As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 6, 2025
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Mingteng International Corporation Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands | 3442 | Not Applicable | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(IRS. Employer Identification Number) |
Lvhua Village, Luoshe Town,
Huishan District, Wuxi,
Jiangsu Province, China 214189
+86 0510-83318500
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Cogency Global Inc.
122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10168
800-221-0102
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
William S. Rosenstadt, Esq.
Mengyi “Jason” Ye, Esq.
Yarona L. Yieh, Esq.
Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP
366 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10017
Telephone: +1-212-588-0022
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement as determined by the registrant.
If only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with US GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
† | The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012. |
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell the securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and we are not soliciting any offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted. |
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | SUBJECT TO COMPLETION | DATED JUNE 6, 2025 |
Mingteng International Corporation Inc.
$100,000,000
Ordinary Shares
Share Purchase Contracts
Share Purchase Units
Warrants
Debt Securities
Rights
Units
We may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings, ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 par value per share (the “Ordinary Shares”) of Mingteng International Corporation Inc, share purchase contracts, share purchase units, warrants, debt securities, rights or units, which we collectively refer to as the “securities”. The aggregate initial offering price of the securities that we may offer and sell under this prospectus will not exceed $100,000,000.
We may offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in different series, at times, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined at, or prior to, the time of each offering. This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which these securities will be offered. We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. The prospectus supplements will also describe the specific manner in which these securities will be offered and may also supplement, update or amend information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement before you invest.
We may offer and sell the securities from time to time at fixed prices, at market prices, or at negotiated prices, to or through underwriters, to other purchasers, through agents, or through a combination of these methods. If any underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The offering price of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement. See “Plan of Distribution” elsewhere in this prospectus for a more complete description of the ways in which the securities may be sold.
The aggregate market value of our outstanding Ordinary Shares held by non-affiliates or public float, as of the date of this prospectus, was approximately $33,368,328, which was calculated based on 2,739,600 Ordinary Shares held by non-affiliates and the per share price of $12.18, which was the closing price of our Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq on June 3, 2025. Pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5. of Form F-3, in no event will we sell the securities covered hereby in a public primary offering with a value exceeding more than one-third of the aggregate market value of our ordinary shares in any 12-month period so long as the aggregate market value of our voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates remains below $75,000,000. During the 12 calendar months prior to and including the date of this prospectus, we have not offered or sold any securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5 of Form F-3.
Any proceeds from the sale of Ordinary Shares offered by us will be available for our immediate use, despite uncertainty about whether we would be able to use such funds to effectively implement our business plan. See “Risk Factors” starting from page 16 for more information.
Our Ordinary Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “MTEN.” On June 3, 2025, the closing price of our ordinary shares as reported by the Nasdaq Capital Market was $12.18. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to other listings, if any, on the Nasdaq Capital Market or other securities exchange of the securities covered by the prospectus supplement. We may experience price volatility in our stock. See “Risk Factors – Risks Relating to Our Ordinary Shares - The trading price of our Ordinary Shares is likely to be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.”
Unless otherwise specified in an applicable prospectus supplement, our share purchase contracts, share purchase units, warrants, debt securities, rights and units will not be listed on any securities or stock exchange or on any automated dealer quotation system.
Throughout this prospectus, unless the context indicates otherwise, any references to “Mingteng International” are to Mingteng International Corporation Inc., a Cayman Islands holding company, and any references to “we,” “us,” “our Company,” “the Company,” and “our” are to Mingteng International and its subsidiaries. References to “PRC Subsidiaries” refer to Mingteng International’s subsidiaries established under the laws of the People’s Republic of China, “the PRC” or “China.”
Investors are cautioned that you are not buying shares of a China-based operating company but instead are buying shares of a Cayman Islands holding company with operations conducted by our subsidiaries based in China and that this structure involves unique risks to investors.
This is an offering of the Ordinary Shares of the Cayman Islands holding company. We conduct all of our business in China through the PRC subsidiaries, in particular, Wuxi Mingteng Mould Technology Co., Ltd., or Wuxi Mingteng Mould. You will not and may never have direct ownership in the operating entity based in China.
Investing in our Ordinary Shares involves a high degree of risk. Before buying any Ordinary Shares, you should carefully read the discussion of material risks of investing in our Ordinary Shares in “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus and as set forth in our 2024 Annual Report, in other reports incorporated herein by reference, and in the applicable prospectus supplement before you make your investment decision.
Mingteng International is a Cayman Islands holding company and does not conduct any operations of its own. It conducts all of its operations in China through the PRC Subsidiaries, in particular, Wuxi Mingteng Mould. Mingteng International controls the PRC Subsidiaries through equity ownership and does not use a variable interest entity structure. Due to our corporate structure, there are unique risks to investors. Furthermore, Chinese regulatory authorities could change the rules and regulations regarding foreign ownership in the industry in which we operate, which would likely result in a material change in our operations or a material decrease in or elimination of the value of our Ordinary Shares. Investors should be aware that they will not directly hold equity interests in our PRC Subsidiaries, but rather only in Mingteng International, the holding company.
Because our operations are all located in the PRC through our PRC Subsidiaries, we are subject to certain legal and operational risks associated with our operations in China, including changes in the legal, political and economic policies of the Chinese government, the relations between China and the United States, or Chinese or United States regulations may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. PRC laws and regulations governing our current business operations are sometimes vague and uncertain, and therefore, these risks may result in a material change in our operations and the value of our Ordinary Shares, or could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless. Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business operations in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. As confirmed by our PRC counsel, Jiangsu Junjin Law Firm, we are not subject to cybersecurity review with the Cyberspace Administration of China, or the “CAC,” after the Cybersecurity Review Measures became effective on February 15, 2022, since we currently do not have over one million users’ personal information and do not anticipate that we will be collecting over one million users’ personal information in the foreseeable future, which we understand might otherwise subject us to the Cybersecurity Review Measures; we are also not subject to network data security review by the CAC if the Draft Regulations on the Network Data Security Administration are enacted as proposed, since we currently do not have over one million users’ personal information and do not collect data that affects or may affect national security and we do not anticipate that we will be collecting over one million users’ personal information or data that affects or may affect national security in the foreseeable future, which we understand might otherwise subject us to the Network Data Security Administration Draft. See “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - We may become subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the PRC regarding privacy, data security, cybersecurity, and data protection. We may be liable for improper use or appropriation of personal information.”
On February 17, 2023, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, announced the Circular on the Administrative Arrangements for Filing of Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Circular, and released a set of new regulations which consists of the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and five supporting guidelines. On the same date, the CSRC also released the Notice on the Arrangements for the Filing Management of Overseas Listing of Domestic Companies, or the Notice. The Trial Measures came into effect on March 31, 2023. The Trial Measures refine the regulatory system by subjecting both direct and indirect overseas offering and listing activities to the CSRC filing-based administration. Requirements for filing entities, time points and procedures are specified. A PRC domestic company that seeks to offer and list securities in overseas markets shall fulfill the filing procedure with the CSRC per the requirements of the Trial Measures. Where a PRC domestic company seeks to indirectly offer and list securities in overseas markets, the issuer shall designate a major domestic operating entity, which shall, as the domestic responsible entity, file with the CSRC. The Trial Measures also lay out requirements for the reporting of material events. We are required to submit a filing with the CSRC within three business days after the completion of an offering made pursuant to this prospectus and may be subject to the filing requirements under the Overseas Listing Trial Measures for our future offerings and listing of our securities in an overseas market under the Overseas Listing Trial Measures. On September 25, 2023, we received approval from the CSRC regarding our completion of the required filing procedures for our initial public offering, which was completed on April 22, 2024. As of the date of this prospectus, we and our PRC Subsidiaries have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions regarding our overseas continued offering from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities.
On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with the China’s Ministry of Finance (the “MOF”), National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China, revised the Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration for Overseas Securities Offering and Listing, which were issued by the CSRC and National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China in 2009, or the “Provisions.” The revised Provisions were issued under the title the “Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies,” and became effective on March 31, 2023 together with the Trial Measures. One of the major revisions to the revised Provisions is expanding their application to cover indirect overseas offering and listing, as is consistent with the Trial Measures. The revised Provisions require that, among other things, (a) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals or entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any documents and materials that contain state secrets or working secrets of government agencies, shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy administrative department at the same level; and (b) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals and entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any other documents and materials that, if leaked, will be detrimental to national security or public interest, shall strictly fulfill relevant procedures stipulated by applicable national regulations. As of the date of this prospectus, the revised Provisions have come into effect. Any failure or perceived failure by our Company or our subsidiaries to comply with the above confidentiality and archives administration requirements under the revised Provisions and other PRC laws and regulations may result in the relevant entities being held legally liable by competent authorities and referred to the judicial organ to be investigated for criminal liability if suspected of committing a crime.
As there are still uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of such regulatory guidance, we cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with new regulatory requirements relating to our future overseas capital-raising activities and we may become subject to more stringent requirements with respect to matters such as cross-border investigation, data privacy, and enforcement of legal claims. See “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.”
Notwithstanding the foregoing, as of the date of this prospectus, we are not aware of any PRC laws or regulations in effect requiring that we obtain permission from any PRC authorities to continue issuing securities to foreign investors, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction, or any regulatory objection to this offering from the CSRC, the CAC, or any other PRC authorities that have jurisdiction over our operations. In other words, although the Company is currently not required to obtain permission or approval from the PRC government to obtain such permission and has not received any denial to continue listing on the U.S. exchange, our operations could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly; our ability to offer, or continue to offer, securities to investors would be potentially hindered and the value of our securities might significantly decline or be worthless, by existing or future laws and regulations relating to its business or industry or by intervene or interruption by PRC governmental authorities, if we or our subsidiaries (i) do not receive or maintain such permissions or approvals, (ii) inadvertently conclude that such permissions or approvals are not required, (iii) applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, or (iv) any intervention or interruption by PRC governmental with little advance notice.
Pursuant to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCAA, if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, is unable to inspect an issuer’s auditors for three consecutive years, the issuer’s securities are prohibited to trade on a U.S. stock exchange. On June 22, 2021, United States Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which was signed into law on December 29, 2022, amending the HFCAA and requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchange if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three consecutive years. The PCAOB issued a Determination Report on December 16, 2021 which found that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in: (1) mainland China of the People’s Republic of China because of a position taken by one or more authorities in mainland China; and (2) Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region and dependency of the PRC, because of a position taken by one or more authorities in Hong Kong. Furthermore, the PCAOB’s report identified the specific registered public accounting firms which are subject to these determinations. On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol (the “SOP”) Agreement with the MOF. The SOP, together with two protocol agreements governing inspections and investigations (together, the “SOP Agreements”), establishes a specific, accountable framework to make possible complete inspections and investigations by the PCAOB of audit firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong, as required under U.S. law. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB determined that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate its previous determinations to the contrary. However, if PRC authorities obstruct or otherwise fail to facilitate the PCAOB’s access in the future, the PCAOB will consider the need to issue a new determination. While neither our former auditor, Wei, Wei & Co., LLP (“Wei, Wei & Co.”), nor our current auditor, HTL International, LLC (“HTL”), is subject to the determinations as to inability to inspect or investigate completely as announced by the PCAOB on December 16, 2021, as they are not on the list published by the PCAOB, in the event it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate Wei, Wei & Co. or HTL completely because of a position taken by an authority in a foreign jurisdiction, then such lack of inspection could cause trading of the Company’s securities in the United States to be prohibited under the HFCAA, and ultimately result in a determination by a securities exchange to delist the Company’s securities. The delisting of our Ordinary Shares, or the threat of being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment, even making it worthless. See “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - Our Ordinary Shares may be prohibited from being traded on a national exchange under the HFCAA if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) is unable to inspect our former and current auditors for two instead of three consecutive years beginning in 2021. The delisting of our Ordinary Shares, or the threat of being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.”
We currently have not maintained any cash management policies that dictate the purpose, amount and procedure of cash transfers between Mingteng International, our PRC Subsidiaries, or investors. Rather, the funds can be transferred in accordance with the applicable PRC laws and regulations. To the extent cash or assets in the business are in the PRC or Hong Kong or a PRC or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets. See “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - To the extent cash or assets in the business are in the PRC or Hong Kong or a PRC or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets.”
Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payment of current account items, such as profit distributions and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or the SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. Therefore, our PRC Subsidiaries are able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us without prior approval from SAFE, subject to the condition that the remittance of such dividends outside of the PRC complies with certain procedures under PRC foreign exchange regulations, such as the overseas investment registrations by our shareholders or the ultimate shareholders of our corporate shareholders who are PRC residents. Approval from, or registration with, appropriate government authorities is, however, required where the RMB is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. The PRC government may also at its discretion restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account transactions. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends to Mingteng International only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. As of the date of this prospectus, there are no restrictions or limitations imposed by the Hong Kong government on the transfer of capital within, into and out of Hong Kong (including funds from Hong Kong to the PRC), except for the transfer of funds involving money laundering and criminal activities. Cayman Islands law prescribes that a company may only pay dividends out of its profits or share premium, and that a company may only pay dividends if, immediately following the date on which the dividend is paid, the company remains able to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. Other than that, there are no restrictions on Mingteng International’s ability to transfer cash to investors. See “Prospectus Summary - Transfers of Cash to and from Our Subsidiaries,” “Prospectus Summary - Summary of Risk Factors,” and “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - To the extent cash or assets in the business are in the PRC or Hong Kong or a PRC or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets,” and “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - Mingteng International is a holding company and will rely on dividends paid by our PRC Subsidiaries for our cash needs. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to make dividend payments to us, or any tax implications of making dividend payments to us, could limit our ability to pay our parent company expenses or pay dividends to holders of our Ordinary Shares.”
As a holding company, we may rely on dividends and other distributions of equity paid by our subsidiaries in the PRC, for our cash and financing requirements. If any of our PRC Subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us. Mingteng International is permitted under the laws of the Cayman Islands to provide funding to our subsidiary incorporated in Hong Kong through loans or capital contributions without restrictions on the amount of the funds. Our subsidiaries are permitted under the respective laws of Hong Kong to provide funding to Mingteng International through dividend distribution without restrictions on the amount of the funds. There are no restrictions on dividend transfers from Hong Kong to the Cayman Islands. Current PRC regulations permit Wuxi Ningteng Intelligent Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (“Ningteng WFOE”) to pay dividends to Mingteng International only out of its accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. The transfer of funds among companies is subject to the Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in the Trial of Private Lending Cases (2020 Revision, the “Provisions on Private Lending Cases”), which was implemented on August 20, 2020 to regulate the financing activities between natural persons, legal persons and unincorporated organizations. As advised by our PRC counsel, Jiangsu Junjin Law Firm, the Provisions on Private Lending Cases does not prohibit using cash generated from one subsidiary to fund another subsidiary’s operations. We have not been notified of any other restriction which could limit our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash between PRC Subsidiaries. On September 30, 2022, Mingteng International declared cash dividends of RMB 2.5 million (approximately $0.35 million) to our shareholders which were paid by Wuxi Mingteng Mould in December 2022. Besides this dividend, we have not made any dividends or distributions to investors in order to retain more cash flow to expand business. And no investors have made transfers, dividends, or distributions to Mingteng International or its subsidiaries. Also, as of the date of this prospectus, no cash generated from one subsidiary is used to fund another subsidiary’s operations and we do not anticipate any difficulties or limitations on our ability to transfer cash between subsidiaries. See “Prospectus Summary - Transfers of Cash to and from Our Subsidiaries” on page 7 and “Consolidated Financial Statements” incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
We are an “emerging growth company” under the federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. See “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company” on page 12 for additional information.
This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement. The information contained or incorporated in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, or such prospectus supplement, as applicable, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of our securities.
Investing in our securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully read and consider the “Risk Factors’’ section of this prospectus, and risk factors set forth in our 2024 Annual Report, in other reports incorporated herein by reference, and in the applicable prospectus supplement before you make your investment decision.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus dated June 6, 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any person to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the date on the front of those documents only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
i
This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to an aggregate offering price of $100,000,000.
Each time we sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the securities being offered and the specific terms of that offering. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the prospectus supplement.
We may offer and sell securities to, or through, underwriting syndicates or dealers, through agents or directly to purchasers.
The prospectus supplement for each offering of securities will describe in detail the plan of distribution for that offering.
In connection with any offering of securities (unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement), the underwriters or agents may over-allot or effect transactions which stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities offered at a higher level than that which might exist in the open market. Such transactions, if commenced, may be interrupted or discontinued at any time. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Please carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the documents incorporated herein by reference under “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” and the additional information described below under “Where You Can Get More Information.”
Prospective investors should be aware that the acquisition of the securities described herein may have tax consequences. You should read the tax discussion contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and consult your tax advisor with respect to your own particular circumstances.
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. The distribution or possession of this prospectus in or from certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or where the person making the offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is not permitted to make such offer or sale. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus and any information incorporated by reference is accurate as of the date of the applicable document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of the securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
ii
SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this prospectus other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, our business strategy and plans, and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the factors described under the section titled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference herein and under a similar heading in any applicable prospectus supplement. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this prospectus may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.
You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this prospectus or to conform these statements to actual results or revised expectations.
iii
This summary highlights information contained in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information you should consider in making your investment decision. You should read the entire prospectus carefully before making an investment in our Ordinary Shares. You should carefully consider, among other things, our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the annual report on Form 20-F we filed with the SEC on April 30, 2025 (the “2024 Annual Report”)
Prospectus Conventions
● | “China” or the “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China. | |
● | “Ordinary Shares” refers to ordinary shares of Mingteng International with par value $0.00001 per share. | |
● | “RMB” refers to Renminbi, the legal currency of the PRC. | |
● | “U.S. dollars,” “$” and “USD” refers to the legal currency of the United States. | |
● | “Mingteng HK” refers to Mingteng International Hong Kong Group Limited, an entity incorporated under the laws and regulations in Hong Kong and a wholly owned subsidiary of Mingteng International. | |
● | “Ningteng WFOE” refers to Wuxi Ningteng Intelligent Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a limited liability company organized under the laws of the PRC and a wholly owned subsidiary of Mingteng HK. | |
● | “WFOE” refers to a wholly foreign-owned enterprise. | |
● | “Wuxi Mingteng Mould” refers to Wuxi Mingteng Mould Technology Co., Ltd., a limited liability company organized under the laws of the PRC and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ningteng WFOE. |
This prospectus contains translations of certain RMB amounts into US dollar amounts at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. All reference to “US dollars”, “USD”, “US$” or “$” are to United States dollars. The relevant exchange rates are listed below:
As of December 31, | ||||||||||||
2024 | 2023 | 2022 | ||||||||||
Period-end RMB: US$1 exchange rate | 7.1884 | 7.0827 | 6.9646 | |||||||||
Period-average RMB: US$1 exchange rate | 7.1217 | 7.0467 | 6.7261 |
We have relied on statistics provided by a variety of publicly available sources regarding China’s expectations of growth. We did not directly or indirectly sponsor or participate in the publication of such materials, and these materials are not incorporated in this prospectus other than to the extent specifically cited in this prospectus. We have sought to provide current information in this prospectus and believe that the statistics provided in this prospectus remain up-to-date and reliable, and these materials are not incorporated in this prospectus other than to the extent specifically cited in this prospectus.
1
Overview
We are an automotive mold developer and supplier in China. We are committed to providing customers with comprehensive and personalized mold services, covering mold design and development, mold production, assembly, testing, repair and after-sales service.
We provide a wide variety of products. Our main products are casting molds for turbocharger systems, braking systems, steering and differential system, and other automotive system parts. Besides, we also produce molds for new energy electric vehicle motor drive systems, battery pack systems, and engineering hydraulic components, which are widely used in automobile, construction machinery and other manufacturing industries.
Our production plant is located in Wuxi, China. We use technologically advanced procedures and equipment to produce molds. We use a mold manufacturing processing center, which allocates different machines to manufacture according to the size of the mold and the shape of the accessories. Our mold development and production process are supported by our research and development (“R&D”) team (including experts such as foundry technologists and mold designers), using advanced Computer Aided Design (“CAD”), Computer Aided Manufacturing (“CAM”) and software technologies to analyze feasibility and validity of mold designs and specifications. Our quality and capability have obtained the 2019 Jiangsu High-tech Enterprise Certification and ISO9001:2015 certification.
In order to improve our technical level and service quality, we are committed to developing and producing molds through technological innovation. We believe that the design and quality of our molds are extremely important to the accuracy and efficiency of our customers’ manufacturing processes. Our existing technical team consists of 31 people, all with professional knowledge in casting, machining, and automation. They analyze customers’ casting and processing technology, and propose solutions and improvement suggestions to customers to enhance the efficiency and safety of their products. In addition, we believe our research and patents in the field of automotive casting molds have earned us recognition from our customers, and we have registered 21 authorized utility model and invention patents in China.
We are a supplier to leading major customers in the automobile parts manufacturing industry and have established long-term business relationships with them, most of whom have more than 5 years of business relationship with us. Our customers include three Chinese listed companies: Kehua Holdings Co., Ltd. (ticker: 603161), Wuxi Lihu Corporation Limited (ticker: 300694), and Wuxi Best Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. (ticker: 300580). Our close relationships with these major customers demonstrate our strengths in technical capabilities, service reputation and product quality.
The revenue derived from customized mold production accounted for 67.9%, 80.7% and 82% of our total revenue for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The revenue derived from mold repair accounted for 10.9%, 13.2% and 14.2% of our total revenue for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The revenue derived from machining services accounted for 21.2%, 6.1% and 3.8% of our total revenue for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
2
Recent Development
On April 22, 2024, the Company completed its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Capital Market. In this offering, 1,050,000 Ordinary Shares were issued at a price of $4.00 per share. The gross proceeds received from the initial public offering totaled $4.2 million. After deducting underwriting discounts and the offering expenses the Company received net proceeds of $2.72 million. The offering closed on April 22, 2024 and the Ordinary Shares began trading on April 18, 2024 on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “MTEN.”
On May 8, 2024, the underwriters of the initial public offering fully exercised their over-allotment option to purchase an additional 157,500 Ordinary Shares at a price of $4.00 per share (the “Additional Shares Offering”). On May 10, 2024, the Additional Shares Offering was closed. As a result, 157,500 Ordinary Shares were issued for $0.63 million. After deducting underwriting discounts and the offering expenses, the Company received net proceeds of $0.57 million.
On November 11, 2024, the board of directors of the Company approved and adopted an equity incentive plan, which authorized 620,750 Ordinary Shares (plus an indeterminate number of additional shares which may be offered and issued to prevent dilution from share splits, share dividends or similar transactions) to be issued to the directors, officers, managers, employees, consultants or advisors (and prospective directors, officers, managers, employees, consultants and advisors) of the Company and its affiliates. On November 20, 2024, the Company issued a total of 620,000 Ordinary Shares to three employees of the Company.
Corporate Structure and History
Below is a chart illustrating our current corporate structure:
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Mingteng International was incorporated on September 20, 2021 under the laws of the Cayman Islands. As of the date of this prospectus, the authorized share capital of Mingteng International is US$50,000 divided into 5,000,000,000 Ordinary Shares, of which 6,839,600 Ordinary Shares are issued and outstanding. Mingteng International is a holding company and is currently not actively engaging in any business.
Mingteng HK was incorporated on November 4, 2021 under the laws and regulations in Hong Kong. Mingteng HK is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mingteng International. Mingteng HK is a holding company and is currently not actively engaging in any business.
Ningteng WFOE was established on September 6, 2022 under the laws of the PRC. Ningteng WFOE is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mingteng HK. It is a holding company and is not actively engaging in any business.
Wuxi Mingteng Mould was established on December 15, 2015 under the laws of the PRC. Wuxi Mingteng Mould is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ningteng WFOE and is our only operating entity. Wuxi Mingteng Mould became a wholly owned subsidiary of Ningteng WFOE through an equity acquisition on September 26, 2022.
Upon the incorporation of Mingteng International on September 20, 2021, we issued 1 Ordinary Share to ICS Corporate Services (Cayman) Limited (subsequently transferred to BETTY CHEN LIMITED), 2,091,000 Ordinary Shares to YK XU HOLDING LIMITED, 2,009,000 Ordinary Shares to DJZ HOLDING LIMITED, 450,000 Ordinary Shares to HONGZE L.P., 225,000 Ordinary Shares to JACKY WANG LIMITED, and 224,999 Ordinary Shares to BETTY CHEN LIMITED, respectively, for a total consideration of US$50.
The IPO
On April 22, 2024, the Company completed its IPO of 1,050,000 Ordinary Shares at a price of $4.00 per share. The total gross proceeds received from the IPO was US$4.2 million. In connection with the closing of the IPO, the Company issued the representative of the underwriters for the IPO (the “Representative”) warrants to purchase up to 52,500 Ordinary Shares.
On May 10, 2024, the Representative exercised its over-allotment option in full to purchase 157,500 Ordinary Shares at a price of $4.00. The total gross proceeds received from the fully exercise of the over-allotment option was US$630,000. In connection with the over-allotment exercise, the Company issued the Representative warrants to purchase up to 7,875 Ordinary Shares.
On November 5, 2024, the Representative exercised its warrants in part to purchase 12,100 Ordinary Shares on a cashless basis.
The 2024 Equity Incentive Plans
On November 11, 2024, the board of directors of the Company approved and adopted an equity incentive plan, which authorized 620,750 Ordinary Shares (plus an indeterminate number of additional shares which may be offered and issued to prevent dilution from share splits, share dividends or similar transactions) to be issued to the directors, officers, managers, employees, consultants or advisors (and prospective directors, officers, managers, employees, consultants and advisors) of the Company and its affiliates. On November 20, 2024, the Company issued a total of 620,000 Ordinary Shares to three employees of the Company.
As of the date of this prospectus, there are 6,839,600 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding.
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Our Products
We are an automotive mold developer and supplier in China. We provide a wide variety of products. Our main products are casting molds for turbocharger systems, braking systems, steering and differential system, and other automotive system parts. Besides, we also produce molds for new energy electric vehicle motor drive systems, battery pack systems, and engineering hydraulic components, which are widely used in automobile, construction machinery and other manufacturing industries.
Turbocharger System Molds
A turbocharger is an air compressor that uses exhaust gas from engines as the power source. It is generally composed of a compressor housing, compressor wheel, connecting shaft (movement), turbine housing, turbine, and other main components. A turbocharger can be applied to combustion-engine vehicles, as well as new energy and hybrid vehicles, and offers higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
The turbine housing and center housing are the core components of turbochargers and also our main products. Wuxi Mingteng Mould produces and processes compressor housing, turbine housing, and center housing molds via sand and gravity casting.
Braking and Steering System Molds
The braking system is a series of devices that force the car to slow down, which is mainly composed of the wheel brake, hydrostatic transmission, and pneumatic transmission gear. The steering system is a device used to change or maintain the driving direction or reverse the direction of a car. We focus on customers’ needs, and mainly produces and process molds for the steering knuckle, brake disc, steering gear housing, and other parts through a variety of casting processes, including sand casting, metal mold casting, and metal mold low-pressure casting, etc.
Aluminum Alloy Product Molds
Compared with traditional vehicles, New Electric Vehicles (“NEVs”) have stricter requirements in terms of vehicle weight. Take Tesla’s Model S as an example, which has a gross weight of up to 2,108kg, with over 500kg for the battery alone. Meanwhile, the gross weight of a traditional automobile engine is generally 80-160kg. Thus, lightweight design has become the main measure for reducing the weight and consumption of NEVs, so light aluminum alloy pressure castings are more widely used. In the aluminum alloy pressure casting mold business, we provide pressure casting molds for battery fixing brackets and battery end plates for NEVs, pressure casting molds for new energy transmission housings, and inverter top cover pressure casting molds for the photovoltaic industry.
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Our Services
We offer our clients services including (i) product design service, (ii) product repair service, (iii) machining service, and (iv) after-sale service.
Product design service
We provide product design services based on customers’ individual requirements through the following process to ensure that the product design meets the technical standard:
● | Communicating with the customer according to the product design drawings, getting to know the customer’s development requirements for product parameters, and conducting a summary analysis; |
● | Technical team prepares the preliminary product process plan based on the customer’s product requirements and carries out a feasibility study. The team then looks into the forming process of the part by conducting a model analysis, helping us find the possible risks of the mold and parts before manufacturing the final part; |
● | Technical team checks whether the product process parameters are feasible according to the model analysis results and their experience in actual production and debugging. If there are any manufacturing risks, then we suggest modifications and solutions for the customer in a timely manner; |
● | Manufacturing the product needed after completing the product simulation risk assessment, and upon receiving approval from the customer. |
Product repair service
Wuxi Mingteng Mould signs contracts with customers, provides repair services according to the contracts, and charges a certain fee from customers.
Machining service
Our product machining services mainly include processing turbine housings and center housing parts for automobile turbocharger systems. Customers provide Wuxi Mingteng Mould with unprocessed parts, which Wuxi Mingteng Mould would process and deliver as finished products to them.
After-sales service
We provide a one-year after-sales service period for our products. During the warranty period stipulated in the contract, Wuxi Mingteng Mould is responsible for maintaining or replacing the supplied products. Specifically, Wuxi Mingteng Mould sends service staff to the customer’s site for this service within 24 hours after receiving a customer’s request for product maintenance.
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Transfers of Cash to and from Our Subsidiaries
We currently have not maintained any cash management policies that dictate the purpose, amount and procedure of cash transfers between Mingteng International, our subsidiaries, or investors. Rather, the funds can be transferred in accordance with the applicable PRC laws and regulations. To the extent cash or assets in the business are in the PRC or Hong Kong or a PRC or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets.
Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payment of current account items, such as profit distributions and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or the SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. Therefore, our PRC Subsidiaries are able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us without prior approval from SAFE, subject to the condition that the remittance of such dividends outside of the PRC complies with certain procedures under PRC foreign exchange regulations, such as the overseas investment registrations by our shareholders or the ultimate shareholders of our corporate shareholders who are PRC residents. Approval from, or registration with, appropriate government authorities is, however, required where the RMB is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. The PRC government may also, at its discretion, restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account transactions. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends to Mingteng International only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. As of the date of this prospectus, there are no restrictions or limitations imposed by the Hong Kong government on the transfer of capital within, into and out of Hong Kong (including funds from Hong Kong to the PRC), except for the transfer of funds involving money laundering and criminal activities. Cayman Islands law prescribes that a company may only pay dividends out of its profits. Other than that, there are no restrictions on Mingteng International’s ability to transfer cash to investors. See “Risk Factors - Risks Related to Doing Business in China - To the extent cash or assets in the business are in the PRC or Hong Kong or a PRC or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets,” and “Risk Factors - Risks Related to Doing Business in China - Mingteng International is a holding company, and will rely on dividends paid by our subsidiaries for our cash needs. Any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to make dividend payments to us, or any tax implications of making dividend payments to us, could limit our ability to pay our parent company expenses or pay dividends to holders of our Ordinary Shares.”
As a holding company, we may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries, including those based in the PRC, for our cash and financing requirements. If any of our PRC Subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us. Mingteng International is permitted under the laws of the Cayman Islands to provide funding to our subsidiaries incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and Hong Kong through loans or capital contributions without restrictions on the amount of the funds. Our subsidiaries are permitted under the respective laws of the British Virgin Islands and Hong Kong to provide funding to Mingteng International through dividend distribution without restrictions on the amount of the funds. There are no restrictions on dividend transfers from HK to BVI and BVI to the Cayman Islands. Current PRC regulations permit our WFOE to pay dividends to Mingteng International only out of its accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations.
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The PRC has currency and capital transfer regulations that require us to comply with certain requirements for the movement of capital. Mingteng International is able to transfer cash (US Dollars) to its PRC Subsidiaries through an investment (by increasing Mingteng International’s registered capital in a PRC Subsidiary). Mingteng International’s subsidiaries within China can transfer funds to each other when necessary through the way of current lending. The transfer of funds among companies is subject to the Provisions on Private Lending Cases, which was implemented on August 20, 2020 to regulate the financing activities between natural persons, legal persons and unincorporated organizations. As advised by our PRC counsel, Jiangsu Junjin Law Firm, the Provisions on Private Lending Cases do not prohibit using cash generated from one subsidiary to fund another subsidiary’s operations. We have not been notified of any other restriction which could limit our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash between PRC Subsidiaries. On September 30, 2022, Mingteng International declared cash dividends of RMB 2.5 million (approximately $0.35 million) to our shareholders which were paid by Wuxi Mingteng Mould in December 2022. Mingteng International’s business is primarily conducted through its subsidiaries. Mingteng International is a holding company and its material assets consist solely of the ownership interests held in its PRC Subsidiaries. Mingteng International relies on dividends paid by its subsidiaries for its working capital and cash needs, including the funds necessary: (i) to pay dividends or cash distributions to its shareholders, (ii) to service any debt obligations and (iii) to pay operating expenses. As a result of PRC laws and regulations (noted below) that require annual appropriations of 10% of after-tax income to be set aside in a general reserve fund prior to payment of dividends, the PRC Subsidiaries are restricted in that respect, as well as in others respects noted below, in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to Mingteng International as a dividend.
With respect to transferring cash from Mingteng International to its subsidiaries, increasing Mingteng International’s registered capital in a PRC subsidiary requires the filing of the local commerce department, while a shareholder loan requires filing with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange or its local bureau. Aside from the declaration to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, there is no restriction or limitations on such cash transfer or earnings distribution.
With respect to the payment of dividends, we note the following:
1. | PRC regulations currently permit the payment of dividends only out of accumulated profits, as determined in accordance with accounting standards and PRC regulations (an in-depth description of the PRC regulations is set forth below); |
2. | Our PRC Subsidiaries are required to set aside, at a minimum, 10% of their net income after taxes, based on PRC accounting standards, each year as statutory surplus reserves until the cumulative amount of such reserves reaches 50% of their registered capital; |
3. | Such reserves may not be distributed as cash dividends; |
4. | Our PRC Subsidiaries may also allocate a portion of their after-tax profits to fund their staff welfare and bonus funds; except in the event of a liquidation, these funds may also not be distributed to shareholders; Mingteng International does not participate in a Common Welfare Fund; |
5. | The incurrence of debt, specifically the instruments governing such debt, may restrict a subsidiary’s ability to pay stockholder dividends or make other cash distributions; and |
6. | A withholding tax rate of up to 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC resident enterprises are incorporated. |
If for the reasons noted above, our subsidiaries are unable to pay shareholder dividends and/or make other cash payments to Mingteng International when needed, Mingteng International’s ability to conduct operations, make investments, engage in acquisitions, or undertake other activities requiring working capital may be materially and adversely affected. However, our operations and business, including investment and/or acquisitions by our subsidiaries within China, will not be affected as long as the capital is not transferred in or out of the PRC.
On September 30, 2022, Mingteng International declared cash dividends of RMB 2.5 million (approximately $0.35 million) to our shareholders which were paid by Wuxi Mingteng Mould in December 2022.
Mingteng International currently intends to retain most, if not all, of available funds and any future earnings to support operations and finance the growth and development of business. Also, as of the date of this prospectus, no cash generated from one subsidiary is used to fund another subsidiary’s operations and Mingteng International does not anticipate any difficulties or limitations on our ability to transfer cash between subsidiaries.
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Holding Foreign Company Accountable Act (“HFCAA”)
U.S. laws and regulations, including the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or HFCAA, may restrict or eliminate our ability to complete a business combination with certain companies, particularly those acquisition candidates with substantial operations in China.
On March 24, 2021, the SEC adopted interim final rules relating to the implementation of certain disclosure and documentation requirements of the HFCAA. An identified issuer will be required to comply with these rules if the SEC identifies it as having a “non-inspection” year under a process to be subsequently established by the SEC. In June 2021, the Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which was signed into law on December 29, 2022, amending the HFCAA and requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchange if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three consecutive years. If our auditor cannot be inspected by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, for two consecutive years, the trading of our securities on any U.S. national securities exchanges, as well as any over-the-counter trading in the U.S., will be prohibited. On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the HFCAA, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCAA, whether the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction. On December 2, 2021, the SEC issued amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCAA. The rules apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in foreign jurisdictions. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report on its determinations that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and in Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in those jurisdictions. On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol (the “SOP”) Agreement with the MOF. The SOP, together with two protocol agreements governing inspections and investigations (together, the “SOP Agreements”), establishes a specific, accountable framework to make possible complete inspections and investigations by the PCAOB of audit firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong, as required under U.S. law. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB determined that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate its previous determinations to the contrary. However, if PRC authorities obstruct or otherwise fail to facilitate the PCAOB’s access in the future, the PCAOB will consider the need to issue a new determination. While neither our former auditor, Wei, Wei & Co., nor our current auditor, HTL, is subject to the determinations as to inability to inspect or investigate completely as announced by the PCAOB on December 16, 2021, as they are not on the list published by the PCAOB. In the event it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate Wei, Wei & Co. or HTL completely because of a position taken by an authority in a foreign jurisdiction, then such lack of inspection could cause trading of the Company’s securities in the United States to be prohibited under the HFCAA, and ultimately result in a determination by a securities exchange to delist the Company’s securities. The delisting of our Ordinary Shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment, even making it worthless. See “Risk Factors - Risks Related to Doing Business in China - Our Ordinary Shares may be prohibited from being traded on a national exchange under the HFCAA if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) is unable to inspect our former and current auditors for two instead of three consecutive years beginning in 2021. The delisting of our Ordinary Shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.”
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Regulatory Permissions
We, including our PRC Subsidiaries, currently have received all material permissions and approvals required for our operations in compliance with the relevant PRC laws and regulations in the PRC, including the business licenses of our PRC Subsidiaries.
The business license is a permit issued by Market Supervision and Administration that allows the company to conduct specific business within the government’s geographical jurisdiction. Each of our PRC Subsidiaries has received its business license. Wuxi Mingteng Mould and Ningteng WFOE obtained their business licenses issued by the Wuxi Huishan District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau.
As of the date of this prospectus, except for the business licenses mentioned here, Mingteng International and our PRC Subsidiaries are not required to obtain any other permissions or approvals from any Chinese authorities to operate the business. However, applicable laws and regulations may be tightened, and new laws or regulations may be introduced to impose additional government approval, license, and permit requirements. If we or our subsidiaries fail to obtain and maintain such approvals, licenses, or permits required for our business, inadvertently conclude that such approval is not required, or respond to changes in the regulatory environment, we or our subsidiaries could be subject to liabilities, penalties, and operational disruption, which may materially and adversely affect our business, operating results, financial condition and the value of our Ordinary Shares, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause such securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
We are currently not required to obtain permission from any of the PRC authorities to operate and issue our Ordinary Shares to foreign investors. In addition, we and our subsidiaries are not required to obtain permission or approval relating to our Ordinary Shares from the PRC authorities, including the CSRC or CAC, for our subsidiaries, nor have we or our subsidiaries received any denial for our subsidiaries with respect to this offering. Recently, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the “Opinions on Severely Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities According to Law,” or the “Opinions,” which were made available to the public on July 6, 2021. The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the need to strengthen the supervision of overseas listings by Chinese companies. Effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems, will be taken to deal with the risks and incidents of China-concept overseas listed companies, cybersecurity, data privacy protection requirements, and similar matters. The Opinions and any related implementing rules to be enacted may subject us to compliance requirements in the future. On February 17, 2023, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, announced the Circular on the Administrative Arrangements for Filing of Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Circular, and released a set of new regulations which consists of the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and five supporting guidelines. On the same date, the CSRC also released the Notice on the Arrangements for the Filing Management of Overseas Listing of Domestic Companies, or the Notice. The Trial Measures came into effect on March 31, 2023. The Trial Measures refine the regulatory system by subjecting both direct and indirect overseas offering and listing activities to the CSRC filing-based administration. Requirements for filing entities, time points and procedures are specified. A PRC domestic company that seeks to offer and list securities in overseas markets shall fulfill the filing procedure with the CSRC per the requirements of the Trial Measures. Where a PRC domestic company seeks to indirectly offer and list securities in overseas markets, the issuer shall designate a major domestic operating entity, which shall, as the domestic responsible entity, file with the CSRC. The Trial Measures also lay out requirements for the reporting of material events. We are required to submit a filing with the CSRC within three business days after the completion of an offering made pursuant to this prospectus and may be subject to the filing requirements under the Overseas Listing Trial Measures for our future offerings and listing of our securities in an overseas market under the Overseas Listing Trial Measures.
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On September 25, 2023, we received approval from the CSRC regarding our completion of the required filing procedures for our initial public offering, which was completed on April 22, 2024. As of the date of this prospectus, we and our PRC Subsidiaries have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions regarding our overseas continued offering from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities.
On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with the MOF, National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China, revised the Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration for Overseas Securities Offering and Listing, which were issued by the CSRC and National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China in 2009, or the “Provisions.” The revised Provisions were issued under the title the “Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies,” and became effective on March 31, 2023 together with the Trial Measures. One of the major revisions to the revised Provisions is expanding their application to cover indirect overseas offering and listing, as is consistent with the Trial Measures. The revised Provisions require that, among other things, (a) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals or entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any documents and materials that contain state secrets or working secrets of government agencies, shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy administrative department at the same level; and (b) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals and entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any other documents and materials that, if leaked, will be detrimental to national security or public interest, shall strictly fulfill relevant procedures stipulated by applicable national regulations. As of the date of this prospectus, the revised Provisions have come into effect. Any failure or perceived failure by our Company or our subsidiaries to comply with the above confidentiality and archives administration requirements under the revised Provisions and other PRC laws and regulations may result in the relevant entities being held legally liable by competent authorities, and referred to the judicial organ to be investigated for criminal liability if suspected of committing a crime.
As there are still uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of such regulatory guidance, we cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with new regulatory requirements relating to this offering and future overseas capital-raising activities and we may become subject to more stringent requirements with respect to matters such as cross-border investigation, data privacy, and enforcement of legal claims. See “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, as of the date of this prospectus, we are not aware of any PRC laws or regulations in effect requiring that we obtain permission from any PRC authorities to issue securities to foreign investors in this offering, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction, or any regulatory objection to this offering from the CSRC, the CAC, or any other PRC authorities that have jurisdiction over our operations.
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Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other burdens that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include, but are not limited to:
● | the ability to include only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations disclosure; |
● | an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
● | reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports, proxy statements and registration statements; and |
● | a delay in adopting new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. |
We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different from what you might receive from other public reporting companies in which you hold equity interests.
We may take advantage of these provisions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.235 billion in annual revenue, have more than $700 million in the market value of our Ordinary Shares held by non-affiliates or issue more than $1 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.
Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer
We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). As such, we are exempt from certain provisions applicable to United States domestic public companies. For example:
● | we are not required to provide as many Exchange Act reports, or as frequently, as a domestic public company; |
● | for interim reporting, we are permitted to comply solely with our home country’s requirements, which are less rigorous than the rules that apply to domestic public companies; |
● | we are not required to provide the same level of disclosure on certain issues, such as executive compensation; |
● | we are exempt from provisions of Regulation FD aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information; |
● | we are not required to comply with the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; and |
● | we are not required to comply with Section 16 of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their share ownership and trading activities and establishing insider liability for profits realized from any “short-swing” trading transaction. |
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We have taken advantage of certain reduced reporting and other requirements in this prospectus. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold equity securities.
We may take advantage of these exemptions until such time as we are no longer a foreign private issuer. We would cease to be a foreign private issuer at such time as more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are held by U.S. residents and any of the following three circumstances applies: (1) the majority of our executive officers or directors are U.S. citizens or residents, (2) more than 50% of our assets are located in the United States or (3) our business is administered principally in the United States.
Implications of Being a Controlled Company
We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules, due to the fact that Mr. Yingkai Xu, the Chairman of our board of directors and our Chief Executive Officer, together with Ms. Jingzhu Ding, Mr. Yingkai Xu’s spouse, own Ordinary Shares representing 59.94% of the total voting power of our issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares. For so long as we are a controlled company under that definition, we are permitted to elect to rely, and may rely, on certain exemptions from corporate governance rules, including:
● | an exemption from the rule that a majority of our board of directors must be independent directors; |
● | an exemption from the rule that the compensation of our chief executive officer must be determined or recommended solely by independent directors; and |
● | an exemption from the rule that our director nominees must be selected or recommended solely by independent directors. |
As a result, you will not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.
Although we do not intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemption under the Nasdaq listing rules, we could elect to rely on this exemption. If we elected to rely on the “controlled company” exemption in the future, a majority of the members of our board of directors might not be independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees might not consist entirely of independent directors after we complete this offering. See “Risk Factors – Risks Relating to Our Ordinary Shares – As a “controlled company” under the rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market, we may choose to exempt our Company from certain corporate governance requirements that could have an adverse effect on our public shareholders.”
PRC Regulations
In accordance with PRC regulations, a foreign-invested enterprise (“FIE”) established in the PRC is required to provide statutory reserves, which are appropriated from net profit, as reported in the FIE’s PRC statutory accounts. A FIE is required to allocate at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit to the surplus reserve until such reserve has reached 50% of its respective registered capital (based on the FIE’s PRC statutory accounts). The aforementioned reserves may only be used for specific purposes and may not be distributed as cash dividends. Until such contribution of capital is satisfied, the FIE is not allowed to repatriate profits to its shareholders, unless approved by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. After satisfaction of this requirement, the remaining funds may be appropriated at the discretion of the FIE’s Board of Directors. Our subsidiary, Ningteng WFOE, qualifies as a FIE and is therefore subject to the above-mandated regulations on distributable profits.
Additionally, in accordance with PRC corporate law, a domestic company is required to maintain a surplus reserve of at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit until such reserve has reached 50% of its respective registered capital based on the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and may not be distributed as cash dividends. Ningteng WOFE and Wuxi Mingteng Mould were established as domestic companies; therefore, each is subject to the above-mentioned restrictions on distributable profits.
As a result of PRC laws and regulations that require annual appropriations of 10% of after-tax income to be set aside, prior to payment of dividends, in a general reserve fund, the PRC Subsidiaries are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to Mingteng International as a dividend or otherwise.
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Corporate Information
Our principal executive office is located at Lvhua Village, Luoshe Town, Huishan District, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, PRC. The telephone number of our principal executive offices is +86 0510-83318500. Our registered office provider in the Cayman Islands is Osiris International Cayman Limited. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is at Suite 4-210, Governors Square, 23 Lime Tree Bay Avenue, P.O. Box 32311, Grand Cayman KY1-1209, Cayman Islands. Our registered agent in the United States is Cogency Global Inc., 122 E 42nd Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10168.
Summary of Risk Factors
Our business is subject to multiple risks and uncertainties, as more fully described in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. We urge you to read “Risk Factors” in “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk factors” in the 2024 Annual Report, incorporated by reference in this prospectus and this prospectus in full. Our principal risks may be summarized as follows:
Risks Relating to Doing Business in China
Risks and uncertainties related to doing business in China in general including but not limited to the following:
● | To the extent cash or assets in the business are in the PRC or Hong Kong or a PRC or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets. |
● | Substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the interpretation and implementation of the PRC Foreign Investment Law and how it may impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations. |
● | The Chinese government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we must conduct our business activities. We are currently not required to obtain approval from Chinese authorities to list on U.S exchanges; however, if we were required to obtain approval in the future and were denied permission from Chinese authorities to list on U.S. exchanges, we will not be able to continue listing on U.S. exchange and the value of our Ordinary Shares may significantly decline or be worthless, which would materially affect the interest of the investors. |
● | Mingteng International is a holding company and will rely on dividends paid by our PRC Subsidiaries for our cash needs. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to make dividend payments to us, or any tax implications of making dividend payments to us, could limit our ability to pay our parent company expenses or pay dividends to holders of our Ordinary Shares. |
● | Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system, including uncertainties regarding the enforcement of laws, and sudden or unexpected changes in laws and regulations in China could adversely affect us and limit the legal protections available to you and us. |
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● | You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us, the majority of our directors or our management named in the prospectus based on foreign laws. |
● | If we are classified as a PRC resident enterprise for PRC income tax purposes, such classification could result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders and ordinary shareholders. |
● | The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations may make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions. |
● | The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future. |
● | PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies may delay us from using the proceeds of this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business. |
● | Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues effectively and affect the value of your investment. |
● | Our Ordinary Shares may be prohibited from being traded on a national exchange under the HFCAA if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) is unable to inspect our former and current auditors for two instead of three consecutive years beginning in 2021. The delisting of our Ordinary Shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. |
● | Changes in international trade policies, trade disputes, barriers to trade, or the emergence of a trade war may influence our business growth in China. |
Risks Relating to Our Ordinary Shares
Risks and uncertainties related to our Ordinary Shares include but are not limited to the following:
● | The trading price of our Ordinary Shares is likely to be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors. |
● | As a “controlled company” under the rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market, we may choose to exempt our Company from certain corporate governance requirements that could have an adverse effect on our public shareholders. |
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Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks incorporated by reference in this prospectus before making an investment decision. You should also consider the matters described below and in “Risk Factors” in “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk factors” in the 2024 Annual Report, and all of the information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus before deciding whether to purchase our Ordinary Shares. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected by any of these risks or uncertainties. In that case, the trading price of our Ordinary Shares could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks also include forward-looking statements and our actual results may differ substantially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. See “Special Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
We may not be successful in preventing the material adverse effects that any of the following risks and uncertainties may cause. These potential risks and uncertainties may not be a complete list of the risks and uncertainties facing us. There may be additional risks and uncertainties that we are presently unaware of, or presently consider immaterial, that may become material in the future and have a material adverse effect on us. You could lose all or a significant portion of your investment due to any of these risks and uncertainties.
Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure
You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands (the “Companies Act”) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, actions by our minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors owed to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from the common law of England. Decisions of the Privy Council (which is the final Court of Appeal for British Overseas Territories such as the Cayman Islands) are binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. Decisions of the English courts, and particularly the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in the Cayman Islands. Decisions of courts in other Commonwealth jurisdictions are similarly persuasive but not binding authority. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors owed to us under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States. Some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have the standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States.
Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like us have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records (other than the memorandum and articles of association and any special resolutions passed by such companies, and the registers of mortgages and charges of such companies) or to obtain copies of lists of shareholders of these companies. Under Cayman Islands law, the names of our current directors can be obtained from a search conducted at the Registrar of Companies. Our directors have discretion under our memorandum and articles of association to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but we are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.
As a result of all the above, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of our board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated in the United States.
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Risks Relating to Doing Business in China
To the extent cash or assets in the business are in the PRC or Hong Kong or a PRC or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other uses outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets.
The transfer of funds and assets between Mingteng International and its Hong Kong and PRC subsidiaries is subject to restrictions. The PRC government imposes controls on the conversion of the RMB into foreign currencies and the remittance of currencies out of the PRC. See “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues effectively and affect the value of your investment.” In addition, the PRC EIT Law and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax at a rate of 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless reduced under treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and the governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC resident enterprises are tax resident. See “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - Mingteng International is a holding company and will rely on dividends paid by our subsidiaries for our cash needs. Any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to make dividend payments to us, or any tax implications of making dividend payments to us, could limit our ability to pay our parent company expenses or pay dividends to holders of our Ordinary Shares.”
As of the date of this prospectus, there are no restrictions or limitations imposed by the Hong Kong government on the transfer of capital within, into and out of Hong Kong (including funds from Hong Kong to the PRC), except for the transfer of funds involving money laundering and criminal activities. However, there is no guarantee that the Hong Kong government will not promulgate new laws or regulations that may impose such restrictions in the future.
As a result of the above, to the extent cash or assets in the business are in the PRC or Hong Kong or a PRC or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets.
Substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the interpretation and implementation of the PRC Foreign Investment Law and how it may impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations.
On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress approved the PRC Foreign Investment Law, which took effect on January 1, 2020 and replaced three existing laws on foreign investments in China, namely, the PRC Equity Joint Venture Law, the PRC Cooperative Joint Venture Law and the Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise Law, together with their implementation rules and ancillary regulations. The PRC Foreign Investment Law embodies an expected PRC regulatory trend to rationalize its foreign investment regulatory regime in line with prevailing international practice and the legislative efforts to unify the corporate legal requirements for both foreign and domestic invested enterprises in China. The PRC Foreign Investment Law establishes the basic framework for the access to and the promotion, protection and administration of foreign investments in view of investment protection and fair competition.
According to the PRC Foreign Investment Law, “foreign investment” refers to investment activities directly or indirectly conducted by one or more natural persons, business entities, or otherwise organizations of a foreign country (collectively referred to as “foreign investor”) within China, and the investment activities include the following situations: (i) a foreign investor, individually or collectively with other investors, establishes a foreign-invested enterprise within China; (ii) a foreign investor acquires stock shares, equity shares, shares in assets, or other like rights and interests of an enterprise within China; (iii) a foreign investor, individually or collectively with other investors, invests in a new project within China; and (iv) investments in other means as provided by laws, administrative regulations, or the State Council.
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According to the PRC Foreign Investment Law, the State Council will publish or approve to publish the “negative list” for special administrative measures concerning foreign investment. The PRC Foreign Investment Law grants national treatment to foreign-invested entities, or FIEs, except for those FIEs that operate in industries deemed to be either “restricted” or “prohibited” in the “negative list.” Because the “negative list” has yet to be published, it is unclear whether it will differ from the current Special Administrative Measures for Market Access of Foreign Investment (Negative List). The PRC Foreign Investment Law provides that FIEs operating in foreign restricted or prohibited industries will require market entry clearance and other approvals from relevant PRC governmental authorities. If a foreign investor is found to invest in any prohibited industry in the “negative list,” such foreign investor may be required to, among other aspects, cease its investment activities, dispose of its equity interests or assets within a prescribed time limit and have its income confiscated. If the investment activity of a foreign investor is in breach of any special administrative measure for restrictive access provided for in the “negative list,” the relevant competent department shall order the foreign investor to make corrections and take necessary measures to meet the requirements of the special administrative measure for restrictive access.
The PRC government will establish a foreign investment information reporting system, according to which foreign investors or foreign-invested enterprises shall submit investment information to the competent department for commerce concerned through the enterprise registration system and the enterprise credit information publicity system, and a security review system under which the security review shall be conducted for foreign investment affecting or likely affecting the state security.
Furthermore, the PRC Foreign Investment Law provides that foreign invested enterprises established according to the existing laws regulating foreign investment may maintain their structure and corporate governance within five years after the implementation of the PRC Foreign Investment Law.
In addition, the PRC Foreign Investment Law also provides several protective rules and principles for foreign investors and their investments in the PRC, including, among others, that a foreign investor may freely transfer into or out of China, in RMB or a foreign currency, its contributions, profits, capital gains, income from disposition of assets, royalties of intellectual property rights, indemnity or compensation lawfully acquired, and income from liquidation, among others, within China; local governments shall abide by their commitments to the foreign investors; governments at all levels and their departments shall enact local normative documents concerning foreign investment in compliance with laws and regulations and shall not impair legitimate rights and interests, impose additional obligations onto FIEs, set market access restrictions and exit conditions, or intervene with the normal production and operation activities of FIEs; except for special circumstances, in which case statutory procedures shall be followed and fair and reasonable compensation shall be made in a timely manner, expropriation or requisition of the investment of foreign investors is prohibited; and mandatory technology transfer is prohibited.
Notwithstanding the above, the PRC Foreign Investment Law stipulates that foreign investment includes “foreign investors invest through any other methods under laws, administrative regulations or provisions prescribed by the State Council.” Therefore, there are possibilities that future laws, administrative regulations or provisions prescribed by the State Council may introduce detailed regulatory policies and establish a security review system to further regulate foreign investment activities in the PRC.
The Chinese government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we must conduct our business activities. We are currently not required to obtain approval from Chinese authorities to list on U.S exchanges, however, if we were required to obtain approval in the future and were denied permission from Chinese authorities to list on U.S. exchanges, we will not be able to continue listing on U.S. exchange and the value of our Ordinary Shares may significantly decline or be worthless, which would materially affect the interest of the investors.
The Chinese government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate in China may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, environmental regulations, land use rights, property and other matters. The central or local governments of these jurisdictions may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations. Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional or local variations in the implementation of economic policies, could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular regions thereof and could require us to divest ourselves of any interest we then hold in Chinese properties.
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For example, the Chinese cybersecurity regulator announced on July 2, 2021 that it had begun an investigation of Didi Global Inc. (NYSE: DIDI) and two days later ordered that the company’s app be removed from smartphone app stores.
As such, the Company’s business segments may be subject to various government and regulatory interference in the provinces in which they operate. The Company could be subject to regulation by various political and regulatory entities, including various local and municipal agencies and government sub-divisions. The Company may incur increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply. The Chinese government may intervene or influence our operations at any time with little advance notice, which could result in a material change in our operations and the value of our Ordinary Shares. Any actions by the Chinese government to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
Furthermore, it is uncertain when and whether the Company will be required to obtain permission from the PRC government to list on U.S. exchanges in the future, and even when such permission is obtained, whether it will be denied or rescinded. Although the Company is currently not required to obtain permission from the PRC government to obtain such permission and has not received any denial to list on the U.S. exchange, our operations could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly, by existing or future laws and regulations relating to its business or industry. As a result, our Ordinary Shares may decline in value dramatically or even become worthless should we become subject to new requirements to obtain permission from the PRC government to list on U.S. exchanges in the future.
Recently, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions on Severe and Lawful Crackdown on Illegal Securities Activities, which was available to the public on July 6, 2021. These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision of overseas listings by China-based companies. These opinions proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems, to deal with the risks and incidents facing China-based overseas-listed companies and the demand for cybersecurity and data privacy protection. Moreover, On January 4, 2022, thirteen PRC regulatory agencies, namely, the CAC, the NDRC, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of Finance, MOFCOM, SAMR, CSRC, the People’s Bank of China, the National Radio and Television Administration, National Administration of State Secrets Protection and the National Cryptography Administration, jointly adopted and published the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021), which became effective on February 15, 2022. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021) required that, among others, in addition to “operator of critical information infrastructure” any “operator of network platform” holding personal information of more than one million users who seek to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. The aforementioned policies and any related implementation rules to be enacted may subject us to additional compliance requirement in the future. As these opinions were recently issued, official guidance and interpretation of the opinions remain unclear in several respects at this time. Therefore, we cannot assure you that we will remain fully compliant with all new regulatory requirements of these opinions or any future implementation rules on a timely basis, or at all. See “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - We may become subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the PRC regarding privacy, data security, cybersecurity, and data protection. We may be liable for improper use or appropriation of personal information” and “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Doing Business in China - The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by the PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.”
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Mingteng International is a holding company and will rely on dividends paid by our PRC Subsidiaries for our cash needs. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to make dividend payments to us, or any tax implications of making dividend payments to us, could limit our ability to pay our parent company expenses or pay dividends to holders of our Ordinary Shares.
Mingteng International is a holding company and conducts substantially all of our business through our PRC subsidiary Wuxi Mingteng Mould. We may rely on dividends to be paid by our PRC Subsidiaries to fund our cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders, to service any debt we may incur and to pay our operating expenses. If our PRC Subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us.
Under PRC laws and regulations, our PRC Subsidiaries may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, Ningteng WFOE, as a wholly foreign-owned enterprise, is required to set aside at least 10% of its accumulated after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund a certain statutory reserve fund, until the aggregate amount of such fund reaches 50% of its registered capital.
Our PRC business operating subsidiary, Wuxi Mingteng Mould, generates primarily all of its revenue in RMB, which is not freely convertible into other currencies. As a result, any restriction on currency exchange may limit the ability of Wuxi Mingteng Mould to use its RMB revenues to pay dividends to us. The PRC government may continue to strengthen its capital controls, and more restrictions and substantial vetting processes may be put forward by SAFE for cross-border transactions falling under both the current account and the capital account. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other kinds of payments to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.
In addition, the EIT Law and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax rate of up to 10% will apply to dividends payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC resident enterprises are incorporated. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other distributions to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.
Because our business is conducted in RMB and the price of our Ordinary Shares is quoted in United States dollars, changes in currency conversion rates may affect the value of your investments. Any significant revaluation of the RMB may materially and adversely affect our cash flows, revenue and financial condition. Changes in the conversion rate between the United States dollar and the RMB will affect the amount of proceeds we will have available for our business.
Our business is conducted in the PRC, our books and records are maintained in RMB, which is the currency of the PRC, and the financial statements that we file with the SEC and provide to our shareholders are presented in United States dollars. Changes in the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar affect the value of our assets and the results of our operations in United States dollars. The value of the RMB against the United States dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in the PRC’s political and economic conditions and perceived changes in the economy of the PRC and the United States. Any significant revaluation of the RMB may materially and adversely affect our cash flows, revenue and financial condition. Further, our Ordinary Shares are offered in United States dollars, we will need to convert the net proceeds we receive into RMB in order to use the funds for our business. Changes in the conversion rate between the United States dollar and the RMB will affect the amount of proceeds we will have available for our business.
The value of the RMB against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions in China and by China’s foreign exchange policies. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of the RMB to the U.S. dollar, and the RMB appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, the RMB has fluctuated against the U.S. dollar, at times significantly and unpredictably. On November 30, 2015, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the regular five-year review of the basket of currencies that make up the Special Drawing Right, or the SDR, and decided that with effect from October 1, 2016, RMB is determined to be a freely usable currency and will be included in the SDR basket as a fifth currency, along with the U.S. dollar, the Euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound. In the fourth quarter of 2016, the RMB depreciated significantly in the backdrop of a surging U.S. dollar and persistent capital outflows from China.
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This depreciation halted in 2017, and the RMB appreciated approximately 7% against the U.S. dollar during this one-year period. The RMB in 2018 depreciated approximately by 5% against the U.S. dollar. Starting from the beginning of 2019, the RMB has depreciated significantly against the U.S. dollar again. In early August 2019, the PBOC set the RMB’s daily reference rate at RMB 7.0039 to US$1.00, the first time that the exchange rate of RMB to the U.S. dollar has exceeded 7.0 since 2008. With the development of the foreign exchange market and progress towards interest rate liberalization and RMB internationalization, the PRC government may in the future announce further changes to the exchange rate system, and we cannot assure you that the RMB will not appreciate or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the future. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar in the future.
There remains significant international pressure on the Chinese government to adopt a flexible currency policy to allow the RMB to appreciate against the U.S. dollar. Significant revaluation of the RMB may have a material and adverse effect on your investment. Substantially all of our revenues and costs are denominated in RMB. Any significant revaluation of RMB may materially and adversely affect our revenues, earnings and financial position, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, our Ordinary Shares in U.S. dollars.
To the extent that we need to convert the U.S. dollars we receive from future offerings into RMB for capital expenditures and working capital and other business purposes, any appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar would adversely affect the RMB amount we would receive from the conversion. Conversely, a significant depreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar may significantly reduce the U.S. dollar equivalent of our earnings, which in turn could adversely affect the price of our Ordinary Shares, and if we decide to convert RMB into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making dividend payments on our Ordinary Shares, strategic acquisitions or investments or other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the RMB would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to us.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedges may be limited and we may not be able to adequately hedge our exposure or at all. In addition, our currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert RMB into foreign currency. As a result, fluctuations in exchange rates may have a material adverse effect on your investment.
Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our net revenues effectively and affect the value of your investment.
The PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. We receive substantially all of our net revenues in RMB. Under our current corporate structure, our company in the Cayman Islands relies on dividend payments from our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, such as profit distributions and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. Therefore, our PRC subsidiaries are able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us without prior approval from SAFE, subject to the condition that the remittance of such dividends outside of the PRC complies with certain procedures under PRC foreign exchange regulation, such as the overseas investment registrations by the beneficial owners of our company who are PRC residents. But approval from, or registration with, appropriate government authorities is required where RMB is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies.
In light of the flood of capital outflows of China in 2016 due to the weakening RMB, the PRC government has imposed more restrictive foreign exchange policies and stepped up scrutiny of major outbound capital movement. More restrictions and substantial vetting processes have been put in place by SAFE to regulate cross-border transactions falling under the capital account. The PRC government may also at its discretion restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account transactions. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders.
21
PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of future offerings to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Any funds we transfer to the PRC Subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in registered capital, are subject to approval by or registration with relevant governmental authorities in China. According to the relevant PRC regulations on foreign-invested enterprises in China, capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries are subject to registration with the State Administration for Market Regulation or its local counterpart and registration with a local bank authorized by SAFE. In addition, (i) any foreign loan procured by our PRC Subsidiaries is required to be registered with the SAFE or its local branches and (ii) any of our PRC Subsidiaries may not procure loans that exceed the difference between its total investment amount and registered capital or, as an alternative, only procure loans subject to the calculation approach and limitation as provided by the People’s Bank of China. Additionally, any medium or long-term loans to be provided by us to the PRC Subsidiaries must be registered with the National Development and Reform Commission and SAFE or its local branches. We may not be able to obtain these government approvals or complete such registrations in a timely manner, or at all, with respect to future capital contributions or loans by us to our PRC Subsidiaries. If we fail to receive such approvals or complete such registration or filing, our ability to use the proceeds of future offerings to capitalize our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system, including uncertainties regarding the enforcement of laws, and sudden or unexpected changes in laws and regulations in China could adversely affect us and limit the legal protections available to you and us.
Wuxi Mingteng Mould was formed under and is governed by the laws of the PRC. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes. Prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general, such as foreign investment, corporate organization and governance, commerce, taxation and trade. As a significant part of our business is conducted in China, our operations are principally governed by PRC laws and regulations. However, since the PRC legal system continues to evolve rapidly, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties, which may limit legal protections available to us. Uncertainties due to evolving laws and regulations could also impede the ability of a China-based company, such as our company, to obtain or maintain permits or licenses required to conduct business in China. In the absence of required permits or licenses, governmental authorities could impose material sanctions or penalties on us. In addition, some regulatory requirements issued by certain PRC government authorities may not be consistently applied by other PRC government authorities (including local government authorities), thus making strict compliance with all regulatory requirements impractical, or in some circumstances impossible. For example, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce the legal protection that we enjoy either by law or contract. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to predict the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all and may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. Such uncertainties, including uncertainty over the scope and effect of our contractual, property (including intellectual property) and procedural rights, could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations.
Furthermore, if China adopts more stringent standards with respect to environmental protection or corporate social responsibilities, we may incur increased compliance costs or become subject to additional restrictions in our operations. Intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in China may also not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. In addition, we cannot predict the effects of future developments in the PRC legal system on our business operations, including the promulgation of new laws, or changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us and our investors, including you. Moreover, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and diversion of our resources and management attention.
The PRC government has significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business and may intervene or influence our operations as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political and societal goals. The PRC government has recently published new policies that significantly affected certain industries such as the education and internet industries, and we cannot rule out the possibility that it will in the future release regulations or policies regarding our industry that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, the PRC government has recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over securities offerings and other capital markets activities that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based companies like ours. Any such action, once taken by the PRC government, could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or in extreme cases, become worthless.
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We may become subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the PRC regarding privacy, data security, cybersecurity, and data protection. We may be liable for improper use or appropriation of personal information.
We may become subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the PRC regarding privacy, data security, cybersecurity, and data protection. These laws and regulations are continuously evolving and developing. The scope and interpretation of the laws that are or may be applicable to us are often uncertain and may be conflicting, particularly with respect to foreign laws. In particular, there are numerous laws and regulations regarding privacy and the collection, sharing, use, processing, disclosure, and protection of personal information and other user data. Such laws and regulations often vary in scope, may be subject to differing interpretations, and may be inconsistent among different jurisdictions.
We expect to obtain information about various aspects of our operations as well as regarding our employees and third parties. We also maintain information about various aspects of our operations as well as regarding our employees. The integrity and protection of our customer, employee and company data is critical to our business. We do not collect personal information from our customers. Our employees expect that we will adequately protect their personal information. We are required by applicable laws to keep strictly confidential the personal information that we collect and to take adequate security measures to safeguard such information.
The PRC Criminal Law, as amended by its Amendment 7 (effective on February 28, 2009) and Amendment 9 (effective on November 1, 2015), prohibits institutions, companies and their employees from selling or otherwise illegally disclosing a citizen’s personal information obtained during the course of performing duties or providing services or obtaining such information through theft or other illegal ways. On November 7, 2016, the Standing Committee of the PRC National People’s Congress issued the Cyber Security Law of the PRC, or Cyber Security Law, which became effective on June 1, 2017.
Pursuant to the Cyber Security Law, network operators must not, without users’ consent, collect their personal information, and may only collect users’ personal information necessary to provide their services. Providers are also obliged to provide security maintenance for their products and services and shall comply with provisions regarding the protection of personal information as stipulated under the relevant laws and regulations.
The Civil Code of the PRC (issued by the PRC National People’s Congress on May 28, 2020 and effective from January 1, 2021) provides the main legal basis for privacy and personal information infringement claims under China’s civil laws. PRC regulators, including the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (“MIIT”), and the Ministry of Public Security, have been increasingly focused on regulation in the areas of data security and data protection.
The PRC regulatory requirements regarding cybersecurity are constantly evolving. For instance, various regulatory bodies in China, including the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Public Security and the SAMR, have enforced data privacy and protection laws and regulations with varying and evolving standards and interpretations. In April 2020, the Chinese government promulgated Cybersecurity Review Measures, which came into effect on June 1, 2020. According to the Cybersecurity Review Measures, operators of critical information infrastructure must pass a cybersecurity review when purchasing network products and services that do or may affect national security.
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In November 2016, the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress passed China’s first Cybersecurity Law (“CSL”), which became effective in June 2017. The CSL is the first PRC law that systematically lays out the regulatory requirements on cybersecurity and data protection, subjecting many previously under-regulated or unregulated activities in cyberspace to government scrutiny. The legal consequences of violation of the CSL include penalties of warning, confiscation of illegal income, suspension of related business, winding up for rectification, shutting down the websites, and revocation of business licenses or relevant permits. In April 2020, the Cyberspace Administration of China and certain other PRC regulatory authorities promulgated the Cybersecurity Review Measures, which became effective in June 2020. Pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures, operators of critical information infrastructure must pass a cybersecurity review when purchasing network products and services that do or may affect national security.
On June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the NPC promulgated the PRC Data Security Law, which took effect on September 1, 2021. The Data Security Law sets forth the data security protection obligations for entities and individuals handling personal data, including that no entity or individual may acquire such data by stealing or other illegal means, and the collection and use of such data should not exceed the necessary limits. The costs of compliance with, and other burdens imposed by, CSL and any other cybersecurity and related laws may limit the use and adoption of our products and services and could have an adverse impact on our business.
On July 10, 2021, the CAC issued a revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review for public comments. Further, on January 4, 2022, thirteen PRC regulatory agencies, namely, the CAC, the NDRC, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of Finance, MOFCOM, SAMR, CSRC, the People’s Bank of China, the National Radio and Television Administration, National Administration of State Secrets Protection and the National Cryptography Administration, jointly adopted and published the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021), which became effective on February 15, 2022. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021) authorized the relevant government authorities to conduct a cybersecurity review on a range of activities that affect or may affect national security and required that, among others, in addition to “operator of critical information infrastructure” any “operator of network platform” holding personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021) further elaborated on the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country; (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments if going public; and (iii) the risks of network information security. The cybersecurity review will also look into the potential national security risks from overseas IPOs.
On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Regulations on Network Data Security (draft for public comments), or the draft Regulations on Network Data Security, which reiterates that data processors that process the personal information of more than one million users who intend to list overseas should apply for a cybersecurity review. In addition, data processors that process important data or are listed overseas shall carry out an annual data security assessment on their own or by engaging a data security services institution, and the data security assessment report for the prior year should be submitted to the local cyberspace affairs administration department before January 31 of each year. Currently, the draft Regulations on Network Data Security has been released for public comment only, and its implementation provisions and anticipated adoption or effective date remains substantially uncertain and may be subject to change. We do not know what regulations will be adopted or how such regulations will affect us and our listing on Nasdaq. If the CAC determines that we are subject to these regulations, we may be required to delist from Nasdaq and we may be subject to fines and penalties.
We do not expect to be subject to the cybersecurity review by the CAC as of the date of this prospectus, given that: (i) using our products and services does not require users to provide any personal information; (ii) we do not possess any personal information from users in our business operations; and (iii) data processed in our business does not have a bearing on national security and thus may not be classified as core or important data by the authorities. However, if the draft Regulations on Network Data Security is adopted into law and we become listed on Nasdaq, our PRC operating entities likely will be required to perform annual data security assessments either by themselves or retaining a third-party data security service provider and submit such data security assessment report to the local agency every year. Neither the CAC nor any other PRC regulatory agency or administration has contacted the Company in connection with the PRC operating entities. Neither Mingteng International nor the PRC operating entities are currently required to obtain regulatory approval from the CAC nor any other PRC authorities. However, there remains uncertainty as to how the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021) will be interpreted or implemented and whether the PRC regulatory agencies, including the CAC, may adopt new laws, regulations, rules, or detailed implementation and interpretation related to the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021). We cannot assure you that PRC regulatory agencies, including the CAC, would take the same view as we do, and there is no assurance that we can fully or timely comply with such laws. Our PRC Subsidiaries currently have obtained all permissions and approvals required for our operations in compliance with the relevant PRC laws and regulations in the PRC, including the business license. In the event that the applicable laws, regulations or interpretations change such that we are subject to any mandatory cybersecurity review and other specific actions required by the CAC, we cannot guarantee whether we can complete the registration process in a timely manner, or at all. If we inadvertently conclude that such approval is not required, fail to obtain and maintain such approvals, licenses or permits required for our business or respond to changes in the regulatory environment, we could be subject to liabilities, penalties and operational disruption, which may materially and adversely affect our business, operating, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause such securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
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Cybersecurity incidents, including data security breaches or computer viruses, could harm our business by disrupting our delivery of products and services, damaging our reputation or exposing us to liability.
We receive, process, store and transmit, often electronically, the data of our customers and others, such as their product parameters, most of which is confidential. Unauthorized access to our computer systems or stored data could result in the theft, including cyber-theft, or improper disclosure of confidential information, and the deletion or modification of records could cause interruptions in our operations. These cybersecurity risks increase when we transmit information from one location to another, including over the Internet or other electronic networks. Despite the security measures we have implemented, including testing software and our computer systems, our facilities, systems and procedures, and those of our third-party service providers may be vulnerable to security breaches, acts of vandalism, software viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming or human errors or other similar events which may disrupt our delivery of products and services or expose the confidential information of our customers and others. Any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure or use of confidential information of our customers or others, whether by us or our third-party service providers, could subject us to civil and criminal penalties, have a negative impact on our reputation, or expose us to liability to our customers, third parties or government authorities. As of the date of this prospectus, we are not subject to such breaches or any other material cybersecurity risks in our supply chain. However, we may be subject to such an event in the future. In that case, we may be required or may choose, for customer relations or other reasons, to expend significant additional resources to help correct the problem. Any of these developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us, the majority of our directors, or our management named in the annual report based on foreign laws.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, however, we conduct substantially all of our operations in China and substantially all of our assets are located in China. In addition, all our senior executive officers and the majority of our directors reside within China for a significant portion of the time and all of them are PRC nationals. As a result, it may be difficult for our shareholders to effect the service of process upon us or our management residing in China. In addition, China does not have treaties providing for reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments of courts with the Cayman Islands and some other countries and regions. Therefore, recognition and enforcement in China of judgments of a court in any of these non-PRC jurisdictions in relation to any matter not subject to a binding arbitration provision may be difficult or impossible.
It may be difficult for overseas regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within China.
Shareholder claims or regulatory investigations that are common in the United States are generally difficult to pursue as a matter of law or practicality in China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to providing information needed for regulatory investigations or litigation initiated outside China. Although the authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and administration, such cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the United States may not be efficient in the absence of a mutual and practical cooperation mechanism. Furthermore, according to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law, or Article 177, which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC. While a detailed interpretation of or implementation rules under Article 177 has yet to be promulgated, the inability of an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within China may further increase difficulties faced by you in protecting your interests. See also “Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure - You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law” for risks associated with investing in us as a Cayman Islands company.
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If we are classified as a PRC resident enterprise for PRC income tax purposes, such classification could result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders and ordinary shareholders.
Under the PRC EIT Law and its implementation rules, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with a “de facto management body” within China is considered a “resident enterprise” and will be subject to the enterprise income tax on its global income at the rate of 25%. The implementation rules define the term “de facto management body” as the body that exercises full and substantial control and overall management over the business, productions, personnel, accounts and properties of an enterprise. In 2009, the State Administration of Taxation, or SAT, issued the Circular of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Relating to Identification of PRC-Controlled Overseas Registered Enterprises as Resident Enterprises in Accordance with the De Facto Standards of Organizational Management, or SAT Circular 82, which provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a PRC-controlled enterprise that is incorporated offshore is located in China. Although this circular only applies to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreigners, the criteria set forth in the circular may reflect SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” text should be applied in determining the tax resident status of all offshore enterprises. According to SAT Circular 82, an offshore incorporated enterprise controlled by a PRC enterprise or a PRC enterprise group will be regarded as a PRC tax resident by virtue of having its “de facto management body” in China and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its global income only if all of the following conditions are met: (i) the primary location of the day-to-day operational management is in China; (ii) decisions relating to the enterprise’s financial and human resource matters are made or are subject to approval by organizations or personnel in China; (iii) the enterprise’s primary assets, accounting books and records, company seals, and board and shareholder resolutions, are located or maintained in China; and (iv) at least 50% of voting board members or senior executives habitually reside in China.
We believe none of our entities outside of China is a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes. However; the tax resident status of an enterprise is subject to determination by the PRC tax authorities and uncertainties remain with respect to the interpretation of the term “de facto management body.” If the PRC tax authorities determine that Mingteng International is a PRC resident enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes, we could be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 25% on our worldwide income, which could materially reduce our net income, and we may be required to withhold a 10% withholding tax from dividends we pay to our shareholders that are non-resident enterprises, including the holders of our Ordinary Shares. In addition, non-resident enterprise shareholders (including our ordinary shareholders) may be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 10% on gains realized on the sale or other disposition of Ordinary Shares, if such income is treated as sourced from within China. Furthermore, if we are deemed a PRC resident enterprise, dividends payable to our non-PRC individual shareholders (including our ordinary shareholders) and any gain realized on the transfer of Ordinary Shares by such shareholders may be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 20% (and such PRC tax may be withheld at source in the case of dividends). Any PRC income tax liability may be reduced under applicable tax treaties. However, it is unclear whether in practice non-PRC shareholders of Mingteng International would be able to obtain the benefits of any tax treaties between their country of tax residence and the PRC in the event that we are treated as a PRC resident enterprise. Any such tax may reduce the returns on your investment in our Ordinary Shares.
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We face uncertainties with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.
We face uncertainties regarding the reporting on and consequences of previous private equity financing transactions involving the transfer and exchange of shares in our company by non-resident investors. In February 2015, the SAT issued the Bulletin on Issues of Enterprise Income Tax on Indirect Transfers of Assets by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises, or Bulletin 7. Pursuant to Bulletin 7, an “indirect transfer” of PRC assets, including a transfer of equity interests in an unlisted non-PRC holding company of a PRC resident enterprise, by non-PRC resident enterprises may be re-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of the underlying PRC assets, if such arrangement does not have a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of avoiding payment of PRC enterprise income tax. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax, and the transferee or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer is obligated to withhold the applicable taxes, currently at a rate of 10% for the transfer of equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise. Bulletin 7 also introduced safe harbors for internal group restructurings and the purchase and sale of equity securities through a public securities market. On October 17, 2017, the SAT issued the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Concerning the Withholding of Non-resident Enterprise Income Tax at Source, or Bulletin 37, which came into effect on December 1, 2017. Bulletin 37 further clarifies the practice and procedure of the withholding of nonresident enterprise income tax.
We face uncertainties regarding the reporting and consequences of future private equity financing transactions, share exchanges or other transactions involving the transfer of shares in our company by investors that are non-PRC resident enterprises. The PRC tax authorities may pursue such non-resident enterprises with respect to a filing or the transferees with respect to withholding obligation and request our PRC Subsidiaries to assist in the filing. As a result, we and non-resident enterprises in such transactions may become at risk of being subject to filing obligations or being taxed under Bulletin 7 and Bulletin 37 and may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with them or to establish that we and our non-resident enterprises should not be taxed under these regulations, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
If our preferential tax treatments and government subsidies are revoked or become unavailable or if the calculation of our tax liability is successfully challenged by the PRC tax authorities, we may be required to pay tax, interest and penalties in excess of our tax provisions.
The Chinese government has provided tax incentives to our PRC Subsidiaries in China, including reduced enterprise income tax rates. For example, under the EIT Law and its implementation rules, the statutory enterprise income tax rate is 25%. However, the income tax of an enterprise that has been determined to be a high and new technology enterprise can be reduced to a preferential rate of 15%. Any increase in the enterprise income tax rate applicable to our PRC Subsidiaries in China, or any discontinuation, retroactive or future reduction or refund of any of the preferential tax treatments and local government subsidies currently enjoyed by our PRC Subsidiaries in China, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Further, in the ordinary course of our business, we are subject to complex income tax and other tax regulations, and significant judgment is required in the determination of a provision for income taxes. Although we believe our tax provisions are reasonable, if the PRC tax authorities successfully challenge our position and we are required to pay tax, interest and penalties in excess of our tax provisions, our financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations may make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions.
The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, adopted by six PRC regulatory agencies in 2006 and amended in 2009, and some other regulations and rules concerning mergers and acquisitions established complex procedures and requirements for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, including requirements in some instances that the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC (“MOFCOM”), be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law promulgated by the Standing Committee of the PRC National People’s Congress, which became effective in 2008 requires that transactions that are deemed concentrations and involve parties with specified turnover thresholds must be cleared by MOFCOM before they can be completed. On February 7, 2021, the Anti-Monopoly Committee of the State Council published the Anti-Monopoly Guidelines for the Internet Platform Economy Sector, which stipulates that any concentration of undertakings involving variable interest entities shall fall within the scope of anti-monopoly review. If a concentration of undertakings meets the thresholds for clearance under the applicable laws, an internet platform operator shall report such concentration of undertakings to the anti-monopoly law enforcement agency under the State Council in advance. Therefore, our acquisitions of other entities that we make in the future (whether by ourselves or our subsidiaries) and that meet the thresholds for clearance may be required to be reported to and approved by the anti-monopoly law enforcement agency in the PRC and we may be subject to penalty including but not limited to a fine of no more than RMB500,000 if we fail to comply with such requirement. In addition, the security review rules issued by MOFCOM that became effective in September 2011 specify that mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors that raise “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions through which foreign investors may acquire de facto control over domestic enterprises that raise “national security” concerns are subject to strict review by MOFCOM, and the rules prohibit any activities attempting to bypass a security review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement. On December 19, 2020, the Measures for the Security Review for Foreign Investment was jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (“NDRC”) and MOFCOM and took effect on January 18, 2021. The Measures for the Security Review for Foreign Investment specified provisions concerning the security review mechanism on foreign investment, including the types of investments subject to review, review scopes and procedures, among others.
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In the future, we may pursue potential strategic acquisitions that are complementary to our business and operations. Complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned regulations and other relevant rules to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval or clearance from MOFCOM or its local counterparts or other relevant governmental authorities, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share.
The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by the PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.
The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions, which were made available to the public on July 6, 2021. The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision of overseas listings by China-based companies. The Opinions proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems, to deal with the risks and incidents facing China-based overseas-listed companies and the demand for cybersecurity and data privacy protection. The aforementioned policies and any related implementation rules to be enacted may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future. On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with the MOF, National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China, revised the Provisions issued by the CSRC and National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China in 2009. The revised Provisions were issued under the title the “Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies,” and became effective on March 31, 2023 together with the Trial Measures. One of the major revisions to the revised Provisions is expanding their application to cover indirect overseas offering and listing, as is consistent with the Trial Measures. The revised Provisions require that, among other things, (a) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals or entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any documents and materials that contain state secrets or working secrets of government agencies, shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy administrative department at the same level; and (b) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals and entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any other documents and materials that, if leaked, will be detrimental to national security or public interest, shall strictly fulfill relevant procedures stipulated by applicable national regulations. As of the date of this prospectus, the revised Provisions have come into effect. Any failure or perceived failure by our Company or our subsidiaries to comply with the above confidentiality and archives administration requirements under the revised Provisions and other PRC laws and regulations may result in the relevant entities being held legally liable by competent authorities, and referred to the judicial organ to be investigated for criminal liability if suspected of committing a crime.
The Opinions, the Trial Measures, the revised Provisions and any related implementing rules to be enacted may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future. As there are still uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of such regulatory guidance, we cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with all new regulatory requirements of the Opinions, the Trial Measures, the revised Provisions, or any future implementing rules on a timely basis, or at all.
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Failure to comply with PRC laws and regulations on leased property may expose us to potential fines and negatively affect our ability to use the properties we lease.
Our leasehold interests in leased properties have not been registered with the relevant PRC government authorities as required by PRC law, which may expose us to potential fines if we fail to remediate them after receiving any notice from the relevant PRC government authorities. Failure to complete the lease registration will not affect the legal effectiveness of the lease agreements according to PRC law, but the real estate administrative authorities may require the parties to the lease agreements to complete lease registration within a prescribed period of time, and the failure to do so may subject the parties to fines from RMB1,000 to RMB10,000 for each of such lease agreements.
As of the date of this prospectus, we are not aware of any actions, claims or investigations threatened against us or our lessors with respect to the defects in our leasehold interests. However, if any of our lease is terminated as a result of challenges by third parties or governmental authorities for lack of title certificates or proof of authorization to lease, we do not expect to be subject to any fines or penalties, but we may be forced to relocate the affected offices and incur additional expenses relating to such relocation.
PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies may delay us from using the proceeds of future offerings to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Any funds we transfer to the PRC Subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in registered capital, are subject to approval by or registration with relevant governmental authorities in China. According to the relevant PRC regulations on foreign-invested enterprises in China, capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries are subject to registration with the State Administration for Market Regulation or its local counterpart and registration with a local bank authorized by SAFE. In addition, (i) any foreign loan procured by our PRC Subsidiaries is required to be registered with the SAFE or its local branches and (ii) any of our PRC Subsidiaries may not procure loans that exceed the difference between its total investment amount and registered capital or, as an alternative, only procure loans subject to the calculation approach and limitation as provided by the People’s Bank of China. Additionally, any medium or long-term loans to be provided by us to the PRC Subsidiaries must be registered with the National Development and Reform Commission and SAFE or its local branches. We may not be able to obtain these government approvals or complete such registrations in a timely manner, or at all, with respect to future capital contributions or loans by us to our PRC Subsidiaries. If we fail to receive such approvals or complete such registration or filing, our ability to use the proceeds of future offerings to capitalize our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues effectively and affect the value of your investment.
The PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. We receive substantially all of our revenues in RMB. Under our current corporate structure, our Cayman Islands holding company may rely on dividend payments from the PRC operating entities to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval of SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. Specifically, under the existing exchange restrictions, without prior approval of SAFE, cash generated from the operations of PRC operating entities may be used to pay dividends to our Company. However, approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities is required where RMB is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, we need to obtain SAFE approval to use the cash generated from the operations of the PRC operating entities to pay off their respective debt in a currency other than RMB owed to entities outside China, or to make other capital expenditure payments outside China in a currency other than RMB.
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In light of the flood of capital outflows in China in 2016 due to the weakening RMB, the PRC government has imposed more restrictive foreign exchange policies and stepped up scrutiny of major outbound capital movements including overseas direct investment. More restrictions and substantial vetting processes are put in place by SAFE to regulate cross-border transactions falling under the capital account. If any of our shareholders regulated by such policies fails to satisfy the applicable overseas direct investment filing or approval requirement timely or at all, it may be subject to penalties from the relevant PRC authorities. The PRC government may at its discretion further restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account transactions. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders, including holders of our Ordinary Shares.
Enhanced scrutiny over acquisition transactions by the PRC tax authorities may have a negative impact on potential acquisitions we may pursue in the future.
The PRC tax authorities have enhanced their scrutiny over the direct or indirect transfer of certain taxable assets, including, in particular, equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise, by a non-resident enterprise by promulgating and implementing Notice of the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation on Several Issues Concerning the Enterprise Income Tax Treatment on Enterprise Reorganization (Circular 59) and Announcement No. 7 (2015) of the State Administration of Taxation-Announcement on Several Issues concerning the Enterprise Income Tax on Income from the Indirect Transfer of Assets by Non-Resident Enterprises (Circular 7) which became effective in February 2015. Under Circular 7, where a non-resident enterprise conducts an “indirect transfer” by transferring the equity interests of a PRC “resident enterprise” indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, the non-resident enterprise, being the transferor, may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax if the indirect transfer is considered to be an abusive use of company structure without reasonable commercial purposes. Circular 7 also provides that, where a non-PRC resident enterprise transfers its equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise to its related parties at a price lower than the fair market value, the relevant tax authority has the power to make a reasonable adjustment to the taxable income of the transaction.
Circular 7 extends its tax jurisdiction to not only indirect transfers but also transactions involving the transfer of other taxable assets, through the offshore transfer of a foreign intermediate holding company. In addition, Circular 7 provides clear criteria on how to assess reasonable commercial purposes and has introduced safe harbors for internal group restructurings and the purchase and sale of equity through a public securities market. Circular 7 also brings challenges to both the foreign transferor and transferee (or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer) of the taxable assets. Where a non-resident enterprise conducts an “indirect transfer” by transferring the taxable assets indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, the non-resident enterprise being the transferor, or the transferee, or the PRC entity which directly owned the taxable assets may report to the relevant tax authority such indirect transfer. Using a “substance over form” principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding, or deferring PRC tax.
According to the “EIT Law of the People’s Republic of China” (adopted on March 16, 2007, first amended on February 24, 2017, and further amended on December 29, 2018), if the business dealings between an enterprise and its affiliated parties do not conform to the principle of independent transactions and thus reduce the taxable income or income of the enterprise or its affiliated parties, the tax authorities have the right to adjust in accordance with reasonable methods. The cost incurred by an enterprise and its related parties in developing and accepting intangible assets or providing and receiving labor services together shall be apportioned according to the principle of the independent transaction when calculating taxable income.
Where enterprises that are controlled by resident enterprises or resident enterprises and Chinese residents in the country (region) where the actual tax burden is obviously lower than the tax rate level of China’s enterprise income tax, and profits are not distributed or are distributed at a reduced rate due to reasons other than reasonable business needs, the portion of the above profits attributable to such resident enterprises shall be included in the income of such resident enterprises for the reported period. Interest expenses incurred when the ratio of creditor’s rights investment to equity investment accepted by an enterprise from its affiliated parties exceeds the prescribed standard shall not be deducted in the calculation of taxable income. If an enterprise reduces its taxable income or income by implementing other arrangements without reasonable commercial purposes, tax authorities have the right to adjust them in accordance with reasonable methods.
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We face uncertainties regarding the reporting and consequences on future private equity financing transactions, share exchange, or other transactions involving the transfer of shares in our Company by investors that are non-PRC resident enterprises. The PRC tax authorities may pursue such non-resident enterprises with respect to a filing or the transferees with respect to withholding obligation and request our PRC Subsidiaries to assist in the filing. As a result, we and non-resident enterprises in such transactions may become at risk of being subject to filing obligations or being taxed, under Circular 59 and Circular 7, and may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with Circular 59 and Circular 7 or to establish that we and our non-resident enterprises should not be taxed under these circulars, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
The PRC tax authorities have the discretion under Circular 59 and Circular 7 to make adjustments to the taxable capital gains based on the difference between the fair value of the taxable assets transferred and the cost of the investment. Although we currently have no plans to pursue any acquisitions in China or elsewhere in the world, we may pursue acquisitions in the future that may involve complex corporate structures. If we are considered a non-resident enterprise under the PRC EIT Law and if the PRC tax authorities make adjustments to the taxable income of the transactions under Circular 59 and Circular 7, our income tax costs associated with such potential acquisitions will be increased, which may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Our failure to fully comply with PRC labor-related laws may expose us to potential penalties.
Companies operating in China are required to participate in various government sponsored employee benefit plans, including certain social insurance, housing funds and other welfare-oriented payment obligations, and contribute to the plans in amounts equal to certain percentages of salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of our employees up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time at locations where we operate our businesses. The requirement of employee benefit plans has not been implemented consistently by the local governments in China given the different levels of economic development in different locations. We have been paying and will continue to pay social security and housing fund contributions in strict compliance with the relevant PRC regulations for and on behalf of our employees. However, we may be subject to penalties for our failure to make payments in accordance with the applicable PRC laws and regulations should any regulations change in the future, in which case, we may be required to make up the contributions for these plans as well as to pay late fees and fines. If we are subject to fines in relation to the underpaid employee benefits, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Our Ordinary Shares may be prohibited from being traded on a national exchange under the HFCAA if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) is unable to inspect our auditor for two instead of three consecutive years beginning in 2021. The delisting of our Ordinary Shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.
On April 21, 2020, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and PCAOB Chairman William D. Duhnke III, along with other senior SEC staff, released a joint statement highlighting the risks associated with investing in companies based in or having substantial operations in emerging markets, including China. The joint statement emphasized the risks associated with a lack of access for the PCAOB to inspect auditors and audit work papers in China and higher risks of fraud in emerging markets.
On May 18, 2020, Nasdaq filed three proposals with the SEC to (i) apply minimum offering size requirement for companies primarily operating in a “Restrictive Market,” (ii) adopt a new requirement relating to the qualification of management or board of director for Restrictive Market companies, and (iii) apply additional and more stringent criteria to an applicant or listed company based on the qualifications of the company’s auditors.
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On May 20, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the HFCAA requiring a foreign company to certify it is not owned or controlled by a foreign government if the PCAOB is unable to audit specified reports because the company uses a foreign auditor not subject to PCAOB inspection. If the PCAOB is unable to inspect the company’s auditors for three consecutive years, the issuer’s securities are prohibited to trade on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the U.S. On December 2, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. On December 18, 2020, the HFCAA was signed into law.
On March 24, 2021, the SEC announced that it had adopted interim final amendments to implement congressionally mandated submission and disclosure requirements of the Act. The interim final amendments will apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report on Forms 10-K, 20-F, 40-F or N-CSR with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB has determined it is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction. The SEC will implement a process for identifying such a registrant and any such identified registrant will be required to submit documentation to the SEC establishing that it is not owned or controlled by a governmental entity in that foreign jurisdiction, and will also require disclosure in the registrant’s annual report regarding the audit arrangements of, and governmental influence on, such a registrant.
On June 22, 2021, the Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which was signed into law on December 29, 2022, amending the HFCAA and requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchange if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three consecutive years.
On December 2, 2021, the SEC issued amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. The rules apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in foreign jurisdictions. The final amendments are effective on January 10, 2022. The SEC will begin to identify and list Commission-Identified Issuers on its website shortly after registrants begin filing their annual reports for 2021.
On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report on its determinations that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in those jurisdictions.
On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol (the “SOP”) Agreement with the China Securities Regulatory Commission and China’s Ministry of Finance (the “MOF”). The SOP, together with two protocol agreements governing inspections and investigations (together, the “SOP Agreements”), establishes a specific, accountable framework to make possible complete inspections and investigations by the PCAOB of audit firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong, as required under U.S. law.
On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB determined that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate its previous determinations to the contrary.
Our former auditor, Wei, Wei & Co., the independent registered public accounting firm that issued the audit report included elsewhere in this prospectus, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess our auditor’s compliance with the applicable professional standards. Wei, Wei & Co. is headquartered in New York and is subject to inspection by the PCAOB on a regular basis. Therefore, we believe that Wei, Wei & Co. is not subject to the PCAOB determinations as of the date of this prospectus. Our current auditor, HTL, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is also an independent registered public accounting firm with the PCAOB, subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. HTL is subject to inspection by the PCAOB on a regular basis, and therefore we believe that HTL is not subject to the PCAOB determinations as of the date of this prospectus.
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However, the recent developments would add uncertainties to our offering and we cannot assure you whether the SEC, the PCAOB, Nasdaq, or other regulatory authorities would apply additional and more stringent criteria to us after considering the effectiveness of our auditor’s audit procedures and quality control procedures, adequacy of personnel and training, or the sufficiency of resources, geographic reach or experience as it relates to the audit of our financial statements. It remains unclear what further actions the SEC, the PCAOB or Nasdaq will take to address these issues and what impact those actions will have on U.S. companies that have significant operations in the PRC and have securities listed on a U.S. stock exchange (including a national securities exchange or over-the-counter stock market). In addition, any additional actions, proceedings, or new rules resulting from these efforts to increase U.S. regulatory access to audit information could create some uncertainty for investors, the market price of our Ordinary Shares could be adversely affected, and we could be delisted if we, along with our current or former auditors, are unable to meet the PCAOB inspection requirement or being required to engage a new audit firm, which would require significant expense and management time. If trading in our Ordinary Shares is prohibited under the HFCAA in the future because the PCAOB determines that it cannot inspect or fully investigate Wei, Wei & Co. and HTL at such future time, Nasdaq may decide to delist our Ordinary Shares. If our Ordinary Shares are unable to be listed on another securities exchange by then, such a delisting would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase our Ordinary Shares when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with a potential delisting would have a negative impact on the price of our Ordinary Shares.
Changes in international trade policies, trade disputes, barriers to trade, or the emergence of a trade war may influence our business growth in China.
International trade disputes, and other business interruptions could harm or disrupt international commerce and the global economy and could have a material adverse effect on us and the customers, contract manufacturers, raw material vendors, and other partners. International trade disputes could result in tariffs and other protectionist measures which may materially and adversely affect the business.
There have also been concerns about the relationship between the PRC and other countries, including the surrounding Asian countries, which may potentially have economic effects. In particular, there is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and the PRC with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs. Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions, as well as changes in domestic economic and policies and the expected or perceived overall economic growth rate in China.
Since early 2025, the United States has announced a series of tariff increases on goods imported from China, followed by reciprocal measures by the Chinese government. In May 2025, both governments agreed to temporarily lower certain tariffs as part of a 90-day effort to ease trade tensions, although future trade policies remain uncertain. Such actions have led to greater complexity and volatility in cross-border trade.
Uncertainty surrounding international trade disputes and the potential escalation to trade war and global recession could have a negative effect on customer confidence. We may have also access to fewer business opportunities, and the operations may be negatively impacted as a result. In addition, the current and future actions or escalations by either the United States or the PRC that affect trade relations may cause global economic turmoil and potentially have a negative impact on our markets, the business, or our results of operations, as well as the financial condition of the clients, and we cannot provide any assurances as to whether such actions will occur or the form that they may take.
The current tension in international trade, particularly regarding U.S. and China trade policies, may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Although cross-border business may not be an area of our focus, if we plan to expand our business internationally in the future, any unfavorable government policies on international trade, such as capital controls or tariffs, may affect the demand for our services, impact our competitive position, or prevent us from being able to conduct business in certain countries. If any new tariffs, legislation, or regulations are implemented, or if existing trade agreements are renegotiated, such changes could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Recently, there have been heightened tensions in international economic relations, such as the one between the United States and China. The U.S. government has recently imposed and has recently proposed to impose additional, new, or higher tariffs on certain products imported from China to penalize China for what it characterizes as unfair trade practices. China has responded by imposing and proposing to impose additional, new, or higher tariffs on certain products imported from the United States. Following mutual retaliatory actions for months, on January 15, 2020, the United States and China entered into the Economic and Trade Agreement Between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China as a phase one trade deal, effective on February 14, 2020.
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Although the direct impact of the current international trade tension, and any escalation of such tension, on the industries in which we operate is uncertain, the negative impact on general, economic, political and social conditions may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Hong Kong legal system embodies uncertainties that could limit the legal protections available to the Company.
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the PRC and enjoys a high degree of autonomy under the “one country, two systems” principle. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s constitutional document, the Basic Law, ensures that the current political situation will remain in effect for 50 years. Hong Kong has enjoyed the freedom to function with a high degree of autonomy for its affairs, including currencies, immigration and custom, an independent judiciary system and a parliamentary system. However, we are not in any position to guarantee the implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle and the level of autonomy as currently in place at the moment. Any changes in the state of the political environment in Hong Kong may materially and adversely affect our business and operation. Additionally, intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in Hong Kong may not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us.
Risks Relating to Our Ordinary Shares
The trading price of our Ordinary Shares is likely to be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.
The trading price of our Ordinary Shares is likely to be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may happen because of broad market and industry factors, including the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business operations located mainly in China that have listed their securities in the United States. In addition to market and industry factors, the price and trading volume for the Ordinary Shares may be highly volatile for factors specific to our own operations, including the following:
● | variations in our revenues, earnings, and cash flow; |
● | fluctuations in operating metrics; |
● | announcements of new investments, acquisitions, strategic partnerships or joint ventures by us or our competitors; |
● | announcements of new solutions and services and expansions by us or our competitors; |
● | termination or non-renewal of contracts or any other material adverse change in our relationships with our key customers or strategic investors; |
● | changes in financial estimates by securities analysts; |
● | detrimental negative publicity about us, our competitors or our industry; |
● | additions or departures of key personnel; |
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● | release of lockup or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding equity securities or sales of additional equity securities; |
● | regulatory developments affecting us or our industry; and |
● | potential litigation or regulatory investigations. |
Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and price at which the Ordinary Shares will trade. Furthermore, the stock market in general experiences price and volume fluctuations that are often unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of companies like us. These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our Ordinary Shares. Volatility or a lack of positive performance in our ordinary share price may also adversely affect our ability to retain key employees.
In the past, shareholders of public companies have often brought securities class action suits against companies following periods of instability in the market price of their securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management’s attention and other resources from our business and operations and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit, which could harm our results of operations. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
As a “controlled company” under the rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market, we may choose to exempt our Company from certain corporate governance requirements that could have an adverse effect on our public shareholders.
We are a “controlled company” as defined under the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5615(c)(1) and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirement that a majority of our directors be independent, as defined in the Nasdaq Capital Market Rules, and the requirement that our compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees consist entirely of independent directors. Although we do not intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemption under the Nasdaq listing rules, we could elect to rely on this exemption in the future. If we elect to rely on the “controlled company” exemption, a majority of the members of our Board of Directors might not be independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees might not consist entirely of independent directors. Accordingly, during any time while we remain a controlled company relying on the exemption and during any transition period following a time when we are no longer a controlled company, you would not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all the Nasdaq Capital Market corporate governance requirements. Our status as a controlled company could cause our ordinary shares to be less attractive to certain investors or otherwise harm our trading price.
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Our capitalization will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or in a report on Form 6-K subsequently furnished to the SEC and specifically incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
If required, we will set forth in a prospectus supplement the following information regarding any material dilution of the equity interests of investors purchasing securities in an offering under this prospectus:
● | the net tangible book value per share of our equity securities before and after the offering; |
● | the amount of the increase in such net tangible book value per share attributable to the cash payments made by purchasers in the offering; and |
● | the amount of the immediate dilution from the public offering price which will be absorbed by such purchasers. |
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities we offer as indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus.
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We are an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act, and the common law of the Cayman Islands.
As of the date of this prospectus, our authorized share capital is US$50,000, divided into 5,000,000,000 Ordinary Shares of par value of US$0.00001 each. All of our shares to be issued in the offering will be issued as fully paid. There are 6,839,600 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus.
Our Memorandum and Articles
A copy of our amended and restated memorandum of association and amended and restated articles of association is incorporated by reference from our 2024 Annual Report under the caption “Item 10. Additional Information – 10.B. Memorandum and Articles of Association.” Such information does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and applicable provisions of the laws of the Cayman Islands. You should read our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, which are filed as Exhibit 3.1 to our registration statement on Form F-1(File No. 333-270953), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on November 22, 2023, for the provisions that are important to you. As a convenience to potential investors, we provide the below summary of the material provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Act.
Objects of Our Company
Under our amended and restated memorandum of association, the objects of our company are unrestricted and we have the full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by the law of the Cayman Islands.
Ordinary Shares
General
Our authorized share capital is US$50,000 divided into 5,000,000,000 Ordinary Shares with a par value of $0.00001 each.
All of our issued Ordinary Shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Our Ordinary Shares are issued in registered book-entry form, and are issued when registered in our register of members. Unless the board of directors determine otherwise, each holder of our Ordinary Shares will not receive a certificate in respect of such Ordinary Shares. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their Ordinary Shares.
As of the date of this prospectus, there are 6,839,600 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding, and warrants to purchase up to 48,275 Ordinary Shares outstanding.
Listing
Our Ordinary Share are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “MTEN.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for the Ordinary Shares is Transhare Corporation, located at 17755 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33764. The phone number of the transfer agent is +1 303-662-1112.
Dividends
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and any rights attaching to any class or classes of shares under and in accordance with the Articles:
(a) | the directors may declare dividends or distributions out of our funds which are lawfully available for that purpose; and |
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(b) | Mingteng International’s shareholders may, by ordinary resolution, declare dividends but no such dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the directors (and for the avoidance of doubt, no dividend shall be declared by the shareholders unless previously recommended by the directors). |
Under the Companies Act and our Articles, Mingteng International may pay dividends out of either its profit or share premium account, but a dividend may not be paid if this would result in Mingteng International being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. The directors when paying dividends to shareholders may make such payment either in cash or in specie.
Unless provided by the rights attached to a share, no dividend shall bear interest.
Voting rights
At each general meeting, on a show of hands, every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy, or (in the case of a shareholder that is a corporation) represented by a duly authorized representative, shall have one vote. On a poll, every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy, or (in the case of a shareholder that is a corporation) represented by a duly authorized representative, shall have one vote for each Ordinary Share held by that shareholder.
Variation of Rights Attaching to Shares
Whenever the capital of our company is divided into different classes or series, the rights attaching to any class or series of share (unless otherwise provided by our Articles or the terms of issue of the shares of that class or series) may be varied or abrogated (a) by, or with the approval of, the directors without the consent of the holders of the shares of the affected class if the directors determine that the variation or abrogation is not materially adverse to the interests of those shareholders, or (b) with the consent in writing of the holders of three-fourths of the issued shares of that class or series, or with the sanction of a resolution passed by at least a three-fourths majority of the holders of shares of the class or series present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of the class or series.
Alteration of Share Capital
Subject to the Companies Act, Mingteng International may from time to time by ordinary resolution increase its share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes or series and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe.
Subject to the Companies Act, our shareholders may, by ordinary resolution:
(a) | consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of larger amount than our existing shares; |
(b) | convert all or any of our paid up shares into stock, and reconvert that stock into paid up shares of any denomination; |
(c) | subdivide our shares or any of them into shares of an amount smaller, provided, however, that in the subdivision, the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced share shall be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived; and |
(d) | cancel shares which, at the date of the passing of that ordinary resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of our share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled. |
Subject to the Companies Act, Mingteng International may by special resolution reduce its share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by law.
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Calls on Shares
The directors may from time to time make calls upon the shareholders in respect of any money unpaid on their partly paid shares, and each shareholder shall (subject to receiving at least 14 days’ notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to Mingteng International at the time or times so specified the amount called on such shares. Shareholders registered as joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect of the share. If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable, the person from whom it is due and payable shall pay interest upon the sum at such rate per annum as the directors shall determine from the day appointed for the payment thereof to the time of the actual payment, but the directors shall be at liberty to waive payment of that interest wholly or in part.
The provisions of our Articles as to the liability of joint holders and as to payment of interest 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 amount of the share or by way of premium, as if the same had become payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
The directors may make arrangements on the issue of partly paid shares for a difference between the shareholders, or the particular shares, in the amount of calls to be paid and in the times of payment.
The directors may, if they think fit, receive from any shareholder willing to advance the same all or any part of the money uncalled and unpaid upon any partly paid shares held by him, and upon all or any of the money so advanced may (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate as may be agreed upon between the shareholder paying the sum in advance and the directors.
Forfeiture of Shares
If a shareholder fails to pay any call the directors may give to such shareholder not less than 14 days’ notice requiring payment, specifying the amount unpaid, including any interest which may have accrued. The notice shall also state that in the event of non-payment at or before the time appointed the shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.
If such notice is not complied with, any share in respect of which the notice has been given may, at any time thereafter before the payment required by notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the directors to that effect.
A forfeited share may be sold or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the directors think fit, and at any time before a sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the directors think fit.
A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a shareholder in respect of the forfeited shares, but shall, notwithstanding, remain liable to pay to Mingteng International all money which at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to Mingteng International in respect of the shares forfeited, but his liability shall cease if and when Mingteng International receives payment in full the amount unpaid on the shares forfeited.
A statutory declaration in writing that the declarant is a director, and that a share has been duly forfeited on a date stated in the declaration, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts in the notice as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share.
Mingteng International may receive the consideration, if any, given for a share on any sale or disposition thereof pursuant to the provisions of our Articles as to forfeiture and may execute a transfer of the share in favor of the person to whom the share is sold or disposed of and that person shall be registered as the holder of the share, and shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the disposition or sale.
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Share Premium Account
The directors shall establish a share premium account and shall carry to the credit of such account from time to time to a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any share.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares
Subject to any applicable provisions set forth in the Articles or the Companies Act and provided that a transfer of Ordinary Shares complies with applicable rules of Nasdaq Capital Market, a shareholder may transfer Ordinary Shares to another person by completing an instrument of transfer in a common form or a form prescribed by Nasdaq or in any other form approved by the directors.
The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of an ordinary share until the name of the transferee is entered into the register of members of Mingteng International.
Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any Ordinary Shares without assigning any reason.
The registration of transfers may be suspended at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine. However, the registration of transfers may not be suspended for more than 45 days in any year.
Inspection of Books and Records
Holders of our Ordinary Shares will have no general right under the Companies Act to inspect or obtain copies of our register of members or our corporate records (other than copies of our memorandum and articles of association and register of mortgages and charges, and any special resolutions passed by our shareholders). However, the board of directors may determine from time to time whether and to what extent Mingteng International’s accounting records and books (or any of them) shall be open to inspection by shareholders who are not members of the board of directors.
General Meetings
The directors may convene general meetings whenever they think fit. Mingteng International’s Articles provide that upon the requisition of one or more shareholders representing not less than 10% of the voting rights entitled to vote at general meetings, the directors will convene a general meeting and put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting.
At least 7 days’ notice of any general meeting shall be given to shareholders entitled to attend and vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be carried out at the meeting. With the consent of all the shareholders entitled to receive notice of a particular meeting and attend and vote thereat, that meeting may be convened by such shorter notice or without notice and in such manner as those shareholders may think fit. The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any shareholder shall not invalidate the proceedings at any meeting.
All business carried out at a general meeting shall be deemed special with the exception of sanctioning a dividend, the consideration of the accounts, balance sheets, and any report of the directors or the auditors and the fixing of the remuneration of the auditors. No special business shall be transacted at any general meeting without the consent of all shareholders entitled to receive notice of that meeting unless notice of such special business has been given in the notice convening that meeting.
A quorum shall consist of the presence (whether in person or represented by proxy) of one or more Shareholders holding at least one-third of the paid up voting share capital of Mingteng International.
If, within half an hour from the time appointed for the general meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of shareholders, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at the same time and place or to such other day, time and place as the directors may determine, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, the shareholder or shareholders present and entitled to vote shall be a quorum.
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The chairman may, with the consent of a meeting at which a quorum is present, adjourn the meeting.
At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded by one or more shareholders present in person or by proxy entitled to vote, and unless a poll is so demanded, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has, on a show of hands, been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect in the book of the proceedings of Mingteng International, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact, without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favor of, or against, that resolution. If a poll is duly demanded it shall be taken in such manner as the chairman directs, and the results of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting.
In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of the meeting at which the show of hands takes place or at which the poll is demanded, shall not be entitled to a second or casting vote.
Directors
Mingteng International may by ordinary resolution, from time to time, fix the maximum and minimum number of directors to be appointed. Under our Articles, where the minimum and maximum number of directors to be appointed is not fixed, the minimum number of directors shall be one and the maximum number of directors shall be unlimited.
A director may be appointed by Mingteng International by ordinary resolution or by the directors. Any appointment may be to fill a vacancy or as an additional director.
Until otherwise determined by ordinary resolution by our shareholders, the directors shall be entitled to such remuneration by way of fees for their services in the office of director as the board of directors may determine.
Proceedings of the Board of Directors
Subject to the provisions of the Articles, the board of directors may regulate their meetings and proceedings as they think fit. Board meetings may take place either within or outside of the Cayman Islands. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. In case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote. A director may, and the secretary or assistant secretary on the requisition of a director shall, at any time summon a meeting of the directors.
The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the directors may be fixed by the directors, and unless so fixed, if there are two or more directors shall be two, and if there be one director the quorum shall be one. A director represented by proxy or by an alternate director at any meeting shall be deemed to be present for the purposes of determining whether or not a quorum is present.
The directors may elect a chairman of their meetings and determine the period for which he is to hold office but if no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
A committee appointed by the directors may elect a chairman of its meetings. If no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within five minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
A committee appointed by the directors may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the committee members present and in case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
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All acts done by any meeting of the directors or of a committee of directors, or by any person acting as a director, shall notwithstanding that it be afterward discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such director or person acting as aforesaid, or that they or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified to be a director.
Winding Up
If Mingteng International shall be wound up, the liquidator may, with the sanction of an ordinary resolution of Mingteng International, divide amongst the shareholders in specie the whole or any part of the assets of Mingteng International (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may, for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any property to be divided as aforesaid and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the shareholders or different class or series of shares. The liquidator may, with the like sanction, vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the contributories as the liquidator, with the like sanction shall think fit, but so that no shareholder shall be compelled to accept any shares or other securities whereon there is any liability.
Repurchase of Shares
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and without prejudice to our Articles, Mingteng International may purchase its own shares provided that the manner of purchase shall have been approved by the directors or by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders. Mingteng International may make a payment in respect of the purchase of its own shares in any manner permitted by the Companies Act, including out of capital.
Exempted Company
We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except that an exempted company:
● | does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies; |
● | is not required to open its register of members for inspection by shareholders of the company; |
● | does not have to hold annual general meetings; |
● | may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation for a specified period (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance); |
● | may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; |
● | may register as a limited duration company; and |
● | may register as a segregated portfolio company. |
“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid by the shareholder on the shares of Mingteng International held by such shareholder.
Differences in Corporate Law
The Companies Act is derived, to a large extent, from the older Companies Acts of England and Wales but does not follow recent United Kingdom statutory enactments, and accordingly there are significant differences between the Companies Act and the current Companies Act of England and Wales. In addition, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of certain significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the comparable laws applicable to companies incorporated in the State of Delaware in the United States.
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Mergers and Similar Arrangements
The Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies.
For these purposes, (a) “merger” means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company, and (b) a “consolidation” means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of such companies to the consolidated company. In order to effect such a merger or consolidation, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by (a) a special resolution of the shareholders of each constituent company, and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. The plan must be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands together with a declaration as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a list of the assets and liabilities of each constituent company and an undertaking that a copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the shareholders and creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands Gazette. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company is required unless this requirement is waived by a court in the Cayman Islands. Provided the consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company has been obtained, court approval is not required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
A merger between a Cayman Islands parent company and its Cayman Islands subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a resolution of shareholders. For this purpose, a subsidiary is a company of which at least 90% of the issued shares entitled to vote are owned by the parent company.
Except in certain limited circumstances, a dissenting shareholder of a Cayman Islands constituent company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his or her shares upon dissenting from a merger or consolidation (which, if not agreed between the parties, may be determined by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands) if they follow the required procedures provided in the Companies Act, subject to certain exceptions. The exercise of such dissenter rights will preclude the exercise by the dissenting shareholder of any other rights to which he or she might otherwise be entitled by virtue of holding shares, except for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the arrangement is approved by (a) at least a majority in number of the creditors or class of creditors, with whom the arrangement is to be made, who must, in addition, represent at least seventy-five percent in value of such creditors or class of creditors; and/or (b) shareholders or a class of shareholders representing at least seventy-five percent in value of the shareholders or class of shareholders, in each case, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:
(a) | the Company is not proposing to act illegally or ultra vires and the statutory provisions as to the required majority vote have been met; |
(b) | the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class; |
(c) | the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his interest; and |
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(d) | the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act or that would amount to a “fraud on the minority.” |
When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% in value of the shares affected within four months the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer that has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.
If an arrangement and reconstruction are approved, or if a takeover offer is made and accepted, a dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
Shareholders’ Suits
Class actions are not recognized in the Cayman Islands, but groups of shareholders with identical interests may bring representative proceedings, which are similar. However, a class action suit could nonetheless be brought in a U.S. court pursuant to an alleged violation of U.S. securities laws and regulations.
In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff to sue for a wrong done to us as a company and as a general rule, a derivative action may not be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English law authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands courts can be expected to follow English case law precedents and apply the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto) so that a non-controlling shareholder may be permitted to commence a class action against or derivative actions in the name of the company to challenge:
● | an act which is illegal or ultra vires with respect to the company and is therefore incapable of ratification by the shareholders; |
● | an act which, although not ultra vires, requires authorization by a qualified (or special) majority (that is, more than a simple majority) which has not been obtained; and |
● | an act which constitutes a “fraud on the minority” where the wrongdoers are themselves in control of the company. |
Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our Articles provide that no director, alternate director or officer shall be liable to Mingteng International for any loss or damage in carrying out his functions unless that liability arises through the actual fraud or willful default of such director or officer.
To the extent permitted by law, we may make a payment, or agree to make a payment, whether by way of advance, loan or otherwise, for any expenses, including legal fees, incurred by of our existing or former directors or officers in defending any legal, administrative or investigative proceedings on condition that such director or officer must repay the amount paid by us if such director or officer is ultimately found not to be entitled to indemnification by us.
This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation.
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Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable as a matter of United States law.
Directors’ Fiduciary Duties
Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances.
Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director act in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He or she must not use his or her corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interests of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, a director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director owes three types of duties to the company: (i) statutory duties, (ii) fiduciary duties, and (iii) common law duties. The Companies Act imposes a number of statutory duties on a director. A Cayman Islands director’s fiduciary duties are not codified, however the courts of the Cayman Islands have held that a director owes the following fiduciary duties (a) a duty to act in what the director bona fide considers to be in the best interests of the company, (b) a duty to exercise their powers for the purposes they were conferred, (c) a duty to avoid fettering his or her discretion in the future and (d) a duty to avoid conflicts of interest and of duty. The common law duties owed by a director are those to act with skill, care and diligence that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and, also, to act with the skill, care and diligence in keeping with a standard of care commensurate with any particular skill they have which enables them to meet a higher standard than a director without those skills. In fulfilling their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our Articles. We have the right to seek damages if a duty owed by any of our directors is breached.
Shareholder Proposals
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. The Delaware General Corporation Law does not provide shareholders an express right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, but in keeping with common law, Delaware corporations generally afford shareholders an opportunity to make proposals and nominations provided that they comply with the notice provisions in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings.
The Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our Articles provide that general meetings shall be convened on the written requisition of one or more of the shareholders entitled to attend and vote at our general meetings who (together) hold not less than 10 percent of the rights to vote at such general meeting, specifying the purpose of the meeting and signed by each of the shareholders making the requisition. If the directors do not convene such meeting for a date not later than twenty-one days after the date of receipt of the written requisition, those shareholders who requested the meeting may convene the general meeting themselves within 45 days from the date of deposit of the requisition in which case all reasonable expenses incurred by them as a result of the directors failing to convene a meeting shall be reimbursed by us. Our articles provide no other right to put any proposals before general meetings. As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obligated by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings. However, our corporate governance guidelines require us to call such meetings every year.
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Cumulative Voting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. As permitted under the Companies Act, our Articles do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.
Removal of Directors
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Subject to the provisions of our Articles (which include the removal of a director by ordinary resolution or by the board of directors), the office of a director shall be vacated forthwith if (a) he is prohibited by the laws of the Cayman Islands from acting as a director, (b) he is made bankrupt or makes an arrangement or composition with his creditors, (c) he resigns his office by notice to us, (d) he only held office as a director for a fixed term and such term expires, (e) in the opinion of a registered medical practitioner by whom he is being treated he becomes physically or mentally incapable of acting as a director, (f) he is given notice by the majority of the other directors (not being less than two in number) to vacate office (without prejudice to any claim for damages for breach of any agreement relating to the provision of the services of such director), (g) he is made subject to any law relating to mental health or incompetence, whether by court order or otherwise, or (h) without the consent of the other directors, he is absent from meetings of directors for continuous period of six months.
Transactions with Interested Shareholders
The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation or bylaws that are approved by its shareholders, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting stock or who or which is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and owned 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.
The Companies Act has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although the Companies Act does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, under Cayman Islands law such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests of the company and for a proper corporate purpose and, as noted above, a transaction may be subject to challenge if it has the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.
Dissolution; Winding Up
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board of directors.
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Under the Cayman Islands Companies Act, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an ordinary resolution of its shareholders. In addition, our directors may present a winding up petition without the sanction of a resolution of our shareholders. The Cayman Islands courts also have the authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so.
Variation of Rights Attaching to Shares
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our Articles, the rights attaching to any class or series of share (unless otherwise provided by our Articles or the terms of issue of the shares of that class or series) may be varied or abrogated (a) by, or with the approval of, the directors without the consent of the holders of the shares of the affected class if the directors determine that the variation or abrogation is not materially adverse to the interests of those shareholders, or (b) with the consent in writing of the holders of three-fourths of the issued shares of that class or series, or with the sanction of a resolution passed by at least a three-fourths majority of the holders of shares of the class or series present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of the class or series.
Amendment of Governing Documents
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s certificate of incorporation may be amended only if adopted and declared advisable by the board of directors and approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, and the bylaws may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote and may, if so provided in the certificate of incorporation, also be amended by the board of directors. Under the Companies Act our Articles may only be amended by special resolution of our shareholders.
Anti-Money Laundering — Cayman Islands
In order to comply with legislation or regulations aimed at the prevention of money laundering, we may be required to adopt and maintain anti-money laundering procedures, and may require subscribers to provide evidence to verify their identity. Where permitted, and subject to certain conditions, we may also delegate the maintenance of our anti-money laundering procedures (including the acquisition of due diligence information) to a suitable person.
We reserve the right to request such information as is necessary to verify the identity of a subscriber. In the event of delay or failure on the part of the subscriber in producing any information required for verification purposes, we may refuse to accept the application, in which case any funds received will be returned without interest to the account from which they were originally debited.
We also reserve the right to refuse to make any redemption payment to a shareholder if our directors or officers suspect or are advised that the payment of redemption proceeds to such shareholder might result in a breach of applicable anti-money laundering or other laws or regulations by any person in any relevant jurisdiction, or if such refusal is considered necessary or appropriate to ensure our compliance with any such laws or regulations in any applicable jurisdiction.
If any person resident in the Cayman Islands knows or suspects or has reason for knowing or suspecting that another person is engaged in criminal conduct or is involved with terrorism or terrorist property and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of their business in the regulated sector, or other trade, profession, business or employment, the person will be required to report such knowledge or suspicion to (i) a nominated officer (appointed in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands) or the Financial Reporting Authority of the Cayman Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act (as amended), if the disclosure relates to criminal conduct or money laundering or (ii) to a police constable or a nominated officer (pursuant to the Terrorism Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands) or the Financial Reporting Authority, pursuant to the Terrorism Act (as amended), if the disclosure relates to involvement with terrorism or terrorist financing and terrorist property. Such a report shall not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise.
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The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus and the related warrant agreements and warrant certificates. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we indicate in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any warrants offered under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. However, no prospectus supplement shall fundamentally change the terms that are set forth in this prospectus or offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of its effectiveness. Specific warrant agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Exchange Act.
General
We may issue warrants that entitle the holder to purchase ordinary shares, debt securities or any combination thereof. We may issue warrants independently or together with ordinary shares, debt securities or any combination thereof, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities.
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants, including:
● | the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered; |
● | the currency for which the warrants may be purchased, if not United States dollars; |
● | if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security; |
● | if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable; |
● | in the case of warrants to purchase ordinary shares, the number of ordinary shares purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise; |
● | in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency, if not United States dollars, in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise; |
● | the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreement and the warrants; |
● | the term of any rights to redeem or call the warrants; |
● | any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; |
● | the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire; |
● | the manner in which the warrant agreement and warrants may be modified; |
● | federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; |
● | the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and |
● | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants. |
Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including:
● | in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture; or |
● | in the case of warrants to purchase our ordinary shares, the right to receive dividends, if any, or, payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any. |
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Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the warrant agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.
Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for warrants.
Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants
Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.
Warrant Agreement Will Not Be Qualified Under Trust Indenture Act
No warrant agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no warrant agent will be required to qualify as a trustee, under the Trust Indenture Act. Therefore, holders of warrants issued under a warrant agreement will not have the protection of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to their warrants.
Modification of the Warrant Agreement
The warrant agreements may permit us and the warrant agent, if any, without the consent of the warrant holders, to supplement or amend the agreement in the following circumstances:
● | to cure any ambiguity; |
● | to correct or supplement any provision which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions; or |
● | to add new provisions regarding matters or questions that we and the warrant agent may deem necessary or desirable and which do not adversely affect the interests of the warrant holders. |
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
As used in this prospectus, debt securities mean the debentures, notes, bonds and other evidences of indebtedness, which may or may not be converted into our ordinary shares, that we may issue from time to time. The debt securities may be either secured or unsecured and will either be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. The debt securities may be issued under one or more separate indentures between us and a trustee to be specified in an accompanying prospectus supplement. Senior debt securities will be issued under a new senior indenture. Subordinated debt securities will be issued under a subordinated indenture. Together, the senior indentures and the subordinated indentures are sometimes referred to in this prospectus as the indentures. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, will describe the terms of a particular series of debt securities.
The statements and descriptions in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement regarding provisions of the indentures and debt securities are summaries thereof, do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indentures (and any amendments or supplements we may enter into from time to time which are permitted under each indenture) and the debt securities, including the definitions therein of certain terms.
General
Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be direct unsecured obligations of Mingteng International. The senior debt securities will rank equally with any of our other senior and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to any senior indebtedness.
Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the indentures do not limit the aggregate principal amount of debt securities that we may issue and provide that we may issue debt securities from time to time at par or at a discount, and in the case of the new indentures, if any, in one or more series, with the same or various maturities. Unless indicated in a prospectus supplement, we may issue additional debt securities of a particular series without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of such series outstanding at the time of the issuance. Any such additional debt securities, together with all other outstanding debt securities of that series, will constitute a single series of debt securities under the applicable indenture.
Each prospectus supplement will describe the terms relating to the specific series of debt securities being offered. These terms will include some or all of the following:
● | the title of the debt securities and whether they are subordinated debt securities or senior debt securities; |
● | any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities; |
● | the ability to issue additional debt securities of the same series; |
● | the price or prices at which we will sell the debt securities; |
● | the maturity date or dates of the debt securities on which principal will be payable; |
● | the rate or rates of interest, if any, which may be fixed or variable, at which the debt securities will bear interest, or the method of determining such rate or rates, if any; |
● | the date or dates from which any interest will accrue or the method by which such date or dates will be determined; |
● | the conversion price at which the debt securities may be converted; |
● | the date on which the right to convert the debt securities will commence and the date on which the right will expire; |
● | if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of debt securities that may be converted at any one time; |
● | the right, if any, to extend the interest payment periods and the duration of any such deferral period, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended; |
● | whether the amount of payments of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the debt securities may be determined with reference to any index, formula or other method, such as one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices, and the manner of determining the amount of such payments; |
● | the dates on which we will pay interest on the debt securities and the regular record date for determining who is entitled to the interest payable on any interest payment date; |
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● | the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the debt securities will be payable, where any securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange or conversion, as applicable, and notices and demands may be delivered to or upon us pursuant to the indenture; |
● | if we possess the option to do so, the periods within which and the prices at which we may redeem the debt securities, in whole or in part, pursuant to optional redemption provisions, and the other terms and conditions of any such provisions; |
● | our obligation, if any, to redeem, repay or purchase debt securities by making periodic payments to a sinking fund or through an analogous provision or at the option of holders of the debt securities, and the period or periods within which and the price or prices at which we will redeem, repay or purchase the debt securities, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and the other terms and conditions of such obligation; |
● | the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000; |
● | the portion, or methods of determining the portion, of the principal amount of the debt securities which we must pay upon the acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities in connection with an event of default (as described below), if other than the full principal amount; |
● | the currency, currencies or currency unit in which we will pay the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the debt securities, if not United States dollars; |
● | provisions, if any, granting special rights to holders of the debt securities upon the occurrence of specified events; |
● | any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the events of default or our covenants with respect to the applicable series of debt securities, and whether or not such events of default or covenants are consistent with those contained in the applicable indenture; |
● | any limitation on our ability to incur debt, redeem shares, sell our assets or other restrictions; |
● | the application, if any, of the terms of the indenture relating to defeasance and covenant defeasance (which terms are described below) to the debt securities; |
● | whether the subordination provisions summarized below or different subordination provisions will apply to the debt securities; |
● | the terms, if any, upon which the holders may convert or exchange the debt securities into or for our ordinary shares or other securities or property; |
● | whether any of the debt securities will be issued in global form and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which global debt securities may be exchanged for certificated debt securities; |
● | any change in the right of the trustee or the requisite holders of debt securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable because of an event of default; |
● | the depository for global or certificated debt securities; |
● | any special tax implications of the debt securities; |
● | any foreign tax consequences applicable to the debt securities, including any debt securities denominated and made payable, as described in the prospectus supplements, in foreign currencies, or units based on or related to foreign currencies; |
● | any trustees, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars, or other agents with respect to the debt securities; |
● | any other terms of the debt securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the indentures, as amended or supplemented; |
● | to whom any interest on any debt security shall be payable, if other than the person in whose name the security is registered, on the record date for such interest, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary global debt security will be paid if other than in the manner provided in the applicable indenture; |
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● | if the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities of the series is to be payable in one or more currencies or currency units other than as stated, the currency, currencies or currency units in which it shall be paid and the periods within and terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made and the amounts payable (or the manner in which such amount shall be determined); |
● | the portion of the principal amount of any securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities pursuant to the applicable indenture if other than the entire principal amount; and |
● | if the principal amount payable at the stated maturity of any debt security of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the stated maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such securities as of any such date for any purpose, including the principal amount thereof which shall be due and payable upon any maturity other than the stated maturity or which shall be deemed to be outstanding as of any date prior to the stated maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined). |
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not be listed on any securities exchange and will be issued in fully-registered form without coupons.
Debt securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the federal income tax consequences and special considerations applicable to any such debt securities. The debt securities may also be issued as indexed securities or securities denominated in foreign currencies, currency units or composite currencies, as described in more detail in the prospectus supplement relating to any of the particular debt securities. The prospectus supplement relating to specific debt securities will also describe any special considerations and certain additional tax considerations applicable to such debt securities.
Conversion of Debt Securities
The debt securities may entitle the holder to purchase, in exchange for the extinguishment of debt, an amount of securities at a conversion price that will be stated in the debt securities. If such debt securities are convertible, unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be convertible at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the terms of such debt securities. After the close of business on the expiration date, the debt securities not converted will be paid in accordance with their terms.
Subordination
The prospectus supplement relating to any offering of subordinated debt securities will describe the specific subordination provisions. However, unless otherwise noted in the prospectus supplement, subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to any existing senior indebtedness.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, under the subordinated indenture, “senior indebtedness” means all amounts due on obligations in connection with any of the following, whether outstanding at the date of execution of the subordinated indenture, or thereafter incurred or created:
● | the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest due on our indebtedness for borrowed money and indebtedness evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof); |
● | all of our capital lease obligations or attributable debt (as defined in the indentures) in respect of sale and leaseback transactions; |
● | all obligations representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services, which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable or any similar obligation to trade creditors; |
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● | all of our obligations in respect of interest rate swap agreements (whether from fixed to floating or from floating to fixed), interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements; other agreements or arrangements designed to manage interest rates or interest rate risk; and other agreements or arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in currency exchange rates or commodity prices; |
● | all obligations of the types referred to above of other persons for the payment of which we are responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and |
● | all obligations of the types referred to above of other persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of ours (whether or not such obligation is assumed by us). |
However, senior indebtedness does not include:
● | any indebtedness which expressly provides that such indebtedness shall not be senior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities, or that such indebtedness shall be subordinated to any other of our indebtedness, unless such indebtedness expressly provides that such indebtedness shall be senior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities; |
● | any of our obligations to our subsidiaries or of a subsidiary guarantor to us or any other of our other subsidiaries; |
● | any liability for federal, state, local or other taxes owed or owing by us or any subsidiary guarantor, |
● | any accounts payable or other liability to trade creditors arising in the ordinary course of business (including guarantees thereof or instruments evidencing such liabilities); |
● | any obligations with respect to any capital stock; |
● | any indebtedness incurred in violation of the indenture, provided that indebtedness under our credit facilities will not cease to be senior indebtedness under this bullet point if the lenders of such indebtedness obtained an officer’s certificate as of the date of incurrence of such indebtedness to the effect that such indebtedness was permitted to be incurred by the indenture; and |
● | any of our indebtedness in respect of the subordinated debt securities. |
Senior indebtedness shall continue to be senior indebtedness and be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such senior indebtedness.
Unless otherwise noted in an accompanying prospectus supplement, if we default in the payment of any principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any senior indebtedness when it becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise, then, unless and until such default is cured or waived or ceases to exist, we will make no direct or indirect payment (in cash, property, securities, by set-off or otherwise) in respect of the principal of or interest on the subordinated debt securities or in respect of any redemption, retirement, purchase or other requisition of any of the subordinated debt securities.
In the event of the acceleration of the maturity of any subordinated debt securities, the holders of all senior debt securities outstanding at the time of such acceleration, subject to any security interest, will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due on the senior debt securities before the holders of the subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest on the subordinated debt securities.
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If any of the following events occurs, we will pay in full all senior indebtedness before we make any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities, whether in cash, securities or other property, to any holder of subordinated debt securities:
● | any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of Mingteng Internation Corporation Inc., whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, |
● | insolvency or receivership; |
● | any general assignment by us for the benefit of creditors; or |
● | any other marshaling of our assets or liabilities. |
In such event, any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities, whether in cash, securities or other property, which would otherwise (but for the subordination provisions) be payable or deliverable in respect of the subordinated debt securities, will be paid or delivered directly to the holders of senior indebtedness in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders until all senior indebtedness has been paid in full. If any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities is received by the trustee of any subordinated debt securities in contravention of any of the terms of the subordinated indenture and before all the senior indebtedness has been paid in full, such payment or distribution will be received in trust for the benefit of, and paid over or delivered and transferred to, the holders of the senior indebtedness at the time outstanding in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders for application to the payment of all senior indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all such senior indebtedness in full.
The subordinated indenture does not limit the issuance of additional senior indebtedness.
Events of Default, Notice and Waiver
Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, the following shall constitute “events of default” under the indentures with respect to each series of debt securities:
● | we default for 30 consecutive days in the payment when due of interest on the debt securities; |
● | we default in the payment when due (at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise) of the principal of, or premium, if any, on the debt securities; |
● | our failure to observe or perform any other of our covenants or agreements with respect to such debt securities for 60 days after we receive notice of such failure; |
● | certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization Mingteng International; or |
● | any other event of default provided with respect to securities of that series. |
Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, if an event of default with respect to any debt securities of any series outstanding under either of the indentures shall occur and be continuing, the trustee under such indenture or the holders of at least 25% (or at least 10%, in respect of a remedy (other than acceleration) for certain events of default relating to the payment of dividends) in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series outstanding may declare, by notice as provided in the applicable indenture, the principal amount (or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the debt securities of that series) of all the debt securities of that series outstanding to be due and payable immediately; provided that, in the case of an event of default involving certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, acceleration is automatic; and, provided further, that after such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all events of default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal, have been cured or waived. Upon the acceleration of the maturity of original issue discount securities, an amount less than the principal amount thereof will become due and payable. Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to any original issue discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of maturity thereof.
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Any past default under either indenture with respect to debt securities of any series, and any event of default arising therefrom, may be waived by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all debt securities of such series outstanding under such indenture, except in the case of (1) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any debt securities of such series or (2) certain events of default relating to the payment of dividends.
The trustee is required within 90 days after the occurrence of a default (which is known to the trustee and is continuing), with respect to the debt securities of any series (without regard to any grace period or notice requirements), to give to the holders of the debt securities of such series notice of such default.
The trustee, subject to its duties during default to act with the required standard of care, may require indemnification by the holders of the debt securities of any series with respect to which a default has occurred before proceeding to exercise any right or power under the indentures at the request of the holders of the debt securities of such series. Subject to such right of indemnification and to certain other limitations, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series under either indenture may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series, provided that such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with the applicable indenture and the trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.
No holder of a debt security of any series may institute any action against us under either of the indentures (except actions for payment of overdue principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such debt security or for the conversion or exchange of such debt security in accordance with its terms) unless (1) the holder has given to the trustee written notice of an event of default and of the continuance thereof with respect to the debt securities of such series specifying an event of default, as required under the applicable indenture, (2) the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding under such indenture shall have requested the trustee to institute such action and offered to the trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request; (3) the trustee shall not have instituted such action within 60 days of such request and (4) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during such 60-day period by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series. We are required to furnish annually to the trustee statements as to our compliance with all conditions and covenants under each indenture.
Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
We may discharge or defease our obligations under the indenture as set forth below, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may discharge certain obligations to holders of any series of debt securities issued under either the senior indenture or the subordinated indenture which have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation by irrevocably depositing with the trustee money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such debt securities not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities which have become due and payable) or to the stated maturity or redemption date, as the case may be, and we or, if applicable, any guarantor, have paid all other sums payable under the applicable indenture.
If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may elect either (1) to defease and be discharged from any and all obligations with respect to the debt securities of or within any series (except in all cases as otherwise provided in the relevant indenture) (“legal defeasance”) or (2) to be released from our obligations with respect to certain covenants applicable to the debt securities of or within any series (“covenant defeasance”), upon the deposit with the relevant indenture trustee, in trust for such purpose, of money and/or government obligations which through the payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such debt securities to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, and any mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments thereon. As a condition to legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, we must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of such debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred. Such opinion of counsel, in the case of legal defeasance under clause (i) above, must refer to and be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in applicable federal income tax law occurring after the date of the relevant indenture. In addition, in the case of either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, we shall have delivered to the trustee (1) if applicable, an officer’s certificate to the effect that the relevant debt securities exchange(s) have informed us that neither such debt securities nor any other debt securities of the same series, if then listed on any securities exchange, will be delisted as a result of such deposit and (2) an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance have been complied with.
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We may exercise our defeasance option with respect to such debt securities notwithstanding our prior exercise of our covenant defeasance option.
Modification and Waiver
Under the indentures, unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, we and the applicable trustee may supplement the indentures for certain purposes which would not materially adversely affect the interests or rights of the holders of debt securities of a series without the consent of those holders. We and the applicable trustee may also modify the indentures or any supplemental indenture in a manner that affects the interests or rights of the holders of debt securities with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each affected series issued under the indenture. However, the indentures require the consent of each holder of debt securities that would be affected by any modification which would:
● | reduce the principal amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver; |
● | reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or, except as provided in any prospectus supplement, alter or waive any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of the debt securities; |
● | reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest, including default interest, on any debt security; |
● | waive a default or event of default in the payment of principal of or interest or premium, if any, on, the debt securities (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration); |
● | make any debt security payable in money other than that stated in the debt securities; |
● | make any change in the provisions of the applicable indenture relating to waivers of past defaults or the rights of holders of the debt securities to receive payments of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the debt securities; |
● | waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security (except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement); |
● | except in connection with an offer by us to purchase all debt securities, (1) waive certain events of default relating to the payment of dividends or (2) amend certain covenants relating to the payment of dividends and the purchase or redemption of certain equity interests; |
● | make any change to the subordination or ranking provisions of the indenture or the related definitions that adversely affect the rights of any holder; or |
● | make any change in the preceding amendment and waiver provisions. |
The indentures permit the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series issued under the indenture which is affected by the modification or amendment to waive our compliance with certain covenants contained in the indentures.
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of interest on a debt security on any interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name a debt security is registered at the close of business on the record date for the interest.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, principal, interest and premium on the debt securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of such paying agent or paying agents as we may designate for such purpose from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at our option, payment of any interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address appears in the security register.
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Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, a paying agent designated by us will act as paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. All paying agents initially designated by us for the debt securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.
All moneys paid by us to a paying agent for the payment of the principal, interest or premium on any debt security which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, interest or premium has become due and payable will be repaid to us upon request, and the holder of such debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Denominations, Registrations and Transfer
Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, debt securities will be represented by one or more global certificates registered in the name of a nominee for The Depository Trust Company, or DTC. In such case, each holder’s beneficial interest in the global securities will be shown on the records of DTC and transfers of beneficial interests will only be effected through DTC’s records.
A holder of debt securities may only exchange a beneficial interest in a global security for certificated securities registered in the holder’s name if:
● | we deliver to the trustee notice from DTC that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as depository or that it is no longer a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 120 days after the date of such notice from DTC; |
● | we in our sole discretion determine that the debt securities (in whole but not in part) should be exchanged for definitive debt securities and deliver a written notice to such effect to the trustee; or |
● | there has occurred and is continuing a default or event of default with respect to the debt securities. |
If debt securities are issued in certificated form, they will only be issued in the minimum denomination specified in the accompanying prospectus supplement and integral multiples of such denomination. Transfers and exchanges of such debt securities will only be permitted in such minimum denomination. Transfers of debt securities in certificated form may be registered at the trustee’s corporate office or at the offices of any paying agent or trustee appointed by us under the indentures. Exchanges of debt securities for an equal aggregate principal amount of debt securities in different denominations may also be made at such locations.
Governing Law
The indentures and debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws, except to the extent the Trust Indenture Act is applicable or as otherwise agreed to by the parties thereto.
Trustee
The trustee or trustees under the indentures will be named in any applicable prospectus supplement.
Conversion or Exchange Rights
The prospectus supplement will describe the terms, if any, on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our ordinary shares or other debt securities. These terms will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. These provisions may allow or require the number of shares of our ordinary shares or other securities to be received by the holders of such series of debt securities to be adjusted. Any such conversion or exchange will comply with applicable Cayman Islands law and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
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We may issue units comprising one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date or occurrence.
The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:
● | the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
● | any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and |
● | whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form. |
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any units. The preceding description and any description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depository arrangements relating to such units.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND SHARE PURCHASE UNITS
We may issue share purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and obligating us to sell to the holders, a specified number of ordinary shares or other securities registered hereunder at a future date or dates, which we refer to in this prospectus as “share purchase contracts.” The price per share of the securities and the number of shares of the securities may be fixed at the time the share purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the share purchase contracts.
The share purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units consisting of a share purchase contract and debt securities, warrants, other securities registered hereunder, which we refer to herein as “share purchase units.” The share purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under the share purchase contracts in a specified manner. The share purchase contracts also may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the share purchase units or vice versa, and those payments may be unsecured or refunded on some basis.
The share purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral or depositary arrangements, relating to the share purchase contracts or share purchase units, will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of share purchase contracts or share purchase units. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of share purchase contracts or share purchase units will describe the terms of those share purchase contracts or share purchase units, including the following:
● | if applicable, a discussion of material tax considerations; and |
● | any other information we think is important about the share purchase contracts or the share purchase units. |
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We may issue rights to purchase ordinary shares that we may offer to our securityholders. The rights may or may not be transferable by the persons purchasing or receiving the rights. In connection with any rights offering, we may enter into a standby underwriting or other arrangement with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other persons would purchase any offered securities remaining unsubscribed for after such rights offering. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agent agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as rights agent, that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the rights and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights.
The prospectus supplement relating to any rights that we offer will include specific terms relating to the offering, including, among other matters:
● | the date of determining the securityholders entitled to the rights distribution; |
● | the aggregate number of rights issued and the aggregate number of ordinary shares purchasable upon exercise of the rights; |
● | the exercise price; |
● | the conditions to completion of the rights offering; |
● | the date on which the right to exercise the rights will commence and the date on which the rights will expire; and |
● | applicable tax considerations. |
Each right would entitle the holder of the rights to purchase for cash the principal amount of debt securities or ordinary shares at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for the rights provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised rights will become void.
If less than all of the rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than our security holders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby arrangements, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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We may sell the securities described in this prospectus through underwriters or dealers, through agents, directly to one or more purchasers, “at-the-market” offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or through a combination of these methods. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including:
● | the name or names of any underwriters, if any, and if required, any dealers or agents, and the amount of securities underwritten or purchased by each of them, if any; |
● | the public offering price or purchase price of the securities from us and the net proceeds to us from the sale of the securities; |
● | any underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation; |
● | any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers; and |
● | any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed. |
We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at:
● | a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; |
● | market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
● | varying prices determined at the time of sale related to such prevailing market prices; or |
● | negotiated prices. |
Only underwriters named in the prospectus supplement will be underwriters of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.
If we use underwriters in the sale, the underwriters will either acquire the securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or sell the Ordinary Shares on a “best efforts, minimum/maximum basis” when the underwriters agree to do their best to sell the securities to the public. We may offer the securities to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may change from time to time.
If we use a dealer in the sale of the securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, the securities will be sold directly to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.
Our Ordinary Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Unless otherwise specified in the related prospectus supplement, all securities we offer, other than ordinary shares, will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriter may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We may apply to list any series of warrants or other securities that we offer on an exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. Therefore, there may not be liquidity or a trading market for any series of securities.
We may sell the securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any commissions we may pay the agent in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may authorize agents or underwriters to solicit offers by institutional investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we must pay for solicitation of these contracts in the applicable prospectus supplement.
In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters, dealers or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities for whom they act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities, and any institutional investors or others that purchase securities directly and then resell the securities, may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.
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Please refer to “Item 10. Additional Information - E. Taxation” of our 2024 Annual Report which is herein incorporated by reference.
The following table sets forth the estimated costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by us in connection with the offering of the securities being registered. All the amounts shown are estimates, except for the SEC registration fee.
SEC registration fee | $ | 15,310 | ||
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fee | $ | * | ||
Legal fees and expenses | $ | * | ||
Accounting fees and expenses | $ | * | ||
Miscellaneous | $ | * | ||
Total | $ | * |
* | To be provided by a prospectus supplement or as an exhibit to a report of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K that is incorporated by reference into this registration statement. Estimated solely for this item. Actual expenses may vary. |
Our material contracts are described in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” below.
Except as otherwise described in our 2024 Annual Report, in our Reports on Form 6-K furnished under the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference herein and as disclosed in this prospectus, no reportable material changes have occurred since December 31, 2024.
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We are being represented by Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP with respect to certain legal matters as to United States federal securities and New York State law. The legality and validity of the securities offered from time to time under this prospectus under the laws of the Cayman Islands was passed upon by Mourant Ozannes (Cayman) LLP. Certain legal matters as to PRC law will be passed upon for us by Jiangsu Junjin Law Firm. Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP may rely upon Mourant Ozannes (Cayman) LLP with respect to matters governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands and Jiangsu Junjin Law Firm with respect to matters governed by PRC law.
If legal matters in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel to underwriters, dealers, or agents, such counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any such offering.
The consolidated financial statements of Mingteng International as of and for the year ended December 31, 2024, which are included in this prospectus, have been so included in reliance on the report of HTL International, LLC, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere in their annual reports on Form 20-F, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The office of HTL International, LLC is located at 12 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1100, Houston, Texas, 77046.
The consolidated financial statements of Mingteng International as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for each of the fiscal years in the period then ended included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of Wei, Wei & Co., LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere in their annual reports on Form 20-F, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The office of Wei, Wei & Co., LLP is located at 133-10 39th Avenue, Flushing, New York, 11354.
INTERESTS OF EXPERTS AND COUNSEL
No named expert of or counselor to us was employed on a contingent basis, or owns an amount of our shares (or those of our subsidiaries) which is material to that person, or has a material, direct or indirect economic interest in us or that depends on the success of the offering.
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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands with limited liability. We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands because of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company, such as:
● | political and economic stability; |
● | a favorable tax system; |
● | the absence of exchange control or currency restrictions; and |
● | the availability of professional and support services. |
However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include:
● | the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides fewer protections to investors; and |
● | Cayman Islands companies may not have the standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States. |
Our constituent documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.
Substantially all of our assets are located outside the United States. In addition, a majority of our directors and officers are nationals and/or residents of countries other than the United States, and all or a substantial portion of such persons’ assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons, or to enforce against them or against us, judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
We have appointed Cogency Global Inc as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York under the federal securities laws of the United States or of any State of the United States or any action brought against us in the Supreme Court of the State of New York in the County of New York under the securities laws of the State of New York.
Jiangsu Junjin Law Firm, our counsel as to Chinese law, has advised us that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the Chinese Civil Procedure Law. Chinese courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the Chinese Civil Procedure Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or in reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other agreements with the Cayman Islands or the United States that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. As a result, it is uncertain whether a Chinese court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in either of these two jurisdictions.
According to the Civil Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China (amended in 2023), if a legally effective judgment or ruling made by a foreign court requires recognition and enforcement by a people’s court of the People’s Republic of China, the party concerned may directly apply to an intermediate people’s court with jurisdiction over for recognition and enforcement, or the foreign court may request recognition and enforcement by a people’s court in accordance with the provisions of an international treaty concluded or acceded to by the country and the People’s Republic of China, or in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.
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If the people’s courts are of the opinion that the legally effective judgment or ruling made by the foreign court applying for or requesting recognition and enforcement does not violate the basic principles of the laws of the People’s Republic of China or the sovereignty, security and public interests of the country after the people’s court reviews the legally effective judgment or ruling made by the foreign court applying for or requesting recognition and enforcement in accordance with the international treaties concluded or acceded to by the People’s Republic of China or in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, then the people’s court shall issue a ruling that recognizes its validity and, if enforcement is necessary, issues an enforcement order, which order shall be implemented in accordance with the relevant laws. A judgment or ruling that violates the basic principles of the laws of the People’s Republic of China or the sovereignty, security and public interests of the country will not be recognized and implemented.
If an award made by a foreign arbitration institution requires recognition and enforcement by the people’s court of the People’s Republic of China, the party concerned shall directly apply to the intermediate people’s court in the place where the person subjected to enforcement has his domicile or where his property is located. The people’s court shall handle the matter in accordance with international treaties concluded or acceded to by the People’s Republic of China or in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.
Mourant Ozannes (Cayman) LLP, our counsel as to the laws of the Cayman Islands, has advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands would (1) recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any state in the United States, or (2) entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands against us or our directors or officers that are predicated upon the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any state in the United States.
Mourant Ozannes (Cayman) LLP has informed us that although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States (and the Cayman Islands are not a party to any treaties for the reciprocal enforcement or recognition of such judgments), a judgment in personam obtained in such jurisdiction may be recognized and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands at common law, without any re-examination of the merits of the underlying dispute, by an action commenced on the foreign judgment debt in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, provided such judgment (a) is given by a competent foreign court with jurisdiction to give the judgment, (b) imposes a specific positive obligation on the judgment debtor (such as an obligation to pay a liquidated sum or perform a specified obligation), (c) is final and conclusive, (d) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty; (e) has not been obtained by fraud; and (f) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or public policy of the Cayman Islands. However, the Cayman Islands courts are unlikely to enforce a judgment obtained from the U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities law if such judgment is determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands to give rise to obligations to make payments that are penal or punitive in nature. Because such a determination has not yet been made by a court of the Cayman Islands, it is uncertain whether such civil liability judgments from U.S. courts would be enforceable in the Cayman Islands. A Cayman Islands court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
We believe that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of Hong Kong would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of United States courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States or (ii) entertain original actions brought in Hong Kong against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. A judgment of a court in the United States predicated upon U.S. federal or state securities laws may be enforced in Hong Kong at common law by bringing an action in a Hong Kong court on that judgment for the amount due thereunder, and then seeking summary judgment on the strength of the foreign judgment, provided that the foreign judgment, among other things, is (1) for a debt or a definite sum of money (not being taxes or similar charges to a foreign government taxing authority or a fine or other penalty) and (2) final and conclusive on the merits of the claim, but not otherwise. Such a judgment may not, in any event, be so enforced in Hong Kong if (a) it was obtained by fraud; (b) the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained were opposed to natural justice; (c) its enforcement or recognition would be contrary to the public policy of Hong Kong; (d) the court of the United States was not jurisdictionally competent; or (e) the judgment was in conflict with a prior Hong Kong judgment. Hong Kong has no arrangement for the reciprocal enforcement of judgments with the United States. As a result, there is uncertainty as to the enforceability in Hong Kong, in original actions or in actions for enforcement, of judgments of United States courts of civil liabilities predicated solely upon the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any State or territory within the United States.
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INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The rules of the SEC allow us to incorporate by reference into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC. This means that we are disclosing important information to you by referring to other documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained directly in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below (other than any portions thereof, which under the Exchange Act, and applicable SEC rules, are not deemed “filed” under the Exchange Act):
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents listed below:
● | our Annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 (File No. 001-42024), filed on April 30, 2025 (including any exhibits, except where otherwise noted) |
● | our reports of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K, furnished to the SEC on May 1, 2025; |
● | the description of our Ordinary Shares contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A, filed with the SEC on April 17, 2024 and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; |
● | any future annual reports on Form 20-F filed with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the securities offered by this prospectus; and |
● | any future reports of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K that we furnish to the SEC after the date of this prospectus that are identified in such reports as being incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. |
Any statement made in a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
You can obtain any of the filings incorporated by reference into this prospectus through us or from the SEC through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. We will provide, without charge, to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the reports and documents referred to above which have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should direct requests for those documents to:
Mingteng International Corporation Inc.
Lvhua Village, Luoshe Town,
Huishan District, Wuxi,
Jiangsu Province, China 214189
+86 0510-83318500
You should rely only on the information that we incorporate by reference or provide in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making any offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated in this prospectus by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document containing the information.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
As permitted by SEC rules, this prospectus omits certain information and exhibits that are included in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Since this prospectus may not contain all of the information that you may find important, you should review the full text of these documents. If we have filed a contract, agreement, or other document as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, you should read the exhibit for a more complete understanding of the document or matter involved. Each statement in this prospectus, including statements incorporated by reference as discussed above, regarding a contract, agreement, or other document is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual document.
We are subject to periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Exchange Act as applicable to foreign private issuers. Accordingly, we are required to file reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F, and other information with the SEC. All information filed with the SEC can be inspected over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC.
As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors, and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic or current reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our Articles provide that no director, alternate director or officer shall be liable to Mingteng International for any loss or damage in carrying out his functions unless that liability arises through the actual fraud or willful default of such director or officer.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable as a matter of United States law.
Any underwriting agreement entered into in connection with an offering of securities will also provide for indemnification of us and our officers and directors in certain cases.
Item 9. Exhibits
The following exhibits are attached hereto:
+ | Filed herewith |
* | To be filed, if necessary, after effectiveness of this registration statement by an amendment to the registration statement or incorporated by reference to a Current Report on Form 6-K filed in connection with an underwritten offering of the shares offered hereunder. |
** | To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. |
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Item 10. Undertakings
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales of securities are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
(i) | To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
(ii) | To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
(iii) | To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. |
(2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
(4) | To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act need not be furnished, provided that the Registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Rule 3-19 of Regulation S-X if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Form F-3. |
(5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
(i) | If the registrant is relying on Rule 430B: |
(a) | Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
(b) | Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or |
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(ii) | If the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use. |
(6) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
(i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
(ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
(iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
(iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
(b) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(c)-(g) | Not applicable. |
(h) | If any provision or arrangement exists whereby the Registrant may indemnify a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant against liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or the underwriting agreement contains a provision whereby the Registrant indemnifies the underwriter or controlling persons of the underwriter against such liabilities and a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant is such an underwriter or controlling person thereof or a member of any firm which is such an underwriter, and the benefits of such indemnification are not waived by such persons, insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
(i) | Not applicable. | |
(j) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)(2) of the Act. | |
(k) | Not applicable. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China on June 6, 2025.
Mingteng International Corporation Inc. | ||
By: | /s/ Yingkai Xu | |
Name: | Yingkai Xu | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer and Director |
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, each director and officer whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints, Yingkai Xu, and each of them, individually, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, to sign in any and all capacities any and all amendments or post-effective amendments to this registration statement on Form F-3, and to sign any and all additional registration statements relating to the same offering of securities of the Registration Statement that are filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting such attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do all such other acts and execute all such other documents as he may deem necessary or desirable in connection with the foregoing, as fully as the undersigned may or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact and agent may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Yingkai Xu | Chief Executive Officer and Directors | June 6, 2025 | ||
Name: Yingkai Xu | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
/s/ Fengting Yin | Chief Financial Officer | June 6, 2025 | ||
Name: Fengting Yin | (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) | |||
/s/ Jingzhu Ding | Director | June 6, 2025 | ||
Name: Jingzhu Ding | ||||
/s/ Ronghua Xu | Director | June 6, 2025 | ||
Name: Ronghua Xu | ||||
/s/ Wenkai Fang | Director | June 6, 2025 | ||
Name: Wenkai Fnag | ||||
/s/ Xiaoqiu Zhang | Director | June 6, 2025 | ||
Name: Xiaoqiu Zhang |
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SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Mingteng International Corporation Inc., has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto in New York, NY, United States on June 6, 2025.
Authorized U.S. Representative | ||
By: | /s/ Colleen A. De Vries | |
Name: | Colleen A. De Vries | |
Title: | Senior Vice-President on behalf of Cogency Global Inc. |
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