Note 8 — Restricted assets

The Company’s ability to pay dividends is primarily dependent on the Company receiving distributions of funds from its subsidiaries. Relevant PRC statutory laws and regulations permit payments of dividends by the PRC subsidiaries only out of its retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. The results of operations reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP differ from those reflected in the statutory financial statements of the PRC entities.

As noted above, the PRC entities are required to set aside at least 10% of their after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds until such reserve funds reach 50% of its registered capital. In addition, the PRC entities may allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to enterprise expansion fund and staff bonus and welfare fund at its discretion. The PRC entities may allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to a discretionary surplus fund at its discretion. The statutory reserve funds and the discretionary funds are not distributable as cash dividends. Remittance of dividends by a wholly foreign-owned company out of China is subject to examination by the banks designated by State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

As a result of the foregoing restrictions, the PRC entities are restricted in their ability to transfer their assets to the Company. Foreign exchange and other regulation in the PRC may further restrict the PRC entities from transferring funds to the Company in the form of dividends, loans, and advances. As of March 31, 2025 and September 30, 2024, amounts restricted are the paid-in-capital and statutory reserve of the PRC entities, which amounted to nil and nil, respectively.