Exhibit 2.1
Description of Rights of Each Class of Securities
Registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Amended (the “Exchange Act”)
Class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0016 each (“Class A Ordinary Shares”), of Eshallgo Inc (“we,” “our,” “our company,” or “us”) are listed and traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market, and in connection with this listing (but not for trading), its Class A Ordinary Shares are registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. This exhibit contains a description of the rights of the holders of Class A Ordinary Shares.
Description of Class A Ordinary Shares
The following is a summary of material provisions of our currently effective amended and restated memorandum of association and articles of association of the Company (the “Memorandum and Articles of Association”), as well as the Companies Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands (the “Cayman Companies Act”) insofar as they relate to the material terms of our Class A Ordinary Shares. Notwithstanding this, because it is a summary, it may not contain all the information that you may otherwise deem important. For more complete information, you should read the entire third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company adopted by a special resolution passed on 8 January 2026 and become effective on 20 April 2026, which were subsequently amended by special resolutions passed at the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of the Company held on 6 May 2026, which have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form 6-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 22, 2026.
Type and Class of Securities (Item 9.A.5 of Form 20-F)
The authorised share capital of the Company is US$200,000,000 divided into 125,000,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0016 each comprising (i) 112,500,000,000 class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0016 each and (ii) 12,500,000,000 class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0016 each (“Class B Ordinary Shares”). The number of Class A Ordinary Shares that have been issued as of the last day of the financial year ended March 31, 2026 is provided on the cover of the annual report on Form 20-F filed on [date]. Our Class A Ordinary Shares may be held in either certificated or uncertificated form.
Preemptive Rights (Item 9.A.3 of Form 20-F)
Our Class A Ordinary Shares are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights under the Cayman Companies Act or pursuant to the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Limitations or Qualifications (Item 9.A.6 of Form 20-F)
We have a dual-class voting structure such that our ordinary shares consist of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares. Each Class A Ordinary Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company and each Class B Ordinary Share shall entitle the holder thereof to four hundred (400) votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company. Each Class B Ordinary Share is convertible into one (1) Class A Ordinary Share at any time at the option of the holder thereof. Class A Ordinary Shares are not convertible into Class B Ordinary Shares under any circumstances. Due to the super voting power of holders of Class B Ordinary Shares, the voting power of the Class A Ordinary Shares may be materially limited.
Rights of Other Types of Securities (Item 9.A.7 of Form 20-F)
Not applicable.
Rights of Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.3 of Form 20-F)
Classes of Ordinary Shares
Our authorized share capital is US$200,000,000 divided into 125,000,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0016 each comprising (i) 112,500,000,000 class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0016 each and (ii) 12,500,000,000 class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0016 each. Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights.
Dividends
Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any shares, the directors may from time to time declare dividends (including interim dividends) and other distributions on shares in issue and authorize payment of the same out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor. In addition, subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any shares, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution declare a dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our directors. Under the laws of the Cayman Islands, our Company may pay a dividend out of profit and/or share premium account; provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid out of our share premium if this would result in our Company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business.
The directors may determine that a dividend shall be paid wholly or partly by the distribution of specific assets (which may consist of the shares or securities of any other company) and may settle all questions concerning such distribution.
No dividend shall bear interest against the Company.
Voting Rights
Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares shall, at all times, vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote by the shareholders at any general meeting of the Company. Each Class A Ordinary Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one (1) vote on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company, and each Class B Ordinary Share shall entitle the holder thereof to four hundred (400) votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company. At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided by a poll. A poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman of the meeting directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting. Votes may be given either personally or by proxy.
Conversion Rights
Each Class B Ordinary Share is convertible into one Class A Ordinary Share at any time at the option of the holder thereof. Class A Ordinary Shares are not convertible into Class B Ordinary Shares under any circumstances.
Calls on shares and forfeiture
Subject to the terms of allotment, the directors may make calls on the shareholders in respect of any monies unpaid on their shares including any premium and each shareholder shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen (14) calendar days’ notice specifying when and where payment is to be made), pay to us the amount called on his shares. Shareholders registered as the joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect of the share. If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest upon the sum at the rate of eight percent per annum 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 directors may make arrangements with respect to 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 Company has a first and paramount lien on every share (whether or not fully paid) for all amounts (whether presently payable or not) payable at a fixed time or called in respect of that share. The Company also has a first and paramount lien on every share registered in the name of a person indebted or under liability to the Company (whether he is the sole registered holder of a share or one of two or more joint holders) for all amounts owing by him or his estate to the Company (whether or not presently payable). The directors may at any time declare a share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Company’s lien on a share extends to any amount payable in respect of it, including but not limited to dividends
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Unclaimed Dividend
Any dividend unclaimed after a period of six calendar years from the date of declaration of such dividend may be forfeited by the board of directors and, if so forfeited, shall revert to the Company.
Forfeiture or Surrender of Shares
If a shareholder fails to pay any call or instalment of a call in respect of partly paid shares on the day appointed for payment, the directors may, at any time thereafter during such time as any part of such call or instalment remains unpaid, serve a notice on him requiring payment of so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued.
The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of fourteen calendar days from the date of the notice) on or before which the payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall 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 the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are 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 the Company all moneys which at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares forfeited, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company receives payment in full of the amount unpaid on the shares forfeited.
A certificate in writing under the hand of a director that a share has been duly forfeited on a date stated in the certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the facts in the declaration as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share.
Share Premium Account
The directors shall establish a share premium account and shall carry 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 or capital contributed or such other amounts required by the Cayman Companies Act.
Redemption and Purchase of Own Shares
Subject to the Cayman Companies Act and the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Company may:
(a) issue shares that are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the shareholder or the Company. The redemption of shares shall be effected in such manner and upon such terms as may be determined, before the issue of such shares, by the board;
(b) purchase its own shares (including any redeemable shares) on such terms and in such manner and terms as have been approved by the board, or are otherwise authorised by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; and
(c) make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own shares in any manner permitted by the Cayman Companies Act, including out of capital.
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Transfer of Shares
Subject to any applicable requirements set forth in the Memorandum and Articles of Association and provided that a transfer of ordinary shares complies with applicable rules of the Nasdaq, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed by Nasdaq or in any other form approved by our board of directors, executed by or on behalf of the transferor and if in respect of a nil or partly paid up share, or if so required by the directors, shall also be executed on behalf of the transferee and shall be accompanied by the certificate (if any) of the shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer.
The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of a Class A Ordinary Share or Class B Ordinary Share until the name of the transferee is entered into the register of members of the Company.
Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid up or on which we have a lien. Our board of directors may also decline to register any transfer of such Class A Ordinary Share or Class B Ordinary Share unless:
| ● | the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the ordinary shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; | |
| ● | the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of ordinary shares; | |
| ● | the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; | |
| ● | in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the ordinary share is to be transferred does not exceed four; and | |
| ● | a fee of such maximum sum as Nasdaq may determine to be payable, or such lesser sum as the board of directors may from time to time require, is paid to us in respect thereof. |
If our directors refuse to register a transfer, they are required, within three calendar months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, to send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.
The registration of transfers may, on 10 calendar days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers or by electronic means, be suspended and our register of members closed at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine. The registration of transfers, however, may not be suspended, and the register may not be closed, for more than 30 calendar days in any year.
Capitalization of Profits
Subject to the Companies Act, the directors may:
| (a) | resolve to capitalize an amount standing to the credit of reserves (including a share premium account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account), which is available for distribution; |
| (b) | appropriate the sum resolved to be capitalised to the shareholders in proportion to the nominal amount of shares (whether or not fully paid) held by them respectively and apply that sum on their behalf in or towards: |
| (i) | paying up the amounts (if any) for the time being unpaid on shares held by them respectively, or |
| (ii) | paying up in full unissued shares or debentures of a nominal amount equal to that sum,and allot the shares or debentures, credited as fully paid, to the shareholders (or as they may direct) in those proportions, or partly in one way and partly in the other, but the share premium account, the capital redemption reserve and profits which are not available for distribution may, only be applied in paying up unissued shares to be allotted to shareholders credited as fully paid; |
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| (c) | make any arrangements they think fit to resolve a difficulty arising in the distribution of a capitalised reserve and in particular, without limitation, where shares or debentures become distributable in fractions the directors may deal with the fractions as they think fit; |
| (d) | authorise a person to enter (on behalf of all the shareholders concerned) into an agreement with the Company providing for either: |
| (i) | the allotment to the shareholders respectively, credited as fully paid, of shares or debentures to which they may be entitled on the capitalisation, or |
| (ii) | the payment by the Company on behalf of the shareholders (by the application of their respective proportions of the reserves resolved to be capitalised) of the amounts or part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing shares, and any such agreement made under this authority being effective and binding on all those shareholders; and |
| (e) | generally do all acts and things required to give effect to the resolution. |
Liquidation Rights
If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, with the sanction of a special resolution of the Company and any other sanction required by the Cayman Companies Act, divide amongst the shareholders in species or in kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may for that purpose value any assets and determine how the division shall be carried out as between the shareholders or different classes of shareholders. 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 shareholders as the liquidator, with the like sanction, shall think fit, but so that no shareholder shall be compelled to accept any asset upon which there is a liability.
Requirements to Change the Rights of Holders of Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.4 of Form 20-F)
Variation of Rights of Shares
Whenever the capital of our Company is divided into different classes the rights attached to any such class may, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any class, only be materially and adversely varied with the consent in writing of the holders of two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of an ordinary resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.
The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to the shares of that class, be deemed to be materially and adversely varied by, inter alia, the creation, allotment or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with or subsequent to them or the redemption or purchase of any shares of any class by our Company.
Limitations on the Rights to Own Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.6 of Form 20-F)
There are no limitations under the laws of the Cayman Islands or under the Memorandum and Articles of Association that limit the right of non-resident or foreign owners to hold or vote ordinary shares.
Provisions Affecting Any Change of Control (Item 10.B.7 of Form 20-F)
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Some provisions of our Memorandum and Articles of Association may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that authorize our board of directors to issue shares at such times and on such terms and conditions as the board of directors may decide without any further vote or action by our shareholders.
Under the Cayman Companies Act, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our Memorandum and Articles of Association for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company and for a proper purpose.
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Ownership Threshold (Item 10.B.8 of Form 20-F)
There are no provisions under the Cayman Companies Act or under the Memorandum and Articles of Association that govern the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.
Differences Between the Law of Different Jurisdictions (Item 10.B.9 of Form 20-F)
The Cayman 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 Cayman Companies Act and the current Companies Act of England and Wales. In addition, the Cayman 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 Cayman Companies Act applicable to us and the comparable laws applicable to companies incorporated in the State of Delaware in the United States.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements
The Cayman Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and 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 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. 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.
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.
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. 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 majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made, and who must, in addition, represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:
| (a) | 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; |
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| (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 | |
| (d) | the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Cayman Companies Act. |
When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% 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 which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.
If an arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, or if a 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
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 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:
| (a) | an act which is illegal or ultra vires with respect to the company and is therefore incapable of ratification by the shareholders; | |
| (b) | 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 | |
| (c) | 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
The 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 Memorandum and Articles of Association provide that every director (including any alternate director), secretary, assistant secretary, or other officer for the time being and from time to time of our company (but not including our company’s auditors) and the personal representatives of the same (each an “Indemnified Person”) shall be indemnified and secured harmless against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such Indemnified Person, other than by reason of such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of our company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such Indemnified Person in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning our company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.
This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation. In addition, we intend to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that will provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our Memorandum and Articles of Association.
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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 Cayman 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 memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time. 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 Cayman 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 Memorandum and Articles of Association 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 one-third (1/3) of the rights to vote at such general meeting in accordance with the notice provisions in the Memorandum and Articles of Association, specifying the purpose of the meeting and signed by each of the shareholders making the requisition. If there are no directors as at the date of the deposit of the shareholders’ requisition, or if the directors do not within twenty-one (21) calendar days from the date of the deposit of the requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting to be held within a further forty-five (45) calendar days, the requisitionists, or any of them representing more than one-half (1/2) of the total voting rights of all of them, may themselves convene a general meeting, but any meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of three (3) calendar months after the expiration of the said forty-five (45) calendar days. Our Memorandum and Articles of Association provide no other right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obligated by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
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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 Cayman Companies Act, our Memorandum and Articles of Association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.
Removal of Directors
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Subject to the provisions of our Memorandum and Articles of Association (which include the removal of a director by ordinary resolution), the office of director shall be vacated, if the director (i) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors; (ii) dies or is found to be or becomes of unsound mind; (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to our company; or (iv) is removed from office pursuant to any other provision of our articles of association.
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 is 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 Cayman 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 Cayman 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 not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.
Dissolution; Winding Up
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board of directors.
Under Cayman Islands law, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an ordinary resolution of its members. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so.
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Variation of Rights of Shares
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under the Cayman Companies Act and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, whenever the capital of the Company is divided into different classes the rights attached to any such class may, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any class, only be materially and adversely varied with the consent in writing of the holders of two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of an ordinary resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.
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 Cayman Companies Act, our Memorandum and Articles of Association may only be amended by special resolution of our shareholders.
Changes in Capital (Item 10.B.10 of Form 20-F)
The Company may by ordinary resolution:
| (a) | increase its share capital by new shares of such amount as it thinks appropriate; |
| (b) | consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into shares of a larger amount than its existing shares; |
| (c) | subdivide its shares, or any of them, into shares of an amount smaller than that fixed by the memorandum, provided 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 any shares that, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled. |
The Company may by special resolution reduce its share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by the Cayman Companies Act.
Debt Securities (Item 12.A of Form 20-F)
Not applicable.
Warrants and Rights (Item 12.B of Form 20-F)
Not applicable.
Other Securities (Item 12.C of Form 20-F)
Not applicable.
Description of American Depositary Shares (Items 12.D.1 and 12.D.2 of Form 20-F)
Not applicable.
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