EXHIBIT 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
between
CHARDAN NORTH CHINA ACQUISITION CORPORATION
and
EARLYBIRDCAPITAL, INC.
Dated: _____________________, 2005
CHARDAN NORTH CHINA ACQUISITION CORPORATION
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
----------------------
New York, New York
_________, 2005
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
275 Madison Avenue, Suite 1203
New York, New York 10016
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, Chardan North China Acquisition Corporation, a
Delaware corporation ("Company"), hereby confirms its agreement with
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. (being referred to herein variously as "you," "EBC" or
the "Representative") and with the other underwriters named on Schedule I hereto
for which EBC is acting as Representative (the Representative and the other
Underwriters being collectively called the "Underwriters" or, individually, an
"Underwriter") as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Securities.
1.1 Firm Securities.
1.1.1 Purchase of Firm Units. On the basis of the representations
and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell, severally and not jointly, to
the several Underwriters, an aggregate of 5,000,000 units ("Firm Units") of the
Company, at a purchase price (net of discounts and commissions) of $5.52 per
Firm Unit. The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from
the Company the number of Firm Units set forth opposite their respective names
on Schedule I attached hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price (net of
discounts and commissions) of $5.52 per Firm Unit. The Firm Units are to be
offered initially to the public ("Offering") at the offering price of $6.00 per
Firm Unit. Each Firm Unit consists of one share of the Company's common stock,
par value $.0001 per share ("Common Stock"), and two warrants ("Warrant(s)").
The shares of Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Firm Units will not
be separately transferable until 90 days after the effective date ("Effective
Date") of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof) unless
EBC informs the Company of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, but
in no event will EBC allow separate trading until the preparation of an audited
balance sheet of the Company reflecting receipt by the Company of the proceeds
of the Offering and the filing of a Form 8-K by the Company which includes such
balance sheet. Each Warrant entitles its holder to exercise it to purchase one
share of Common Stock for $5.00 during the period commencing on the later of the
consummation by the Company of its "Business Combination" or one year from the
Effective Date and terminating on the four-year anniversary of the Effective
Date. "Business Combination" shall mean any merger, capital stock exchange,
asset acquisition or other similar business combination consummated by the
Company with an operating business that has its primary operating facilities
located in the People's Republic of China in any city or province north of the
Yangtze River (as described more fully in the Registration Statement).
1.1.2 Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Units
shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York time, on the fourth business day following
the effective date of the Registration Statement or at such earlier time as
shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company at the offices of the
Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the
Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for
the Firm Units are called "Closing Date." Payment for the Firm Units shall be
made on the Closing Date at the Representative's election by wire transfer in
Federal (same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier's check(s) in New York
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Clearing House funds, payable as follows: $25,835,000 of the proceeds received
by the Company for the Firm Units shall be deposited in the trust fund
established by the Company for the benefit of the public stockholders as
described in the Registration Statement ("Trust Fund") pursuant to the terms of
an Investment Management Trust Agreement ("Trust Agreement") and the remaining
proceeds shall be paid (subject to Section 3.13 hereof) to the order of the
Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory
to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Units (or through the facilities of
the Depository Trust Company ("DTC")) for the account of the Underwriters. The
Firm Units shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized
denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two full
business days prior to the Closing Date. The Company will permit the
Representative to examine and package the Firm Units for delivery, at least one
full business day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated
to sell or deliver the Firm Units except upon tender of payment by the
Representative for all the Firm Units.
1.2 Over-Allotment Option.
1.2.1 Option Units. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments
in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Units, the Underwriters
are hereby granted, severally and not jointly, an option to purchase up to an
additional 750,000 units from the Company ("Over-allotment Option"). Such
additional 750,000 units are hereinafter referred to as "Option Units." The Firm
Units and the Option Units are hereinafter collectively referred to as the
"Units," and the Units, the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants included in
the Units and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants
are hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Public Securities." The
purchase price to be paid for the Option Units will be the same price per Option
Unit as the price per Firm Unit set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof.
1.2.2 Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant
to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any
time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Units within 45 days after
the Effective Date. The Underwriters will not be under any obligation to
purchase any Option Units prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option.
The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral
notice to the Company by the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing
by overnight mail or facsimile transmission setting forth the number of Option
Units to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the
Option Units (the "Option Closing Date"), which will not be later than five full
business days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed
upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of the Representative
or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the
Representative. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option, the Company will
become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and
conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase,
the number of Option Units specified in such notice.
1.2.3 Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Units shall be
made on the Option Closing Date at the Representative's election by wire
transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier's check(s)
in New York Clearing House funds, payable as follows: $5.33 per Option Unit
shall be deposited in the Trust Fund pursuant to the Trust Agreement and the
remaining proceeds shall be paid (subject to Section 3.l3 hereof) to the order
of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Units (or through the
facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The certificates
representing the Option Units to be delivered will be in such denominations and
registered in such names as the Representative requests not less than two full
business days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, and will be made available to the Representative for inspection,
checking and packaging at the aforesaid office of the Company's transfer agent
or correspondent not less than one full business day prior to such Closing Date.
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1.3 Representative's Purchase Option.
1.3.1 Purchase Option. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell
to the Representative (and/or their designees) on the Effective Date an option
("Representative's Purchase Option") for the purchase of an aggregate of 250,000
units ("Representative's Units") for an aggregate purchase price of $100. Each
of the Representative's Units is identical to the Firm Units except that the
exercise price of the Warrants included in the Representative's Units
("Representative's Warrants") shall be $____ (___% of the exercise price of the
Warrants included in the Units sold to the public). The Representative's
Purchase Option shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on the
later of the consummation of a Business Combination and one year from the
Effective Date and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date
at an initial exercise price per Representative's Unit of $____, which is equal
to _______ percent (___%) of the initial public offering price of a Unit. The
Representative's Purchase Option, the Representative's Units, the
Representative's Warrants and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise
of the Representative's Units and the Representative's Warrants are hereinafter
referred to collectively as the "Representative's Securities." The Public
Securities and the Representative's Securities are hereinafter referred to
collectively as the "Securities." The Representative understands and agrees that
there are significant restrictions against transferring the Representative's
Purchase Option during the first year after the Effective Date, as set forth in
Section 3 of the Representative's Purchase Option.
1.3.2 Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the
Representative's Purchase Option shall be made on the Closing Date. The Company
shall deliver to the Underwriters, upon payment therefor, certificates for the
Representative's Purchase Option in the name or names and in such authorized
denominations as the Representative may request.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and
warrants to the Underwriters as follows:
2.1 Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1 Pursuant to the Act. The Company has filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission ("Commission") a registration statement and an amendment
or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-125016), including any
related preliminary prospectus ("Preliminary Prospectus"), for the registration
of the Public Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Act"),
which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by
the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Act, and the rules and
regulations ("Regulations") of the Commission under the Act. Except as the
context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file
with the Commission at the time the registration statement becomes effective
(including the prospectus, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all
other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all
information deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to paragraph
(b) of Rule 430A of the Regulations), is hereinafter called the "Registration
Statement," and the form of the final prospectus dated the Effective Date
included in the Registration Statement (or, if applicable, the form of final
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Regulations),
is hereinafter called the "Prospectus." The Registration Statement has been
declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
2.1.2 Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the
Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 000-51431) providing for the registration
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), of the
Units, the Common Stock and the Warrants. The registration of the Units, Common
Stock and Warrants under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the
Commission on the date hereof.
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2.2 No Stop Orders, Etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order or
threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or has instituted or, to the best of the Company's
knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an
order.
2.3 Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.3.1 10b-5 Representation. At the time the Registration Statement
became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date and
the Option Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
does and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated
therein in accordance with the Act and the Regulations, and will in all material
respects conform to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations; neither the
Registration Statement nor the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement
thereto, on such dates, does or will contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. When any Preliminary Prospectus was first
filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the Registration Statement
for the registration of the Securities or any amendment thereto or pursuant to
Rule 424(a) of the Regulations) and when any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto was first filed with the Commission, such Preliminary Prospectus and any
amendments thereof and supplements thereto complied or will comply in all
material respects with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Regulations
and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading. The representation and warranty made in this Section
2.3.1 does not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon
and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect
to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.
2.3.2 Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform to the
descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other
documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration
Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other
instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party
or by which its property or business is or may be bound or affected and (i) that
is referred to in the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company's business,
has been duly and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect
and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company's knowledge, the
other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any
indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and
state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and
injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor
may be brought, and none of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by
the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company's
knowledge, any other party is in breach or default thereunder and, to the best
of the Company's knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time
or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a breach or default
thereunder. To the best of the Company's knowledge, performance by the Company
of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in
a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or
decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses, including,
without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
2.3.3 Prior Securities Transactions. No securities of the Company
have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any
person or persons controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the
Company since the Company's formation, except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement.
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2.3.4 Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement
concerning the effects of Federal, State and local regulation on the Company's
business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and do
not omit to state a material fact.
2.4 Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.4.1 No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
except as otherwise specifically stated therein, (i) there has been no material
adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or business prospects
of the Company, (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by
the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement, and (iii) no
member of the Company's management has resigned from any position with the
Company.
2.4.2 Recent Securities Transactions, Etc. Subsequent to the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated
herein or therein, the Company has not (i) issued any securities or incurred any
liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii)
declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to
its equity securities.
2.5 Independent Accountants. Goldstein Golub Kessler LLP ("GGK"), whose
report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, are
independent accountants as required by the Act and the Regulations. GGK has not,
during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the
Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used
in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.6 Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes
thereto and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus fairly present the financial position, the results of operations and
the cash flows of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they
apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the
periods involved; and the supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. The
Registration Statement discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions,
arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other
relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that
may have a material current or future effect on the Company's financial
condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity,
capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues
or expenses.
2.7 Authorized Capital; Options; Etc. The Company had at the date or dates
indicated in the Prospectus duly authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock
capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by,
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date and on the
Closing Date, there will be no options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or
otherwise acquire any authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock of the
Company or any security convertible into shares of Common Stock of the Company,
or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any
such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.8 Valid Issuance of Securities; Etc.
2.8.1 Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities
of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid
and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with
respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being
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such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the
preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar
contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized Common Stock conforms
to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding Common Stock were at all
relevant times either registered under the Act and the applicable state
securities or Blue Sky laws or, based in part on the representations and
warranties of the purchasers of such shares of Common Stock, exempt from such
registration requirements.
2.8.2 Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Securities
have been duly authorized and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be
subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Securities
are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any
security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company;
and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance
and sale of the Securities has been duly and validly taken. The Securities
conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto
contained in the Registration Statement. When issued, the Representative's
Purchase Option, the Representative's Warrants and the Warrants will constitute
valid and binding obligations of the Company to issue and sell, upon exercise
thereof and payment of the respective exercise prices therefor, the number and
type of securities of the Company called for thereby in accordance with the
terms thereof and such Representative's Purchase Option, the Representative's
Warrants and the Warrants are enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their respective terms, except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution
provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (iii)
that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of
equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion
of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.9 Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the
Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights
exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company
have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the
Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration
statement to be filed by the Company.
2.10 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the
Warrant Agreement (as defined in Section 2.21 hereof), the Trust Agreement, the
Services Agreement (as defined in Section 3.7.2 hereof) and the Escrow Agreement
(as defined in Section 2.22.2 hereof) have been duly and validly authorized by
the Company and constitute, and the Representative's Purchase Option, has been
duly and validly authorized by the Company and, when executed and delivered,
will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except (i) as
such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of
any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal
and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and
injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor
may be brought.
2.11 No Conflicts, Etc. The execution, delivery, and performance by the
Company of this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Representative's Purchase
Option, the Trust Agreement, the Services Agreement and the Escrow Agreement,
the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein
contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof
do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time
or both (i) result in a breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation,
modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon
any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement or
instrument to which the Company is a party except pursuant to the Trust
Agreement referred to in Section 2.24 hereof; (ii) result in any violation of
the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company;
or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order
or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or business.
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2.12 No Defaults; Violations. No material default exists in the due
performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material
license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit
agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for
borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the
Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the
properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not in violation
of any term or provision of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or in
violation of any material franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule,
regulation, judgment or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties,
businesses or assets.
2.13 Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.13.1 Conduct of Business. The Company has all requisite corporate
power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders,
licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory
officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business
purpose as described in the Prospectus. The disclosures in the Registration
Statement concerning the effects of federal, state and local regulation on this
offering and the Company's business purpose as currently contemplated are
correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
2.13.2 Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all
corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Warrant
Agreement, the Services Agreement, the Representative's Purchase Option, the
Trust Agreement and the Escrow Agreement and to carry out the provisions and
conditions hereof and thereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals,
licenses, certifications, permits and orders required in connection therewith
have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with,
any court, government agency or other body is required for the valid issuance,
sale and delivery, of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions
and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the
Services Agreement, the Representative's Purchase Option, the Trust Agreement
and the Escrow Agreement and as contemplated by the Prospectus, except with
respect to applicable federal and state securities laws.
2.14 D&O Questionnaires. To the best of the Company's knowledge, all
information contained in the questionnaires ("Questionnaires") completed by each
of the Company's stockholders immediately prior to the Offering ("Initial
Stockholders") and provided to the Underwriters as an exhibit to his or her
Insider Letter (as defined in Section 2.22.1) is true and correct and the
Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the
information disclosed in the questionnaires completed by each Initial
Stockholder to become inaccurate and incorrect.
2.15 Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental
proceeding pending or, to the best of the Company's knowledge, threatened
against, or involving the Company or, to the best of the Company's knowledge,
any Initial Stockholder, which has not been disclosed in the Registration
Statement or the Questionnaires.
2.16 Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of its state of
incorporation, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a
foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of
property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where
the failure to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the assets,
business or operations of the Company.
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2.17 Stop Orders. The Commission has not issued any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus or any part
thereof and has not threatened to issue any such order.
2.18 Transactions Affecting Disclosure to NASD.
2.18.1 Finder's Fees. Except as described in the Prospectus, there
are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to
the payment of a finder's, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any
Initial Stockholder with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any
other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the best
of the Company's knowledge, any Initial Stockholder that may affect the
Underwriters' compensation, as determined by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").
2.18.2 Payments Within Twelve Months. The Company has not made any
direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) (i) to any
person, as a finder's fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such
person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who
raised or provided capital to the Company, (ii) to any NASD member or (iii) to
any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association
with any NASD member, within the twelve months prior to the Effective Date,
other than payments to EBC.
2.18.3 Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering
will be paid by the Company to any participating NASD member or its affiliates,
except as specifically authorized herein and except as may be paid in connection
with a Business Combination as contemplated by the Prospectus.
2.18.4 Insiders' NASD Affiliation. Based on questionnaires
distributed to such persons, except as set forth on Schedule 2.18.4, no officer,
director or any beneficial owner of the Company's unregistered securities has
any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any NASD member. The
Company will advise the Representative and its counsel if it learns that any
officer, director or owner of at least 5% of the Company's outstanding Common
Stock is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of an NASD member
participating in the offering.
2.19 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of the
Initial Stockholders or any other person acting on behalf of the Company has,
directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar
benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course
of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or
supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality
of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for
office (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office
(domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to
help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any
actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage
or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii)
if not given in the past, might have had a material adverse effect on the
assets, business or operations of the Company as reflected in any of the
financial statements contained in the Prospectus or (iii) if not continued in
the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects
of the Company. The Company's internal accounting controls and procedures are
sufficient to cause the Company to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
of 1977, as amended.
2.20. Officers' Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized
officer of the Company and delivered to you or to your counsel shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters
covered thereby.
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2.21 Warrant Agreement. The Company has entered into a warrant agreement
with respect to the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants with Continental
Stock Transfer & Trust Company substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit 4.5
to the Registration Statement ("Warrant Agreement").
2.22 Agreements With Initial Stockholders.
2.22.1 Insider Letters. The Company has caused to be duly executed
legally binding and enforceable agreements (except (i) as such enforceability
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any
indemnification, contribution or noncompete provision may be limited under the
federal and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific
performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to
the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought) annexed as Exhibits 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4,
10.5 and 10.6 to the Registration Statement ("Insider Letters"), pursuant to
which each of the Initial Stockholders of the Company agrees to certain matters,
including but not limited to, certain matters described as being agreed to by
them under the "Proposed Business" section of the Prospectus.
2.22.2 Escrow Agreement. The Company has caused the Initial
Stockholders to enter into an escrow agreement ("Escrow Agreement") with
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company ("Escrow Agent") substantially in the
form annexed as Exhibit 10.8 to the Registration Statement, whereby the Common
Stock owned by the Initial Stockholders will be held in escrow by the Escrow
Agent, until the third anniversary of the Effective Date. During such escrow
period, the Initial Stockholders shall be prohibited from selling or otherwise
transferring such shares (except to spouses and children of Initial Stockholders
and trusts established for their benefit and as otherwise set forth in the
Escrow Agreement) but will retain the right to vote such shares. To the
Company's knowledge, the Escrow Agreement is enforceable against each of the
Initial Stockholders and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the
lapse of time or both, result in a breach of, or conflict with any of the terms
and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to
which any of the Initial Stockholders is a party. The Escrow Agreement shall not
be amended, modified or otherwise changed without the prior written consent of
EBC.
2.23 Intentionally Omitted.
2.24 Investment Management Trust Agreement. The Company has entered into
the Trust Agreement with respect to certain proceeds of the Offering
substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit 10.7 to the Registration Statement.
2.25 Covenants Not to Compete. No Initial Stockholder, employee, officer
or director of the Company is subject to any noncompetition agreement or
non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could
materially affect his ability to be an Initial Stockholder, employee, officer
and/or director of the Company.
2.26 Investment Company Act; Investments. The Company has been advised
concerning the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment
Company Act"), and the rules and regulations thereunder and has in the past
conducted, and intends in the future to conduct, its affairs in such a manner as
to ensure that it will not become an "investment company" or a company
"controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act and such rules and regulations. The Company is not, nor will the
Company become upon the sale of the Units and the application of the proceeds
therefore as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds", an
"investment company" or a person controlled by an "investment company" within
the meaning of the Investment Company Act. No more than 45% of the "value" (as
defined in Section 2(a)(41) of the Investment Company Act) of the Company's
total assets (exclusive of cash items and "Government Securities" (as defined in
Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act) consist of, and no more than 45%
of the Company's net income after taxes is derived from, securities other than
the Government Securities.
2.27 Subsidiaries. The Company does not own an interest in any
corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or
other business entity.
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2.28 Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or
related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to
be described in the Prospectus that have not been described as required.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company will deliver to the
Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not
file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall
reasonably object in writing.
3.2 Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1 Compliance. During the time when a Prospectus is required to
be delivered under the Act, the Company will use all reasonable efforts to
comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Act, the Regulations and the
Exchange Act and by the regulations under the Exchange Act, as from time to time
in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings
in the Public Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and the
Prospectus. If at any time when a Prospectus relating to the Public Securities
is required to be delivered under the Act, any event shall have occurred as a
result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the
Underwriters, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, includes an
untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is
necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with the Act, the
Company will notify the Representative promptly and prepare and file with the
Commission, subject to Section 3.1 hereof, an appropriate amendment or
supplement in accordance with Section 10 of the Act.
3.2.2 Filing of Final Prospectus. The Company will file the
Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) with the
Commission pursuant to the requirements of Rule 424 of the Regulations.
3.2.3 Exchange Act Registration. The Company will use its best
efforts to maintain the registration of the Units, Common Stock and Warrants
under the provisions of the Exchange Act for a period of five years from the
Effective Date, or until the Company is required to be liquidated, if earlier
or, in the case of the Warrants, until the Warrants expire and are no longer
exercisable. The Company will not deregister the Units under the Exchange Act
without the prior written consent of EBC.
3.3 Blue Sky Filings. The Company will endeavor in good faith, in
cooperation with the Representative, at or prior to the time the Registration
Statement becomes effective, to qualify the Public Securities for offering and
sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may
reasonably designate, provided that no such qualification shall be required in
any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Company would be subject to
service of general process or to taxation as a foreign corporation doing
business in such jurisdiction. In each jurisdiction where such qualification
shall be effected, the Company will, unless the Representative agrees that such
action is not at the time necessary or advisable, use all reasonable efforts to
file and make such statements or reports at such times as are or may be required
by the laws of such jurisdiction.
3.4 Delivery to Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to
each of the several Underwriters, without charge, from time to time during the
period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act or the
Exchange Act, such number of copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus as such Underwriters may reasonably request and, as soon as the
Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective,
deliver to you two original executed Registration Statements, including
exhibits, and all post-effective amendments thereto and copies of all exhibits
filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference and all original executed
consents of certified experts.
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3.5 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The
Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain
effective and will notify the Representative immediately and confirm the notice
in writing (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or
of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose, (iii)
of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the
suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in
any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for
that purpose, (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of
any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, (v) of
the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the
Commission, and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described
in Section 3.4 hereof that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement
of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus untrue
or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or
any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such
qualification at any time, the Company will make every reasonable effort to
obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.6 Review of Financial Statements. Until the earlier of five years from
the Effective Date or such time upon which the Company is required to be
liquidated, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged
independent certified public accountants to review (but not audit) the Company's
financial statements for each of the first three fiscal quarters prior to the
announcement of quarterly financial information, the filing of the Company's
Form 10-Q quarterly report and the mailing of quarterly financial information to
stockholders.
3.7 Affiliated Transactions.
3.7.1 Business Combinations. The Company will not consummate a
Business Combination with any entity which is affiliated with any Initial
Stockholder unless the Company obtains an opinion from an independent investment
banking firm that the Business Combination is fair to the Company's stockholders
from a financial perspective.
3.7.2 Administrative Services. The Company has entered into an
agreement ("Services Agreement") with Chardan Capital, LLC ("Affiliate")
substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit 10.9 to the Registration Statement
pursuant to which the Affiliate will make available to the Company general and
administrative services including office space, utilities and secretarial
support for the Company's use for $7,500 per month.
3.7.3 Compensation. Except as set forth above in this Section 3.7,
the Company shall not pay any Initial Stockholder or any of their affiliates any
fees or compensation from the Company, for services rendered to the Company
prior to, or in connection with, the consummation of a Business Combination;
provided that the Initial Stockholders shall be entitled to reimbursement from
the Company for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection
with seeking and consummating a Business Combination.
3.7.4 Chardan China Acquisition Corp. The Company hereby
acknowledges the affiliation between the Initial Stockholders and Chardan China
Acquisition Corp., a company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger,
capital stock exchange, asset acquisition or other similar business combination
with an operating business that has its primary operating facilities located in
the People's Republic of China. Chardan China Acquisition Corp. has entered into
a definitive agreement for a business combination with State Harvest Holdings
Limited, a British Virgin Islands corporation ("Origin"), and all the
stockholders of Origin. The Company hereby agrees that unless and until Chardan
China Acquisition Corp. consummates a business combination or liquidates prior
thereto, the Company will not execute a letter of intent, agreement in principle
or definitive agreement for a Business Combination.
11
3.8 Secondary Market Trading and Standard & Poor's. The Company will apply
to be included in Standard & Poor's Daily News and Corporation Records Corporate
Descriptions for a period of five years from the consummation of a Business
Combination. Promptly after the consummation of the Offering, the Company shall
take such steps as may be necessary to obtain a secondary market trading
exemption for the Company's securities in the State of California. The Company
shall also take such other action as may be reasonably requested by the
Representative to obtain a secondary market trading exemption in such other
states as may be requested by the Representative.
3.9 Intentionally Omitted.
3.10 Financial Public Relations Firm. Promptly after the execution of a
definitive agreement for a Business Combination, the Company shall retain a
financial public relations firm.
3.11 Reports to the Representative.
3.11.1 Periodic Reports, Etc. For a period of five years from the
Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to
be liquidated, the Company will furnish to the Representative (Attn: Steven
Levine, President and Managing Director of Investment Banking) and its counsel
copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as
the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its
securities, and promptly furnish to the Representative (i) a copy of each
periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission, (ii)
a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to
the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company, (iii) a copy of
each Form 8-K or Schedules 13D, 13G, 14D-1 or 13E-4 received or prepared by the
Company, (iv) five copies of each registration statement filed by the Company
with the Commission under the Securities Act, (v) a copy of monthly statements,
if any, setting forth such information regarding the Company's results of
operations and financial position (including balance sheet, profit and loss
statements and data regarding outstanding purchase orders) as is regularly
prepared by management of the Company and (vi) such additional documents and
information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future
subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time
reasonably request.
3.11.2 Intentionally Omitted.
3.11.3 Secondary Market Trading Survey. Until such time as the
Public Securities are listed or quoted, as the case may be, on the New York
Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or quoted on the Nasdaq National
Market, or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be
liquidated, the Company shall engage Graubard Miller ("GM"), for a one-time fee
of $5,000 payable on the Closing Date , to deliver and update to the
Underwriters on a timely basis, but in any event on the Effective Date and at
the beginning of each fiscal quarter, a written report detailing those states in
which the Public Securities may be traded in non-issuer transactions under the
Blue Sky laws of the fifty States ("Secondary Market Trading Survey").
3.11.4 Intentionally Omitted.
3.12 Disqualification of Form S-1. Until the earlier of seven years from
the date hereof or until the Warrants have expired and are no longer
exercisable, the Company will not take any action or actions which may prevent
or disqualify the Company's use of Form S-1 (or other appropriate form) for the
registration of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants under the Act.
3.13 Payment of Expenses.
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3.13.1 General Expenses Related to the Offering. The Company hereby
agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any,
to the extent not paid at Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance
of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including but not
limited to (i) the preparation, printing, filing and mailing (including the
payment of postage with respect to such mailing) of the Registration Statement,
the Preliminary and Final Prospectuses and the printing and mailing of this
Agreement and related documents, including the cost of all copies thereof and
any amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to the Underwriters in
quantities as may be required by the Underwriters, (ii) the printing, engraving,
issuance and delivery of the Units, the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants
included in the Units and the Representative's Purchase Option, including any
transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the qualification of the Public
Securities under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws, including the
costs of printing and mailing the "Preliminary Blue Sky Memorandum," and all
amendments and supplements thereto, fees and disbursements of GM retained for
such purpose (such fees shall be $35,000 in the aggregate (of which $15,000 has
previously been paid)), and a one-time fee of $5,000 payable to GM for the
preparation of the Secondary Market Trading Survey, (iv) filing fees, costs and
expenses (including disbursements for the Representative's counsel) incurred in
registering the Offering with the NASD, (v) fees and disbursements of the
transfer and warrant agent, (vi) the Company's expenses associated with "due
diligence" meetings arranged by the Representative, (vii) the preparation,
binding and delivery of transaction "bibles," in form and style reasonably
satisfactory to the Representative and transaction lucite cubes or similar
commemorative items in a style and quantity as reasonably requested by the
Representative and (viii) all other costs and expenses customarily borne by an
issuer incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not
otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 3.13.1. The Company also
agrees that, if requested by the Representative, it will engage and pay for an
investigative search firm of the Representative's choice to conduct an
investigation of the principals of the Company as shall be mutually selected by
the Representative and the Company. If the Offering is successfully consummated,
any such amounts paid by the Company pursuant to the immediately preceding
sentence shall be credited against the Representative's nonaccountable expense
allowance (described below in Section 3.13.2). The Representative may deduct
from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing
Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth in this
Agreement to be paid by the Company to the Representative and others. If the
Offering contemplated by this Agreement is not consummated for any reason
whatsoever then the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters in full for their
out of pocket expenses, including, without limitation, its legal fees (up to a
maximum of $50,000) and disbursements and "road show" and due diligence
expenses. The Representative shall retain such part of the nonaccountable
expense allowance previously paid as shall equal its actual out-of-pocket
expenses and refund the balance. If the amount previously paid is insufficient
to cover such actual out-of-pocket expenses, the Company shall remain liable for
and promptly pay any other actual out-of-pocket expenses.
3.13.2 Nonaccountable Expenses. The Company further agrees that, in
addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.13.1, on the Closing
Date, it will pay to the Representative a nonaccountable expense allowance equal
to one percent (1%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale
of the Firm Units (of which $25,000 has previously been paid), by deduction from
the proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein.
3.13.3 Intentionally Omitted.
3.14 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds
from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application
described under the caption "Use Of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
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3.15 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will
make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not
later than the first day of the fifteenth full calendar month following the
Effective Date, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by
independent public or independent certified public accountants unless required
by the Act or the Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule
158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Act) covering a period of at least twelve
consecutive months beginning after the Effective Date.
3.16 Notice to NASD. In the event any person or entity (regardless of any
NASD affiliation or association) is engaged to assist the Company in its search
for a merger candidate or to provide any other merger and acquisition services,
the Company will provide the following to the NASD and EBC prior to the
consummation of the Business Combination: (i) complete details of all services
and copies of agreements governing such services; and (ii) justification as to
why the person or entity providing the merger and acquisition services should
not be considered an "underwriter and related person" with respect to the
Company's initial public offering, as such term is defined in Rule 2710 of the
NASD's Conduct Rules. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such
arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in the proxy statement which
the Company will file for purposes of soliciting stockholder approval for the
Business Combination.
3.17 Stabilization. Except with respect to the agreement between the
Company and the Company's directors and several individuals affiliated with
companies they are associated with ("Insider Warrant Purchasers"), the form of
which is annexed as Exhibit 10.12 to the Registration Statement ("Warrant
Purchase Letter"), neither the Company, nor, to its knowledge, any of its
employees, directors or stockholders (without the consent of EBC) has taken or
will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has
constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under
the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of
any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
3.18 Internal Controls. The Company will maintain a system of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit
preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to
assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.
3.19 Accountants. Until the earlier of five years from the Effective Date
or such time at which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company
shall retain GGK or another registered independent public accountant.
3.20 Form 8-K. The Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its
independent public accountants to audit the financial statements of the Company
as of the Closing Date ("Audited Financial Statements") reflecting the receipt
by the Company of the proceeds of the initial public offering. As soon as the
Audited Financial Statements become available, the Company shall immediately
file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which Report shall
contain the Company's Audited Financial Statements.
3.21 NASD. The Company shall advise the NASD if it is aware that any 5% or
greater stockholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of
an NASD member participating in the distribution of the Company's Public
Securities.
3.22 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal
matters necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby shall have been done to the reasonable
satisfaction to counsel for the Underwriters.
14
3.23 Investment Company. The Company shall cause a portion of the proceeds
of the Offering to be held in the Trust Fund to be invested only as set forth in
the Trust Agreement and disclosed in the Prospectus. The Company will otherwise
conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once the Company consummates a Business
Combination, it will be engaged in a business other than that of investing,
reinvesting, owning, holding or trading securities.
3.24 Business Combination Announcement. Within five business days
following the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination, the Company
shall cause an announcement ("Business Combination Announcement") to be placed,
at its cost, in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and a third
publication to be selected by the Representative announcing the consummation of
the Business Combination and indicating that the Representative was the managing
underwriter in the Offering. The Company shall supply the Representative with a
draft of the Business Combination Announcement and provide the Representative
with a reasonable opportunity to comment thereon. The Company will not place the
Business Combination Announcement without the final approval of the
Representative, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld.
3.25 Colorado Trust Filing. In the event the Securities are registered in
the State of Colorado, the Company will cause a Colorado Form ES to be filed
with the Commissioner of the State of Colorado no less than 10 days prior to the
distribution of the Trust Fund in connection with a Business Combination and
will do all things necessary to comply with Section 11-51-302 and Rule 51-3.4 of
the Colorado Securities Act.
3.26 Insider Warrants. The Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that, in
the event the Company calls the Warrants for redemption pursuant to the Warrant
Agreement, the up to 1,000,000 warrants purchased by the Insider Warrant
Purchasers within the forty-trading day period following separate trading of the
Warrants at a purchase price not more than $0.75 per Warrant pursuant to the
form of agreement set forth as Exhibit 10.12 to the Registration Statement shall
not be redeemable by the Company us as long as such Warrants continue to be held
by such individuals or their affiliates.
4. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the several
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Units, as provided herein, shall be
subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the
Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, if any, to the accuracy of the statements of officers of the
Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof and to the performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following conditions:
4.1 Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1 Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration
Statement shall have become effective not later than 5:00 P.M., New York time,
on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented
to in writing by you, and, at each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing
Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall have been issued and no proceedings for the purpose shall have been
instituted or shall be pending or contemplated by the Commission and any request
on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been
complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of Blank Rome L.L.P., counsel to
the Underwriters ("Blank Rome").
4.1.2 NASD Clearance. By the Effective Date, the Representative
shall have received clearance from the NASD as to the amount of compensation
allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration
Statement.
4.1.3 No Blue Sky Stop Orders. No order suspending the sale of the
Units in any jurisdiction designated by you pursuant to Section 3.3 hereof shall
have been issued on either on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, and
no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be
contemplated.
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4.2 Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1 Effective Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Effective Date, the
Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of GM, counsel to the
Company, dated the Effective Date, addressed to the Representative and in form
and substance satisfactory to Blank Rome to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of its state of
incorporation. The Company is duly qualified and licensed and in good standing
as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or leasing
of any properties or the character of its operations requires such qualification
or licensing, except where the failure to qualify would not have a material
adverse effect on the assets, business or operations of the Company.
(ii) All issued and outstanding securities of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
the holders thereof are not subject to personal liability by reason of being
such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the
preemptive rights of any stockholder of the Company arising by operation of law
or under the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company. The offers
and sales of the outstanding Common Stock were at all relevant times either
registered under the Act and all applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws or
exempt from such registration requirements. The authorized and, to such
counsel's knowledge, outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in
the Prospectus.
(iii) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when
issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the
holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason
of being such holders. The Securities are not and will not be subject to the
preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company arising by
operation of law or under the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the
Company. When issued, the Representative's Purchase Option, the Representative's
Warrants and the Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the
Company to issue and sell, upon exercise thereof and payment therefor, the
number and type of securities of the Company called for thereby and such
Warrants, the Representative's Purchase Option, and the Representative's
Warrants, when issued, in each case, are enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their respective terms, except (a) as such enforceability may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting
creditors' rights generally, (b) as enforceability of any indemnification or
contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities
laws, and (c) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other
forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the
discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. The
certificates representing the Securities are in due and proper form.
(iv) This Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Services
Agreement, the Trust Agreement and the Escrow Agreement have each been duly and
validly authorized and, when executed and delivered by the Company, constitute,
and the Representative's Purchase Option has been duly and validly authorized by
the Company and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their respective terms, except (a) as such enforceability may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting
creditors' rights generally, (b) as enforceability of any indemnification or
contribution provisions may be limited under the federal and state securities
laws, and (c) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other
forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the
discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
16
(v) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement,
the Warrant Agreement, the Representative's Purchase Option, the Escrow
Agreement, the Trust Agreement and the Services Agreement and compliance by the
Company with the terms and provisions thereof and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated thereby, and the issuance and sale of the Securities,
do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time,
or both, (a) to such counsel's knowledge, conflict with, or result in a breach
of, any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result
in the creation or modification of any lien, security interest, charge or
encumbrance upon any of the properties or assets of the Company pursuant to the
terms of, any mortgage, deed of trust, note, indenture, loan, contract,
commitment or other agreement or instrument filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, (b) result in any violation of the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company, or (c) to such
counsel's knowledge, violate any United States statute or any judgment, order or
decree, rule or regulation applicable to the Company of any court, United States
federal, state or other regulatory authority or other governmental body having
jurisdiction over the Company, its properties or assets.
(vi) The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus
and the Prospectus and any post-effective amendments or supplements thereto
(other than the financial statements included therein, as to which no opinion
need be rendered) each as of their respective dates appeared on their face to
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and
Regulations. The Securities and all other securities issued or issuable by the
Company conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The descriptions in the
Registration Statement and in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements
constitute a summary of United States statutes, legal matters, contracts,
documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present in all material
respects the information required to be shown with respect to such United States
statutes, legal matters, contracts, documents and proceedings, and such counsel
does not know of any United States statutes or legal or governmental proceedings
required to be described in the Prospectus that are not described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or included as exhibits to the
Registration Statement that are not described or included as required.
(vii) The Registration Statement is effective under the Act.
To such counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or threatened under the Act or applicable state
securities laws.
(viii) To such counsel's knowledge, there is no action, suit
or proceeding before or by any court of governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, now pending, or threatened against the Company that is required to be
described in the Registration Statement.
The opinion of counsel shall further include a statement to the effect that such
counsel has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives
of the Company, the Underwriters and the independent public accountants of the
Company, at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus contained therein and related matters were discussed and, although
such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained therein (except as otherwise
set forth in the foregoing opinion), solely on the basis of the foregoing
without independent check and verification, no facts have come to the attention
of such counsel which lead them to believe that the Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto, at the time the Registration Statement or amendment
became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto, at the time they were filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) or at
the date of such counsel's opinion, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statement therein, in light of the circumstances under
17
which they were made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express no
opinion with respect to (i) any disclosures relating to the laws, rules,
statutes or regulations of China (it being understood that the Underwriters are
relying on the opinion of Guantao Law Firm ("GLF") with respect to such matters)
or (ii) the financial information and statistical data and information included
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus).
4.2.2 Effective Date Opinion of Chinese Counsel. On the Effective
Date, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion of GLF, China
counsel to the Company, dated the Effective Date, addressed to the Underwriters
and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative to the effect that:
(i) No Chinese law, rule, statute, government order or mandate
or regulation required to be described in the Prospectus is not described as
required and insofar as the disclosures in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus purport to summarize matters of Chinese law, such disclosures
constitute accurate summaries thereof in all material respects.
(ii) Counsel has participated in conferences with officers and
other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public
accountants for the Company and representatives of the Underwriters at which the
contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and related matters were
discussed and although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, no facts have come to
the attention of such counsel which should lead them to believe that either the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
as of the date of such opinion, solely with respect to matters of Chinese law,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.2.3 Closing Date and Option Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On
each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative
shall have received the favorable opinion of GM and GLF, dated the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Representative
and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Blank Rome, confirming as
of the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date, the statements
made by GM and GLF in their opinions delivered on the Effective Date.
4.2.4 Reliance. In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (i)
as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the
United States and jurisdictions in which they are admitted (other than as to the
Delaware General Corporation Law), to the extent such counsel deems proper and
to the extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions
(in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Blank Rome) of other counsel
reasonably acceptable to Blank Rome, familiar with the applicable laws, and (ii)
as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other
written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of
various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate
existence or good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such
statements or certificates shall be delivered to the Underwriters' counsel if
requested. The opinion of counsel for the Company and any opinion relied upon by
such counsel for the Company shall include a statement to the effect that it may
be relied upon by counsel for the Underwriters in its opinion delivered to the
Underwriters.
4.3 Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, and at
each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, you shall have
received a letter, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance
satisfactory in all respects (including the non-material nature of the changes
or decreases, if any, referred to in clause (iii) below) to you and to Blank
Rome from GGK dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and as of
the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any:
(i) Confirming that they are independent accountants with
respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable
Regulations and that they have not, during the periods covered by the financial
statements included in the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit
services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act;
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(ii) Stating that in their opinion the financial statements of
the Company included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Act and the published Regulations thereunder;
(iii) Stating that, on the basis of a limited review which
included a reading of the latest available unaudited interim financial
statements of the Company (with an indication of the date of the latest
available unaudited interim financial statements), a reading of the latest
available minutes of the stockholders and board of directors and the various
committees of the board of directors, consultations with officers and other
employees of the Company responsible for financial and accounting matters and
other specified procedures and inquiries, nothing has come to their attention
which would lead them to believe that (a) the unaudited financial statements of
the Company included in the Registration Statement do not comply as to form in
all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and
the Regulations or are not fairly presented in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with
that of the audited financial statements of the Company included in the
Registration Statement, (b) at a date not later than five days prior to the
Effective Date, Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there
was any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any
decrease in the stockholders' equity of the Company as compared with amounts
shown in the April 30, 2005 balance sheet included in the Registration
Statement, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration
Statement, or, if there was any decrease, setting forth the amount of such
decrease, and (c) during the period from April 30, 2005 to a specified date not
later than five days prior to the Effective Date, Closing Date or Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, there was any decrease in revenues, net earnings or
net earnings per share of Common Stock, in each case as compared with the
corresponding period in the preceding year and as compared with the
corresponding period in the preceding quarter, other than as set forth in or
contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was any such decrease,
setting forth the amount of such decrease;
(iv) Setting forth, at a date not later than five days prior
to the Effective Date, the amount of liabilities of the Company (including a
break-down of commercial papers and notes payable to banks);
(v) Stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts,
numbers of shares, percentages of revenues and earnings, statements and other
financial information pertaining to the Company set forth in the Prospectus in
each case to the extent that such amounts, numbers, percentages, statements and
information may be derived from the general accounting records, including work
sheets, of the Company and excluding any questions requiring an interpretation
by legal counsel, with the results obtained from the application of specified
readings, inquiries and other appropriate procedures (which procedures do not
constitute an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards) set forth in the letter and found them to be in agreement;
(vi) Stating that they have not during the immediately
preceding five year period brought to the attention of the Company's management
any reportable condition related to internal structure, design or operation as
defined in the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 60 "Communication of Internal
Control Structure Related Matters Noted in an Audit," in the Company's internal
controls; and
(vii) Statements as to such other matters incident to the
transaction contemplated hereby as you may reasonably request.
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4.4 Officers' Certificates.
4.4.1 Officers' Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a
certificate of the Company signed by the Chairman of the Board or the President
and the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, respectively, to the effect that
the Company has performed all covenants and complied with all conditions
required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Company prior
to and as of the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
and that the conditions set forth in Section 4.5 hereof have been satisfied as
of such date and that, as of Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
Section 2 hereof are true and correct. In addition, the Representative will have
received such other and further certificates of officers of the Company as the
Representative may reasonably request.
4.4.2 Secretary's Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a
certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the
Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be,
respectively, certifying (i) that the Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation of
the Company are true and complete, have not been modified and are in full force
and effect, (ii) that the resolutions relating to the public offering
contemplated by this Agreement are in full force and effect and have not been
modified, (iii) all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the
Commission, and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The
documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5 No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, if any, (i) there shall have been no material adverse
change or development involving a prospective material adverse change in the
condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of
the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, (ii) no action suit or proceeding, at law
or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any
Initial Stockholder before or by any court or federal or state commission, board
or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or
financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, (iii) no stop order shall have been
issued under the Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or
threatened by the Commission, and (iv) the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material
statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Act
and the Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the
requirements of the Act and the Regulations, and neither the Registration
Statement nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6 Delivery of Agreements.
4.6.1 Effective Date Deliveries. On the Effective Date, the Company
shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Escrow
Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Services Agreement
and all of the Insider Letters.
4.6.2 Closing Date Deliveries. On the Closing Date, the Company
shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the
Representative's Purchase Option.
4.7 Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. All proceedings taken in
connection with the authorization, issuance or sale of the Securities as herein
contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to you and
to Blank Rome and you shall have received from such counsel a favorable opinion,
dated the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, with respect to such
of these proceedings as you may reasonably require. On or prior to the Effective
Date, the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, counsel
for the Underwriters shall have been furnished such documents, certificates and
opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to
review or pass upon the matters referred to in this Section 4.7, or in order to
evidence the accuracy, completeness or satisfaction of any of the
representations, warranties or conditions herein contained.
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4.8 Secondary Market Trading Survey. On the Closing Date, the
Representative shall have received the Secondary Market Trading Survey from GM.
5 Indemnification.
5.1 Indemnification of Underwriters.
5.1.1 General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Underwriters, and each
dealer selected by you that participates in the offer and sale of the Securities
(each a "Selected Dealer") and each of their respective directors, officers and
employees and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter
("controlling person") within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20(a) of the Exchange Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against
any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether
arising out of any action between any of the Underwriters and the Company or
between any of the Underwriters and any third party or otherwise) to which they
or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or any other
statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries,
arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in (i) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and
supplemented); (ii) in any post-effective amendment or amendments or any new
registration statement and prospectus in which is included securities of the
Company issued or issuable upon exercise of the Representative's Purchase
Option; or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in
this Section 5 collectively called "application") executed by the Company or
based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in
order to qualify the Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with
the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the NASD OTC Bulletin
Board, Nasdaq or any securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with
respect to an Underwriter by or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use
in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereof, or in any application, as the case may be. With
respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
omission made in the Preliminary Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained
in this paragraph shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter to the
extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter
results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the
person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the
written confirmation of sale of the Securities to such person as required by the
Act and the Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been
corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a
result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.4
hereof. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its
officers, directors or controlling persons in connection with the issue and sale
of the Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement or
Prospectus.
5.1.2 Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter, a
Selected Dealer or a controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter or
Selected Dealer shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution
of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action,
including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval
of such Underwriter or Selected Dealer, as the case may be) and payment of
actual expenses. Such Underwriter , Selected Dealer or controlling person shall
have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter,
Selected Dealer or controlling person unless (i) the employment of such counsel
at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the
Company in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall
not have employed counsel reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter or Selected
Dealer, as the case may be, to have charge of the defense of such action, or
(iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that
there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or
21
additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall
not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the
indemnified party or parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and
expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys (in addition to a
local firm of attorneys in any applicable jurisdiction) selected by the
Underwriter, Selected Dealer and/or controlling person shall be borne by the
Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if the
Underwriter, Selected Dealer or controlling person shall assume the defense of
such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the
terms of any settlement of such action which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld. The Company shall not settle any action without the prior consent of
the Representative, unless such settlement provides for a full release of the
Underwriters and Selected Dealers (whether or not named as a party to the
action) without any admission of wrongdoing.
5.2 Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not
jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors,
officers and employees and agents who control the Company within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all
loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity
from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect
to untrue statements or omissions made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or
in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, written
information furnished to the Company with respect to such Underwriter by or on
behalf of the Underwriter expressly for use in such Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or
in any such application. In case any action shall be brought against the Company
or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or
any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any
Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the
Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the
rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section
5.1.2.
5.3 Contribution.
5.3.1 Contribution Rights. In order to provide for just and
equitable contribution under the Act in any case in which (i) any person
entitled to indemnification under this Section 5 makes claim for indemnification
pursuant hereto but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final
judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of
time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such
indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that
this Section 5 provides for indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution
under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise may be required on the part of any
such person in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this
Section 5, then, and in each such case, the Company and the Underwriters shall
contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of
the nature contemplated by said indemnity agreement incurred by the Company and
the Underwriters, as incurred, in such proportions that the Underwriters are
responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that the underwriting
discount appearing on the cover page of the Prospectus bears to the initial
offering price appearing thereon and the Company is responsible for the balance;
provided, that, no person guilty of a fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
22
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section 5.3.1, no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which
the Public Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were
offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter
has otherwise been required to pay in respect of such losses, liabilities,
claims, damages and expenses. For purposes of this Section, each director,
officer and employee of an Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, and each
person, if any, who controls an Underwriter or the Company, as applicable,
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Underwriters or the Company, as applicable.
5.3.2 Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen days after receipt by
any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the
commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for
contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party
("contributing party"), notify the contributing party of the commencement
thereof, but the omission to so notify the contributing party will not relieve
it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for
contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought
against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its
representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen days,
the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the
notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such
contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on
account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding effected by such
party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or
proceeding effected by such party seeking contribution without the written
consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in
this Section are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any
right to contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available.
The Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are
several and not joint.
6. Default by an Underwriter.
6.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Units or Option Units. If any
Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to
purchase the Firm Units or the Option Units, if the over-allotment option is
exercised, hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Units or Option Units with
respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of
the number of Firm Units or Option Units that all Underwriters have agreed to
purchase hereunder, then such Firm Units or Option Units to which the default
relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to
their respective commitments hereunder.
6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Units or Option Units. In the event that
the default addressed in Section 6.1 above relates to more than 10% of the Firm
Units or Option Units, you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for
another party or parties to purchase such Firm Units or Option Units to which
such default relates on the terms contained herein. If within one business day
after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Units or Option Units
you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Units or Option Units, then the
Company shall be entitled to a further period of one business day within which
to procure another party or parties satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm
Units or Option Units on such terms. In the event that neither you nor the
Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Units or Option Units to which a
default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will be terminated
by you or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as
provided in Sections 3.13 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as
provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs
with respect to the Option Units, this Agreement will not terminate as to the
Firm Units; and provided further that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting
Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other several Underwriters and to
the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
23
6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Units or
Option Units to which the default relates are to be purchased by the
non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties
as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing
Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event
exceeding five business days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be
made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other
documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any
amendment to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that in the opinion of
counsel for the Underwriters may thereby be made necessary. The term
"Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted
under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to
this Agreement with respect to such Securities.
7. Intentionally Omitted.
8. Additional Covenants.
8.1 Intentionally Omitted.
8.2 Additional Shares or Options. The Company hereby agrees that until the
consummation of a Business Combination, it shall not issue any shares of Common
Stock or any options or other securities convertible or exercisable or
exchangeable into Common Stock, or any shares of Preferred Stock which
participate in any manner in the Trust Fund or which vote as a class with the
Common Stock on a Business Combination.
8.3 Trust Fund Waiver Acknowledgment. The Company hereby agrees that it
will not commence its due diligence investigation of any operating business
which the Company seeks to acquire ("Target Business") or obtain the services of
any vendor unless and until such Target Business or vendor acknowledges in
writing, whether through a letter of intent, memorandum of understanding or
other similar document (and subsequently acknowledges the same in any definitive
document replacing any of the foregoing), that (a) it has read the Prospectus
and understands that the Company has established the Trust Fund, initially in an
amount of $25,835,000 for the benefit of the public stockholders and that the
Company may disburse monies from the Trust Fund only (i) to the public
stockholders in the event they elect to convert their IPO Shares (as defined
below in Section 8.8) and the liquidation of the Company or (ii) to the Company
after, or concurrently with, the consummation of a Business Combination and (b)
for and in consideration of the Company (1) agreeing to evaluate such Target
Business for purposes of consummating a Business Combination with it or (2)
agreeing to engage the services of the vendor, as the case may be, such Target
Business or vendor agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or
claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Fund ("Claim") and waives any
Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any
negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek
recourse against the Trust Fund for any reason whatsoever.
8.4 Insider Letters. The Company shall not take any action or omit to take
any action which would cause a breach of any of the Insider Letters executed
between each Initial Stockholder and EBC and will not allow any amendments to,
or waivers of, such Insider Letters without the prior written consent of EBC.
8.5 Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. The Company shall not take
any action or omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in
breach or violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. Prior to the
consummation of a Business Combination, the Company will not amend its
Certificate of Incorporation without the prior written consent of EBC.
8.6 Blue Sky Requirements. The Company shall provide counsel to the
Representative with ten copies of all proxy information and all related material
filed with the Commission in connection with a Business Combination concurrently
with such filing with the Commission. In addition, the Company shall furnish any
other state in which its initial public offering was registered, such
information as may be requested by such state.
8.7 Intentionally Omitted.
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8.8 Acquisition/Liquidation Procedure. The Company agrees: (i) that, prior
to the consummation of any Business Combination, it will submit such transaction
to the Company's stockholders for their approval ("Business Combination Vote")
even if the nature of the acquisition is such as would not ordinarily require
stockholder approval under applicable state law; and (ii) that, in the event
that the Company does not effect a Business Combination within 18 months from
the consummation of this Offering (subject to extension for an additional
six-month period, as described in the Prospectus), the Company will be
liquidated and will distribute to all holders of IPO Shares (defined below) an
aggregate sum equal to the Company's "Liquidation Value." The Company's
"Liquidation Value" shall mean the Company's book value, as determined by the
Company and approved by GGK. In no event, however, will the Company's
Liquidation Value be less than the Trust Fund, inclusive of any net interest
income thereon. Only holders of IPO Shares shall be entitled to receive
liquidating distributions and the Company shall pay no liquidating distributions
with respect to any other shares of capital stock of the Company. With respect
to the Business Combination Vote, the Company shall cause all of the Initial
Stockholders to vote the shares of Common Stock owned by them immediately prior
to this Offering in accordance with the vote of the holders of a majority of the
IPO Shares present, in person or by proxy, at a meeting of the Company's
stockholders called for such purpose. At the time the Company seeks approval of
any potential Business Combination, the Company will offer each holder of Common
Stock issued in this Offering ("IPO Shares") the right to convert their IPO
Shares at a per share price ("Conversion Price") equal to the amount in the
Trust Fund (inclusive of any interest income therein) calculated as of two
business days prior to the consummation of the proposed Business Combination
divided by the total number of IPO Shares. If holders of less than 20% in
interest of the Company's IPO Shares which vote against the Business Combination
elect to convert their IPO Shares, the Company may, but will not be required to,
proceed with such Business Combination. If the Company elects to so proceed, it
will convert shares, based upon the Conversion Price, from those holders of IPO
Shares who affirmatively requested such conversion and who voted against the
Business Combination. If holders of 20% or more in interest of the IPO Shares,
who vote against approval of any potential Business Combination, elect to
convert their IPO Shares, the Company will not proceed with such Business
Combination and will not convert such shares.
8.9 Rule 419. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to
prevent the Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the
consummation of any Business Combination, including but not limited to using its
best efforts to prevent any of the Company's outstanding securities from being
deemed to be a "penny stock" as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the Exchange Act
during such period.
8.10 Affiliated Transactions. The Company shall cause each of the Initial
Stockholders to agree that, in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest
which may arise from multiple affiliations, the Initial Stockholders will
present to the Company for its consideration, prior to presentation to any other
person or company, any suitable opportunity to acquire an operating business,
until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination,
the liquidation of the Company or until such time as the Initial Stockholders
cease to be an officer or director of the Company, subject to any pre-existing
fiduciary and contractual obligations the Initial Stockholders might have.
8.11 Target Net Assets. The Company agrees that the initial Target
Business that it acquires must have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of
the Company's net assets (all of the Company's assets, including the funds held
in the Trust Fund, less the Company's liabilities) at the time of such
acquisition. The fair market value of such business must be determined by the
Board of Directors of the Company based upon standards generally accepted by the
financial community, such as actual and potential sales, earnings and cash flow
and book value. If the Board of Directors of the Company is not able to
independently determine that the target business has a fair market value of at
least 80% of the Company's net assets at the time of such acquisition, the
Company will obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment
banking firm which is a member of the NASD with respect to the satisfaction of
such criteria. The Company is not required to obtain an opinion from an
investment banking firm as to the fair market value if the Company's Board of
Directors independently determines that the Target Business does have sufficient
fair market value.
25
9. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. Except as the context
otherwise requires, all representations, warranties and agreements contained in
this Agreement shall be deemed to be representations, warranties and agreements
at the Closing Dates and such representations, warranties and agreements of the
Underwriters and Company, including the indemnity agreements contained in
Section 5 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless
of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any
controlling person, and shall survive termination of this Agreement or the
issuance and delivery of the Securities to the several Underwriters until the
earlier of the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations and the
seventh anniversary of the later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
if any, at which time the representations, warranties and agreements shall
terminate and be of no further force and effect.
10. Effective Date of This Agreement and Termination Thereof.
10.1 Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective on
the Effective Date at the time the Registration Statement is
declared effective by the Commission.
10.2 Termination. You shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at
any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event
or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the
immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United
States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock
Exchange, the Boston Stock Exchange or on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board (or
successor trading market) shall have been suspended, or minimum or maximum
prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for
securities shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities
shall have been required on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board or by order of the
Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction, or (iii) if
the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in
major hostilities, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New
York State or federal authority, or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange
trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States
securities market, or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss
by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other
calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been
insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery
of the Units, or (vii) if any of the Company's representations, warranties or
covenants hereunder are breached, or (viii) if the Representative shall have
become aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the
conditions or prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in
general market conditions, including without limitation as a result of terrorist
activities after the date hereof, as in the Representative's judgment would make
it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Units
or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Securities.
10.3 Expenses. In the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out
for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions
thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the obligations of the Company to pay the
out of pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein shall be
governed by Section 3.13 hereof.
10.4 Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in
this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and
whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of
Section 5 shall not be in any way effected by, such election or termination or
failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
11. Miscellaneous.
11.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise
specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed, delivered or
telecopied and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or
telecopied and confirmed or if mailed, two days after such mailing
26
If to the Representative:
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
275 Madison Avenue, Suite 1203
New York, New York 10016
Attn: David M. Nussbaum, Chairman
Copy to:
Blank Rome LLP
The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attn: Robert J. Mittman, Esq.
If to the Company:
Chardan North China Acquisition Corporation
625 Broadway
Suite 1111
San Diego, California 92101
Attn: Dr. Richard D. Propper
Copy to:
Graubard Miller
The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attn: David Alan Miller, Esq.
11.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of
convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning
or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
11.3 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument
executed by each of the parties hereto.
11.4 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements
and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement)
constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the
subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject
matter hereof.
11.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of
and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and
the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof,
and their respective successors, legal representatives and assigns, and no other
person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions
herein contained.
27
11.6 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and
enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving
effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of
the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company hereby agrees that any
action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to
this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New
York of the United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and
irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive.
The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that
such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be
served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid,
addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 10 hereof. Such mailing
shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company
in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing
party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other
party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses relating to such
action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation
therefor.
11.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one
or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered
to each of the other parties hereto. Facsimile signatures will be binding and
effective as originals.
11.8 Waiver, Etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time
enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed
to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of
this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto
to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of
any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this
Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed
by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is
sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment
shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach,
non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
28
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for
that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between
us.
Very truly yours,
CHARDAN NORTH CHINA ACQUISITION CORPORATION
By:
-------------------------------
Name: Dr. Richard D. Propper
Title: Chairman of the Board
Accepted on the date first above written.
EARLYBIRDCAPITAL, INC.
By:
----------------------------
Name: Steven Levine
Title: Managing Director
29
SCHEDULE I
CHARDAN NORTH CHINA ACQUISITION CORPORATION
5,000,000 Units
Number of Firm Units
Underwriter to be Purchased
----------- ---------------
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
5,000,000