article 1 With a view
to standardizing the issuance and transaction of domestically listed shares held overseas
of companies limited by shares, and protecting legal rights and interests of the
investors, the following regulations are formulated in accordance with related
stipulations in the Company Law of the People?/FONT>s Republic of China (hereinafter
referred to as ?/FONT>the Company Law?/FONT>).
Article 2 Subject to
approval of the Securities Committee of the State Council, a company limited by shares
(hereinafter referred to as ?/FONT>a Company?/FONT>) may issue domestically-listed
shares to be held overseas; however, when the total face value of the issuance of such a
nature exceeds US$30 million, the Securities Committee shall report to the State Council
for approval.
Domestically-listed shares
held overseas as indicated in the preceding paragraph, refer to issuance of
domestically-listed shares when a Company is established by means of share placement, or
when a Company increases its capital.
The total value of the
issuance of domestically-listed shares held overseas, to be approved by the Securities
Committee of the State Council, shall be within the scale defined by the State.
Article 3 Domestically-listed
shares held overseas issued by a Company shall take the form of registered share
certificates, the face value to be denominated in Renminbi (Chinese Yuan), which are
subscribed and traded in foreign currencies, and listed on domestic securities exchanges.
The Company which issues
domestically-listed shares held overseas shall issue shares to domestic investors
(hereinafter referred to as ?/FONT>A-shares?/FONT>), if any, in the form of
registered share certificates.
Article 4 Investors in
domestically-listed shares held overseas are limited to:
(1) Natural persons, legal
persons and other organizations of foreign countries;
(2) Natural persons, legal
persons and other organizations in Hongkong, Macao and Taiwan in China;
(3) Chinese citizens with
permanent residence permits in foreign countries; or
(4) Other investors in
domestically-listed shares defined by the Securities Committee of the State Council.
For the purpose of
subscription or transaction of domestically-listed shares held overseas, such investor
shall present valid identity and qualification documents.
Article 5 Holders of
domestically-listed shares held overseas shall enjoy rights and perform obligations
equivalent to the rights and obligations of holders of A-shares, as provided in the
Company Law.
The Company may incorporate
specific provisions in its Articles of Association on matters concerning the rights and
obligations of shareholders.
Article 6 The Articles
of Association of the Company is binding on the Company, its shareholders, directors,
supervisors, managers and other senior management personnel.
The directors, supervisors,
managers and other senior management personnel of the Company are obliged to act in good
faith and with diligence for the Company.
Other senior management
personnel as indicated in the first and second paragraphs of this article refer to chief
financial officers, secretaries of the board of directors and other persons specified by
the Articles of Association of the Company.
Article 7 The
Securities Committee of the State Council and its executive organ for supervision and
regulation, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (hereinafter referred to as the
?/FONT>CSRC?/FONT>), shall exercise regulation and supervision over the issuance and
transaction of domestically-listed shares held overseas, and other related activities in
accordance with law and administrative regulations.
Article 8 Issuance of
domestically-listed shares held overseas when a Company is established by means of share
placement shall satisfy the following conditions:
(1) The share capital shall be
used in line with industrial policies of the State;
(2) The placement shall
conform to State regulations concerning investment in and establishment of fixed assets
projects;
(3) The placement shall
conform to State regulations concerning foreign investment utilization;
(4) The total value of shares
subscribed by the promoters shall be no less than 35% of the total value of issuance;
(5) Investment by the
promoters shall be no less than RMB 150 million yuan;
(6) The amount of shares for
public offer shall be more than 25% of the total amount of shares of the Company; or more
than 15% of the total if the total share capital exceeds RMB 400 million yuan;
(7) The existing enterprise
which is reorganized to form the Company, or the State enterprise which is the major
promotor of the Company, shall have no record of serious law violation for the past 3
years;
(8) The existing enterprise
which is reorganized to form the Company, or the State enterprise which is the major
promoter of the Company, shall have registered profits for the past 3 years running; and
(9) Other requirements of the
Securities Committee of the State Council.
Article 9 When a
Company applies for issuance of domestically-listed shares held overseas for capital
increase, the following conditions shall be satisfied other than those provided in
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of Article 8 of these Regulations:
(1) Shares issued by the
Company in its latest public offer have been fully subscribed; the share capital has been
used in line with the objective set for the placement; and the capital in operation has
generated good returns;
(2) Net assets value of the
Company is no less than RMB 150 million yuan;
(3) The Company has no record
of serious law violation since the last issuance to the time of the current application;
(4) The Company has registered
profits for the past 3 years running, to be counted on a continuous basis if the Company
was resulted from reorganization of an existing enterprise, or if a State enterprise is
major promoter for the Company; and
(5) Other requirements of the
Securities Committee of the State Council.
A Company established by
promotion shall meet requirements provided in paragraph (6) of Article 8 of these
Regulations when it applies for issuance of domestically-listed shares held overseas for
its initial capital increase.
Article 10 Issuance of
domestically-listed shares held overseas shall follow such application procedures:
(1) The promoters or the
Company shall submit the application to People?/FONT>s Government at the level of
provinces, autonomous regions, or cities directly under the Central Government, or to
competent enterprise management authorities under the State Council, who shall in turn
recommend the application to the Securities Committee of the State Council;
(2) The Securities Committee
of the State Council shall consult related departments under the State Council to select
the Companies eligible for issuance of domestically-listed shares held overseas;
(3) The selected Companies
then present documents to CSRC for examination as provided in Article 11 and Article 12;
(4) the Companies found to be
qualified by the examination by CSRC may only issue domestically-listed shares held
overseas upon approval by the securities Committee of the State Council, or upon approval
by the State Council as provided in paragraph 1 of Article 2 of These Regulations.
Article 11 When a
Company is established by means of share placement, it shall submit the following
documents to the CSRC for application for issuance of domestically-listed shares held
overseas:
(1) Application report;
(2) Names or titles of the
promoters, the amount of shares subscribed by the promoters, types of their investment and
certificate of investment verification;
(3) Resolution passed at the
meeting of promoters giving consent to public offer of domestically-listed shares held
overseas;
(4) Written approval for
esbtalishment of the Company by departments authorized by the State Council, or
People?/FONT>s Government at the level of provinces, autonomous regions or cities
directly under the Central Government;
(5) Written recommendation by
the competent enterprise management authorities under the State Council, or
People?/FONT>s Government at the level of provinces, autonomous regions or cities
directly under the Central Government;
(6) Notice of Pre-Examination
of the Name of Enterprise issued by registration authorities;
(7) Draft Articles of
Association;
(8) Prospectus;
(9) Feasibility study for the
use of share capital; and written approval for the establishment of fixed assets project
given by related departments if the share capital will be used in a fixed assets project
to approval;
(10) Financial statements for
the past 3 years of the existing enterprise or of the state enterprise who is the major
promoter of the Company, audited by Certified Accountants and their firm; and auditing
report signed and sealed by more than two Certified Accountants and their firm;
(11) Assets Appraisal Report
signed and sealed by more than two professional appraisers; written confirmation by
authorities in charge of State assets, and written approval concerning State equity where
State assets are involved;
(12) Legal Comments signed and
sealed by more than two lawyers and their firm;
(13) Underwriting plan and
underwriting agreement for share placement; and
(14) Other documents required
by CSRC.
Article 12 The Company
shall submit the following documents to the CSRC while applying for issuance of
domestically-listed shares held overseas to increase the share capital:
(1) Application report;
(2) Resolution passed at the
shareholders?/FONT> meeting giving consent to public offer of domestically-listed
shares held overseas;
(3) Written approval for a new
issuance by departments authorized by the State Council, or the People?/FONT>s
Government at the level of provinces, autonomous regions or cities directly under the
Central Government.
(4) Written recommendation by
competent authorities under the State Council, or the People?/FONT>s Government at the
level of provinces, autonomous regions or cities directly under the Central Government;
(5) Business license of the
Company issued by registration authorities;
(6) Articles of Association of
the Company;
(7) Prospectus;
(8) Feasibility study for the
use of the share capital; and written approval for the establishment of a fixed assets
project by related departments if the share capital will be used for a fixed assets
project subject to approval;
(9) Financial statements of
the Company for the past three years audited by Certified Accountants and their firm and
auditing report signed and sealed by more than two Certified Accountants and their firm.
(10) Legal Comments signed and
sealed by more than two lawyers on related legal matters;
(11) Underwriting plan and
underwriting agreement for the share placement; and
(12) Other documents required
by CSRC.
Article 13 The interval
between the issuance of domestically-listed shares held overseas and issuance of A-shares
by the Company may be less than twelve months.
Article 14 The Company
shall engage Certified Accountants and their firm in accordance with State requirements to
carry out auditing or review of its financial statements.
Article 15 The Company
shall carry out accounting procedures and make out financial statements in accordance with
related State regulations.
The Company shall provide
explanations for adjustments in its financial statement disclosed to investors in its
domestically-listed shares held overseas according to accounting rules of other countries
or territories;
Article 16 A Company
which issues domestically-listed shares held overseas shall disclose information to the
public according to law, and stipulate details of the place and means of such disclosure
in its Articles of Association.
Article 17 Written
information disclosed by a Company which issues domestically-listed shares held overseas
shall be produced in Chinese; where a foreign translation is required, a text in a
universal foreign language shall be provided. Where the Chinese text disagrees with texts
in foreign languages, the Chinese text shall prevail.
Article 18 A Company
which issues domestically-listed shares held overseas shall authorize domestic securities
brokerages established upon the approval by the People?/FONT>s Bank of China and
approbation by the CSRC to the major underwriters one of the major underwriters.
Article 19 A Company
which issues domestically-listed shares held overseas shall open foreign exchange accounts
with domestic banks authorized for foreign exchange operation, in accordance with related
State regulations on foreign exchange control.
Major underwriters for the
domestically-listed shares held overseas shall credit the amount of collected share
capital to the foreign exchange account of the issuing company within the period specified
in the underwriting agreement.
Article 20 Transactions
of domestically-listed shares held overseas through agent shall be handled by securities
brokerages established upon the approval of the People?/FONT>s Bank of China and
approbation of the CSRC.
Article 21 The holder
of domestically-listed shares held overseas may authorize agents to exercise his rights;
and the agents shall provide valid documents of authorization when acting on behalf of the
shareholder.
Article 22 The equity
holder of domestically-listed shares held overseas may register the shares in the name of
a nominal holder.
The equity holder of
domestically-listed shares held overseas shall disclose information about the change of
holder according to law.
Article 23 Transaction,
retention, liquidation and settlement, transfer and registration of domestically-listed
shares held overseas shall be carried out in conformity with laws, regulations and related
stipulations by the CSRC.
Article 24 Subject to
approval by the State Council, domestically-listed shares held overseas and its derivative
forms may be circulated and transferred outside China.
Derivative forms as indicated
in the preceding paragraph refer to subscription certificate and over-seas share deposit
receipt.
Article 25 The company
shall calculate and declare the dividends and other payment to holders of
domestically-listed shares held overseas in Renminbi (Chinese Yuan), and make the payment
in foreign currencies. Management of the share capital in foreign currencies, payment of
dividends and other items in foreign currencies shall be carried out in accordance with
State regulations concerning foreign exchange control.
Where the Articles of
Association stipulate exchange and payment through other agents, the exchange and payment
to shareholders may be conducted according to the Articles of Association.
Article 26 Dividends
and other income from the domestically-listed shares held overseas may be remitted out of
China after tax payment according to law.
Article 27 The
Securities Committee of the State Council may enact detailed implementing rules for these
Regulations.
Article 28 These
Regulations shall enter into force on the day of its promulgation. With its promulgation,
the Rules for Special Renminbi Shares of Shanghai City, promulgated by Shanghai Municipal
People?/FONT>s Government on November 22, 1991, and the Rules for Special Renminbi
Shares of Shenzhen City, promulgated by Shenzhen Municipal People?/FONT>s Government on
December 5, 1991, are nullified on the same date.
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