CHINA NATURAL GAS, INC. RMB145,000,000 5.0% GUARANTEED SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014 Settled in U.S. Dollars with an option to increase to a total of up to RMB363,000,000 INDENTURE Dated January 29, 2008 DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED as Trustee
RMB145,000,000
5.0% GUARANTEED SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
Settled
in U.S. Dollars with an option to increase
to
a
total of up to RMB363,000,000
______________________________
INDENTURE
Dated
January 29, 2008
______________________________
DB
TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
as
Trustee
This
INDENTURE dated January 29, 2008 is by and among CHINA NATURAL GAS, INC., a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
the
Guarantor (as defined below), and DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED, as trustee
(the “Trustee”).
The
Company has duly authorized the creation of an issue of 5.0% Guaranteed Senior
Notes due 2014 (the “Notes”)
of the
amount and substantially the tenor hereinafter set forth and, to provide
therefor, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this
Indenture. All things necessary to make the Notes, when duly issued and executed
by the Company, and authenticated and delivered hereunder, the valid obligations
of the Company, and to make this Indenture a valid and binding agreement of
the
Company, have been done. The Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee agree as
follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit
of
the Holders of the Notes issued under this Indenture:
ARTICLE
1.
DEFINITIONS
AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Section
1.01. Definitions.
For
all
purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless
the
context otherwise requires:
“Account
Agreement”
means,
together, that certain Account Pledge and Security Agreement dated as of even
date herewith by and between the Company and the Trustee and the related Deposit
Account Control Agreement by and between the Company, the Trustee and Citibank,
N.A. for the creation of a certain deposit account in New York, New
York.
“Additional
Assets”
means:
(a) any
Property (other than cash, Cash Equivalent and securities) to be owned by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries and used in a Related Business; or
(b) Capital
Stock of a Person that becomes a Subsidiary of the Company as a result of the
acquisition of such Capital Stock by the Company or another Subsidiary of the
Company from any Person other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company;
provided,
however,
that,
in the case of clause (b), such Subsidiary is primarily engaged in a
Related Business.
“Additional
Interest”
means,
with respect to any Note, interest at a rate of 3.0% per annum, calculated
from
and including January 29, 2009 in accordance with terms of this Indenture and
the Notes, and payable to the holder of such Note at such times as interest
is
payable, if a Qualifying Listing has not been completed on or before, or such
listing has not been maintained as of, such date to but excluding the date
any
such Qualifying Listing has been completed. For all purposes of this Indenture,
the term “interest” shall include Additional Interest, if any, with respect to
the Notes if the conditions to payment of Additional Interest have been
met.
“Affiliate”
of
any
specified Person means:
(a) any
other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct
or indirect common control with such specified Person, or
(b) any
other Person who is a director or officer of:
(1) such
specified Person,
(2) any
Subsidiary of such specified Person, or
(3) any
Person described in clause (a) above, or
(c)
any
spouse, parent, child, brother or sister of any Person described in (a) or
(b)
above.
For
the
purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any Person,
means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly
or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract
or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings
correlative to the foregoing. For purposes of Section
4.12
and Section
4.14
and the
definition of “Additional Assets” only, “Affiliate” shall also mean any
Beneficial Owner of shares representing 5% or more of the total voting power
of
the Voting Stock (on a fully diluted basis) of the Company or of rights or
warrants to purchase such Voting Stock (whether or not currently exercisable)
and any Person who would be an Affiliate of any such Beneficial Owner pursuant
to the first sentence hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall
Abax Lotus Ltd. or any of its Affiliates be considered an Affiliate of the
Company.
“Agent”
means
any Registrar, co-registrar, Paying Agent or additional paying agent or
Collateral Agent/Pledgee.
“Applicable
Procedures”
means,
with respect to any transfer, redemption or exchange of or for beneficial
interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of Euroclear and
Clearstream that apply to such transfer, redemption or exchange.
“Asset
Sale”
means
any sale, lease, transfer, issuance or other disposition (or series of related
sales, leases, transfers, issuances or dispositions) by the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries, including any disposition by means of a merger, consolidation
or similar transaction (each referred to for the purposes of this definition
as
a “disposition”), of
(a) any
shares of Capital Stock of a Subsidiary of the Company (other than directors’
qualifying shares), or
(b) any
other Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries outside of the ordinary
course of business of the Company or such Subsidiary,
other
than, in the case of clause (a) or (b) above,
(1) any
disposition by a Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or by the Company
or
one of its Subsidiaries to a Wholly Owned Subsidiary,
(2) any
disposition that constitutes a Permitted Investment or Restricted Payment
permitted by Section
4.10,
(3) any
disposition effected in compliance with the first paragraph of Section
5.01,
(4)
any
disposition of inventory of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the
ordinary course of business, or inventory or other property that in the
reasonable judgment of the Company have become uneconomic, obsolete or worn
out,
(5)
the
sale or discount of accounts receivable in connection with the compromise or
collection thereof in the ordinary course of business, and
(6)
any
disposition in a single transaction or a series of related transactions of
assets for aggregate consideration of less than $1.0 million.
2
“Attributable
Debt”
in
respect of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction means, at any date of determination,
(a) if
such Sale and Leaseback Transaction is a Capital Lease Obligation, the amount
of
Debt represented thereby according to the definition of “Capital Lease
Obligations,” and
(b) in
all other instances, the present value (discounted at the weighted average
interest rate borne by the Notes, compounded annually in the most recently
completed twelve months) of the total obligations of the lessee for rental
payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale and
Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been
extended).
“Average
Life”
means,
as of any date of determination, with respect to any Debt or Preferred Stock,
the quotient obtained by dividing:
(a) the
sum of the product of the numbers of years (rounded to the nearest one-twelfth
of one year) from the date of determination to the dates of each successive
scheduled principal payment of such Debt or redemption or similar payment with
respect to such Preferred Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment by
(b)
the
sum of all such payments.
“Bankruptcy
Law”
means
Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of
debtors, or the law of any other jurisdiction relating to bankruptcy,
insolvency, winding up, liquidation, reorganization or relief of
debtors.
“Beneficial
Owner”
has
the
meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange
Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular
“person” (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such
“person” shall be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that
such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other
securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only
upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition or passage of time. The terms
“Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have a corresponding
meaning.
“Board
of Directors”
means
(1) in respect of a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation,
or
(except if used in the definition of “Change of Control”) any duly authorized
committee thereof; and (2) in respect of any other Person, the board or
committee of that Person serving an equivalent function.
“Board
Resolution”
of
a
Person means a copy of a resolution certified by the secretary or an assistant
secretary (or individual performing comparable duties) of the applicable Person
to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of such Person and to be
in
full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the
Trustee.
“Business
Day”
means
any day other than a Legal Holiday.
“Capital
Expenditures”
means
expenditures (whether paid in cash or other consideration or accrued as a
liability and including that portion of Capital Lease Obligations which is
capitalized on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its
Subsidiaries) by the Company and its Subsidiaries that, in conformity with
GAAP,
are included in “additions to property, plant and equipment” or as capitalized
internally developed software or comparable items reflected in the consolidated
balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Capital
Lease Obligations”
means
any obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial
reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP; and the amount of Debt represented
by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligations
determined in accordance with GAAP; and the Stated Maturity thereof shall be
the
date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior
to the first date upon which such lease may be terminated by the lessee without
payment of a penalty. For purposes of Section
4.11
a
Capital Lease Obligation shall be deemed secured by a Lien on the Property
being
leased.
3
“Capital
Stock”
means,
with respect to any Person, any shares or other equivalents (however designated)
of any class of corporate stock or partnership interests or any other
participations, rights, warrants, options or other interests in the nature
of an
equity interest in such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any
debt security convertible or exchangeable into such equity
interest.
“Capital
Stock Sale Proceeds”
means
the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Company from the issuance or sale
(other than to a Subsidiary of the Company or an employee stock ownership plan
or trust established by the Company or any such Subsidiary for the benefit
of
their employees) by the Company of its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified
Stock) after the Issue Date, net of attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees,
underwriters’ or placement agents’ fees, discounts or commissions and brokerage,
consultant and other fees actually incurred in connection with such issuance
or
sale and net of taxes paid or payable as a result thereof.
“Cash
Equivalents”
means
any of the following:
(a) Investments
in U.S. Government Securities maturing within 365 days of the date of
acquisition thereof;
(b) Investments
in time deposit accounts, certificates of deposit and money market deposits
maturing within 90 days of the date of acquisition thereof issued by a bank
or trust company organized under the laws of the United States of America
or any state thereof having capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating
in excess of $500 million and whose long-term debt is rated “A-3” or “A-”
or higher according to Xxxxx’x or S&P (or such similar equivalent rating by
at least one “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined
in Rule 436 under the Securities Act));
(c) repurchase
obligations with a term of not more than 30 days for underlying securities
of the types described in clause (a) entered into with:
(1) a
bank meeting the qualifications described in clause (b) above, or
(2) any
primary government securities dealer reporting to the Market Reports Division
of
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York;
(d) Investments
in commercial paper, maturing not more than 90 days after the date of
acquisition, issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Company)
organized and in existence under the laws of the United States of America
with a rating at the time as of which any Investment therein is made of “P-1”
(or higher) according to Xxxxx’x or “A-1” (or higher) according to S&P (or
such similar equivalent rating by at least one “nationally recognized
statistical rating organization” (as defined in Rule 436 under the
Securities Act));
(e)
direct obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such
obligations) of any state of the United States of America (including any agency
or instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit
of such state are pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the
issuer’s option, provided
that:
(1) the
long-term debt of such state is rated “A-3” or “A-” or higher according to
Xxxxx’x or S&P (or such similar equivalent rating by at least one
“nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in
Rule 436 under the Securities Act)), and
(2) such
obligations mature within 180 days of the date of acquisition thereof;
and
4
(f)
time
deposit accounts, certificates of deposit and money market deposits with (i)
Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction
Bank
and China Merchants Bank or (ii) any other bank or trust company organized
under
the laws of the PRC whose long-term debt is rated as high or higher than any
of
those banks.
“Change
of Control”
means
the occurrence of any of the following events:
(a)
the Permitted Holders cease to be the “beneficial owner” (as defined in
Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, except that a Person will be deemed to
have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that any such Person has the right to
acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage
of time), directly or indirectly, of at least 15% of the total voting power
of
the Voting Stock of the Company, or ceases to be the beneficial owner of the
largest percentage of the Voting Stock of the Company, or the Permitted Holder
does not otherwise have the ability to control the Company, whether as a result
of the issuance of securities of the Company, any merger, consolidation,
liquidation or dissolution of the Company, any direct or indirect transfer
of
securities by the Permitted Holders or otherwise (for purposes of this clause
(a), the Permitted Holders will be deemed to beneficially own any Voting Stock
of a specified corporation held by a parent corporation so long as the Permitted
Holders beneficially own, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate a majority
of
the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such parent corporation, and
the
term “control” shall be defined to include the ability, directly or indirectly,
to influence any decision of, or to direct or cause the direction of, the
management and policies of the Company and each of its direct and indirect
subsidiaries, including, without limitation, decisions pertaining to operations
and maintenance); or
(b) the
sale, transfer, assignment, lease, conveyance or other disposition, directly
or
indirectly, of all or substantially all the Property of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, considered as a whole (other than a disposition of such Property
as an entirety or virtually as an entirety to a Wholly Owned Subsidiary or
one
or more Permitted Holders), shall have occurred, or the Company merges,
consolidates or amalgamates with or into any other Person (other than one or
more Permitted Holders) or any other Person (other than one or more Permitted
Holders) merges, consolidates or amalgamates with or into the Company, in any
such event pursuant to a transaction in which the outstanding Voting Stock
of
the Company is reclassified into or exchanged for cash, securities or other
Property, other than any such transaction where:
(1) the
outstanding Voting Stock of the Company is reclassified into or exchanged for
other Voting Stock of the Company or for Voting Stock of the Surviving Person,
and
(2) the
holders of the Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction
own, directly or indirectly, not less than a majority of the Voting Stock of
the
Company or the Surviving Person immediately after such transaction and in
substantially the same proportion as before the transaction; or
(c) Continuing
Directors cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board of
Directors then in office; or
(d) the
shareholders of the Company shall have approved any plan of liquidation or
dissolution of the Company.
“Clearstream” means
Clearstream Banking, société
anonyme,
and any
successor thereto.
“CNG”
means
compressed natural gas.
“Code”
means
the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Collateral”
means
all the collateral described in the Security Documents.
5
“Collateral
Agent”
or
“Pledgee”
means
DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, and any successor collateral agent appointed
pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
“Commission”
means
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Commodity
Price Protection Agreement”
means,
in respect of a Person, any forward contract, commodity swap agreement,
commodity option agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed
to
protect such Person against fluctuations in commodity prices.
“Common
Depositary”
means,
with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in global form, the Person
specified in Section
2.03(b)
hereof
as the Common Depositary to Euroclear and Clearstream with respect to the Notes,
and any and all successors thereto appointed as depositary hereunder and having
become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this
Indenture.
“Common
Stock”
means
any stock of any class of the Company which has no preference in respect of
dividends or of amounts payable in the event of any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and which is not subject
to redemption by the Company.
“Company”
is
defined in the preamble.
“Consolidated
Interest Expense”
means,
for any period, the total interest expense of the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries, plus, to the extent not included in such total interest expense,
and to the extent Incurred by the Company or its Subsidiaries, without
duplication,
(a) interest
expense attributable to leases constituting part of a Sale and Leaseback
Transaction and to Capital Lease Obligations,
(b) amortization
of debt discount and debt issuance cost, including commitment fees,
(c) capitalized
interest,
(d) non-cash
interest expense,
(e) commissions,
discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit
and
banker’s acceptance financing,
(f) net
costs associated with Hedging Obligations (including amortization of fees),
(g) Disqualified
Stock Dividends (other than dividends payable in Capital Stock other than
Disqualified Stock),
(h) Preferred
Stock Dividends (other than dividends payable in Capital Stock other than
Disqualified Stock),
(i) interest
accruing on any Debt of any other Person to the extent such Debt is guaranteed
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and
(j) the
cash contributions to any employee stock ownership plan or similar trust, if
any
and to the extent such contributions are used by such plan or trust to pay
interest or fees to any Person (other than the Company) in connection with
Debt
Incurred by such plan or trust.
“Consolidated
Net Income”
means,
for any period, the net income (loss) of the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries; provided,
however,
that
there shall not be included in such Consolidated Net Income:
6
(a) any
net income (loss) of any Person (other than the Company) if such Person is
not a
Subsidiary of the Company, except that:
(1) subject
to the exclusions contained in clauses (c), (d) and (e) below, equity of
the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries in the net income of any such
Person for such period shall be included in such Consolidated Net Income up
to
the aggregate amount of cash distributed by such Person during such period
to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a dividend or other distribution
(subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution to such Subsidiary,
to
the limitations contained in clause (b) below), and
(2) the
equity of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries in a net loss of any
such Person for such period shall be included in determining such Consolidated
Net Income,
(b) any
net income (loss) of any Subsidiary of the Company if such Subsidiary is subject
to restrictions, directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the
making of distributions, directly or indirectly, to the Company, except
that:
(1)
subject to the exclusions contained in clauses (c), (d) and (e) below, the
equity of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries in the net income of
any
such Subsidiary for such period shall be included in such Consolidated Net
Income up to the aggregate amount of cash distributed by such Subsidiary during
such period to the Company or another of its Subsidiaries as a dividend or
other
distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution to
another Subsidiary of the Company, to the limitation contained in this clause),
and
(2)
the
equity of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries in a net loss of any
such Subsidiary for such period shall be included in determining such
Consolidated Net Income,
(c) any
gain (but not loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any Property
of the Company or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries (including pursuant
to
any Sale and Leaseback Transaction) that is not sold or otherwise disposed
of in
the ordinary course of business,
(d)
any
extraordinary gain or loss,
(e)
the
cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles, and
(f) any
non-cash compensation expense realized for grants of performance shares, stock
options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries, provided
that
such shares, options or other rights can be redeemed at the option of the holder
only for Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified
Stock).
“Consolidated
Net Worth”
means
the total of the amounts shown on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company
and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent Fiscal Quarter of the
Company ending at least 45 days prior to the taking of any action for the
purpose of which the determination is being made, as:
(a) the
par or stated value of all outstanding Capital Stock of the Company, plus
(b) paid-in
capital or capital surplus relating to such Capital Stock, plus
(c) any
retained earnings or earned surplus, less:
(1) any
accumulated deficit, and
(2) any
amounts attributable to Disqualified Stock. or any equity security convertible
into or exchangeable for Debt, the cost of treasury stock and the principal
amount of any promissory notes receivable from the sale of Capital Stock of
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, each item to be determined in conformity
with GAAP.
7
“Continuing
Directors”
means,
as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors who (a)
was a member of the Board of Directors on the date of this Indenture or (b)
was
nominated for election to the Board of Directors by, or whose election was
ratified with the approval of, a majority of the Continuing Directors who were
members of the Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or
election.
“Credit
Facilities”
means,
with respect to the WFOE, one or more debt or commercial paper facilities with
banks or other institutional lenders in the PRC providing for revolving credit
loans, term loans, receivables or inventory financing (including through the
sale of receivables or inventory to such lenders or to special purpose,
bankruptcy remote entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such
receivables or inventory) or trade letters of credit, in each case together
with
any Refinancings thereof by any lender or syndicate of lenders.
“Currency
Exchange Protection Agreement”
means,
in respect of a Person, any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement,
currency option or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect
such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
“Debt”
means,
with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without
duplication):
(a) the
principal of and premium (if any) in respect of:
(1) debt
of such Person for money borrowed, and
(2) debt
evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the
payment of which such Person is responsible or liable;
(b)
all
Capital Lease Obligations of such Person and all Attributable Debt in respect
of
Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into by such Person;
(c)
all
obligations of such Person representing the deferred purchase price of Property,
all conditional sale obligations of such Person and all obligations of such
Person under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable
arising in the ordinary course of business);
(d) all
obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter
of
credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than
obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than
obligations described in (a) through (c) above) entered into in the ordinary
course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are
not
drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed
no
later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand
for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit);
(e)
the
amount of all obligations of such Person with respect to the Repayment of any
Disqualified Stock or, with respect to any Subsidiary of such Person, any
Preferred Stock (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends);
(f)
all
obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (e) above of
other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which,
in
either case, such Person is responsible or liable, directly or indirectly,
as
obligor, guarantor or otherwise, including by means of any guarantee;
(g)
all
obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above of
other Persons secured by any Lien on any Property of such Person (whether or
not
such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being
deemed to be the lesser of the Fair Market Value of such Property and the amount
of the obligation so secured; and
8
(h) to
the extent not otherwise included in this definition, Hedging Obligations of
such Person.
The
amount of Debt of any Person at any date shall be the outstanding balance,
or
the accreted value of such Debt in the case of Debt issued with original issue
discount, at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above
and
the maximum liability, upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to
the
obligation, of any contingent obligations at such date. The amount of Debt
represented by a Hedging Obligation shall be equal to:
(1) zero
if such Hedging Obligation has been Incurred pursuant to clause (f), (g) or
(h)
of the second paragraph of Section
4.09
or
(2) the
notional amount of such Hedging Obligation if not Incurred pursuant to such
clauses.
“Default”
means
any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an
Event of Default.
“Definitive
Note”
means
a
certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in
accordance with Section
2.06
or
2.10
hereof,
in substantially the form of Exhibit
A
hereto
except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have
the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached
thereto.
“Delisting”
will
be
deemed to have occurred if, (i) prior to a Qualifying Listing, the Common Stock
ceases trading on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board in the United States,
(ii)
at any time after a Qualifying Listing, the Common Stock is neither listed
for
trading on a United States national securities exchange, listed for trading
on a
United States national or regional securities exchange nor approved for trading
on any of the Nasdaq’s Capital Market, Global Market or Global Select Market, or
(iii) trading in the Company’s Common Stock on any such exchange or market has
been suspended for ten or more consecutive Trading Days.
“Disqualified
Stock”
means
any Capital Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that by its terms
(or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which
it is
exchangeable, in either case at the option of the holder thereof) or
otherwise:
(a) matures
or is mandatorily redeemable pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise,
(b) is
or may become redeemable or repurchaseable at the option of the holder thereof,
in whole or in part, or
(c) is
convertible or exchangeable at the option of the holder thereof for Debt or
Disqualified Stock,
on
or
prior to, in the case of clause (a), (b) or (c), the first anniversary of
the Stated Maturity of the Notes.
“Disqualified
Stock Dividends”
means
all dividends with respect to Disqualified Stock of the Company held by Persons
other than a Wholly Owned Subsidiary. The amount of any such dividend shall
be
equal to the quotient of such dividend divided by the difference between one
and
the maximum statutory federal income tax rate (expressed as a decimal number
between 1 and 0) then applicable to the Company.
“Distribution
Compliance Expiration Date”
means
the 41st day after the later of (i) the day on which the Notes were first
offered to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S under
the
Securities Act) and (ii) the Issue Date.
9
“Dollar”
or
“$”
means
a
dollar or other equivalent unit in such coin or currency of the United States
as
at the time shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private
debts.
“Dollar
Equivalent”
means,
at any time for the determination thereof, the amount of Dollars obtained by
converting RMB into Dollars at the base rate, which must be provided by the
Company to the Paying Agent five Business Days prior to any such determination
and in the form as attached hereto as Exhibit
E,
for the
purchase of Dollars with RMB as quoted by the People’s Bank of China at Noon
(Beijing time) and displayed (up to one hundred-thousandth of a percentage
point) by Bloomberg Financial L.P., or if, Bloomberg Financial L.P. does not
provide such rate at such time, by Reuters, or if Reuters does not provide
such
rate at such time, as may otherwise be publicly provided by the People's Bank
of
China five Business Days prior to the related Purchase Date, Interest Payment
Date or Stated Maturity or any other payment, as the case may be.
“Domestic
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary of the Company other than (a) a Foreign Subsidiary or
(b) a Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary.
“EBITDA”
means,
for any period, an amount equal to, for the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries:
(a)
the
sum of Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus the following to the extent
reducing Consolidated Net Income for such period:
(1) the
provision for taxes based on income or profits or utilized in computing net
loss,
(2) Consolidated
Interest Expense,
(3) depreciation,
(4)
amortization of intangibles, and
(5) any
other non-cash items (other than any such non-cash item to the extent that
it
represents an accrual of, or reserve for, cash expenditures in any future
period), minus
(b) all
non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing clause (a), the provision for taxes and the depreciation,
amortization and non-cash items of a Subsidiary of the Company shall be added
to
Consolidated Net Income to compute EBITDA only to the extent (and in the same
proportion) that the net income of such Subsidiary was included in calculating
Consolidated Net Income and only if a corresponding amount would be permitted
at
the date of determination to be dividended to the Company by such Subsidiary
without prior approval (that has not been obtained), pursuant to the terms
of
its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders,
statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to such Subsidiary
or
its shareholders.
“Euroclear”
means
Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V., and any successor thereto.
“Exchange
Act”
means
the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, as in effect from time to time.
“Fair
Market Value”
means,
with respect to any Property at the time of determination, the price that could
be negotiated in an arm’s-length free market transaction, for cash, between a
willing seller and a willing buyer, neither of whom is under undue pressure
or
compulsion to complete the transaction. Fair Market Value shall be determined,
except as otherwise provided,
(a)
if
such Property has a Fair Market Value equal to or less than $1.0 million,
by any Officer of the Company, or
10
(b)
if
such Property has a Fair Market Value in excess of $1 million, by a
majority of the Board of Directors and evidenced by a Board Resolution or an
Independent Financial Advisor and evidenced by a written opinion from such
Independent Financial Advisor if such Property has a Fair Market Value in excess
of $3.0 million, dated within 30 days of the relevant transaction, delivered
to
the Trustee.
“Fiscal
Quarter”
means
each of the three month periods ending on March 31, June 30, September 30 and
December 31.
“Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio”
means,
as of any date of determination, the ratio of:
(a) the
aggregate amount of EBITDA for the most recent four consecutive Fiscal Quarters
ending prior to such determination date to
(b) Consolidated
Interest Expense for such four Fiscal Quarters;
provided, however,
that:
(1) if
(A) since
the beginning of such period the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has Incurred
any Debt that remains outstanding or Repaid any Debt, or
(B) the
transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio
is an Incurrence or Repayment of Debt,
Consolidated
Interest Expense for such period shall be calculated after giving effect on
a
pro
forma basis
to
such Incurrence or Repayment as if such Debt was Incurred or Repaid on the
first
day of such period, provided
that,
in
the event of any such Repayment of Debt, EBITDA for such period shall be
calculated as if the Company or such Subsidiary had not earned any interest
income actually earned during such period in respect of the funds used to Repay
such Debt, and provided
further
that the
amount of Debt Incurred under revolving credit facilities shall be deemed to
be
the average daily balance of such Debt during such period (or any shorter period
in which such facilities are in effect) and
(2) if
(A) since
the beginning of such period the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall have
made any Asset Sale or an Investment (by merger or otherwise) in any Subsidiary
of the Company (or any Person which becomes a Subsidiary of the Company) or
an
acquisition of Property which constitutes all or substantially all of an
operating unit of a business,
(B) the
transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio
is such an Asset Sale, Investment or acquisition, or
(C) since
the beginning of such period any Person (that subsequently became a Subsidiary
of the Company or was merged with or into the Company or any Subsidiary of
the
Company since the beginning of such period) shall have made such an Asset Sale,
Investment or acquisition,
then
EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro
forma
effect
to such Asset Sale, Investment or acquisition as if such Asset Sale, Investment
or acquisition had occurred on the first day of such period.
11
If
any
Debt bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro
forma
effect,
the interest expense on such Debt shall be calculated as if the base interest
rate in effect for such floating rate of interest on the date of determination
had been the applicable base interest rate for the entire period (taking into
account any Interest Rate Agreement applicable to such Debt if such Interest
Rate Agreement has a remaining term in excess of 12 months). In the event
the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary of the Company is sold during the period,
the Company shall be deemed, for purposes of clause (1) above, to have
Repaid during such period the Debt of such Subsidiary to the extent the Company
and its continuing Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such Debt after such
sale.
Foreign
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary of the Company which is not organized under the laws of the
United States of America or any State thereof or the District of
Columbia.
“GAAP”
means
United States generally accepted accounting principles as in effect on the
Issue
Date, including those set forth in:
(a)
the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants,
(b)
the
statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board,
(c)
such
other statements by such other entity as approved by a significant segment
of
the accounting profession, and
(d)
the
rules and regulations of the Commission governing the inclusion of financial
statements (including pro
forma financial
statements) in periodic reports required to be filed pursuant to Section 13
of
the Exchange Act, including opinions and pronouncements in staff accounting
bulletins and similar written statements from the accounting staff of the
Commission.
All
ratios and computations based on GAAP contained in this Indenture will be
computed in conformity with GAAP.
“Global
Note Legend”
means
the legend set forth on all Global Notes issued under this
Indenture.
“Global
Notes”
means
the global Notes in the form of Exhibit
A
hereto
issued in accordance with Article
2
hereof.
“Governmental
Approval”
means
any authorization of or by, consent of, approval of, license from, ruling of,
permit from, tariff by, rate of, certification by, exemption from, filing with
(except any filing relating to the perfection of security interests), variance
from, claim of, order from, judgment from, decree of, publication to or by,
notice to, declaration of or with or registration by or with any Governmental
Authority, whether tacit or express.
“Governmental
Authority”
means
any federal, state, national, provincial, municipal, local, territorial or
other
government department, ministry (including local counterparts thereof),
commission, board, agency, regulatory authority, instrumentality, judicial
or
administrative body, domestic or foreign.
“guarantee”
means
any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly
guaranteeing any Debt of any other Person and any obligation, direct or
indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:
(a)
to
purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of)
such
Debt of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership
arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods,
securities or services, to take-or-pay or to maintain financial statement
conditions or otherwise), or
12
(b) entered
into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee against loss
in
respect thereof (in whole or in part);
provided,
however,
that the
term “guarantee” shall not include:
(1) endorsements
for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business, or
(2)
a
contractual commitment by one Person to invest in another Person for so long
as
such Investment is reasonably expected to constitute a Permitted Investment
under clause (a), (b) or (c) of the definition of “Permitted Investment.”
The
term
“guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning. The term “guarantor”
shall mean any Person Guaranteeing any obligation.
“Guarantee”
means
the Guarantee of the Notes by each of the Guarantors pursuant to Article
9
and in
the form of the Guarantee attached as Exhibit
B
and any
additional Guarantee of the Notes to be executed by any Subsidiary of the
Company pursuant to Section
4.17.
“Guarantor”
means
each Subsidiary of the Company that becomes a Guarantor pursuant to Section
4.17
or who
otherwise executes and delivers a supplemental indenture (in form satisfactory
to the Trustee) to the Trustee providing for a Guarantee; provided
that any
Person constituting a Guarantor as described above shall cease to constitute
a
Guarantor when its respective Guarantee is released in accordance with the
terms
of this Indenture.
“Hedging
Obligation”
of
any
Person means any obligation of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate
Agreement, Currency Exchange Protection Agreement, Commodity Price Protection
Agreement or any other similar agreement or arrangement.
“Holder”
or
“holder”
means
a
Person in whose name a Note is registered in the Security Register.
“Incur”
means,
with respect to any Debt or other obligation of any Person, to create, issue,
incur (by merger, conversion, exchange or otherwise), extend, assume, Guarantee
or become liable in respect of such Debt or other obligation or the recording,
as required pursuant to GAAP or otherwise, of any such Debt or obligation on
the
balance sheet of such Person (and “Incurrence” and “Incurred” shall have
meanings correlative to the foregoing); provided,
however,
that a
change in GAAP that results in an obligation of such Person that exists at
such
time, and is not theretofore classified as Debt, becoming Debt shall not be
deemed an Incurrence of such Debt; provided
further,
however,
that
any Debt or other obligations of a Person existing at the time such Person
becomes a Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or
otherwise) shall be deemed to be Incurred by such Subsidiary at the time it
becomes a Subsidiary; and provided
further, however,
that
solely for purposes of determining compliance with Section
4.09,
amortization of debt discount shall not be deemed to be the Incurrence of Debt,
provided
that in
the case of Debt sold at a discount, the amount of such Debt Incurred shall
at
all times be the aggregate principal amount at Stated Maturity.
“Indenture”
means
this instrument, as originally executed or as it may from time to time be
supplemented or amended in accordance with Article
8
hereof.
“Independent
Financial Advisor”
means
an investment banking firm of international standing or any third party
appraiser of international standing, provided
that
such firm or appraiser is not an Affiliate of the Company.
“Interest
Payment Dates”
shall
have the meaning set forth in paragraph 1 of each Note.
“Interest
Period”
means
the period commencing on and including an Interest Payment Date and ending
on
and excluding the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, with the exception
that
the first Interest Period shall commence on and include the Issue Date and
end
on July 30, 2008.
13
“Interest
Rate Agreement”
means,
for any Person, any interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement,
interest rate collar agreement or other similar agreement designed to protect
against fluctuations in interest rates.
“Investment”
by
any
Person means any direct or indirect loan (other than advances to customers
in
the ordinary course of business that are recorded as accounts receivable on
the
balance sheet of such Person), advance or other extension of credit or capital
contribution (by means of transfers of cash or other Property to others or
payments for Property or services for the account or use of others, or
otherwise) to, or Incurrence of a Guarantee of any obligation of, or purchase
or
acquisition of Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other securities
or
evidence of Debt issued by, any other Person.
In
determining the amount of any Investment made by transfer of any Property other
than cash, such Property shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time
of
such Investment.
“Issue
Date”
means
January 29, 2008.
“Legal
Holiday”
means
a
Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in Hong Kong, the
PRC,
the city in which the Specified Office of the Trustee, Euroclear or Clearstream
is located or any other place of payment on the Notes are authorized by law,
regulation or executive order to remain closed.
“Leverage
Ratio”
means
the ratio of:
(a) the
outstanding Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis,
to
(b)
EBITDA for the most recently completed four Fiscal Quarters;
if:
(1)
(A) since
the beginning of such period the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has Incurred
any Debt that remains outstanding or Repaid any Debt, or
(B) the
transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Leverage Ratio is an
Incurrence or Repayment of Debt,
Consolidated
Interest Expense for such period shall be calculated after giving effect on
a
pro
forma basis
to
such Incurrence or Repayment as if such Debt was Incurred or Repaid on the
first
day of such period, provided
that,
in
the event of any such Repayment of Debt, EBITDA for such period shall be
calculated as if the Company or such Subsidiary had not earned any interest
income actually earned during such period in respect of the funds used to Repay
such Debt, and provided
further
that the
amount of Debt Incurred under revolving credit facilities shall be deemed to
be
the average daily balance of such Debt during such period (or any shorter period
in which such facilities are in effect) and
(2) if
(a) since
the beginning of such period, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall
have
made any Asset Sale or an Investment (by merger or otherwise) in any Subsidiary
of the Company (or any Person that becomes such a Subsidiary) or an acquisition
of Property,
(b) the
transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Leverage Ratio is such
an
Asset Sale, Investment or acquisition, or
14
(c) since
the beginning of such period any Person (that subsequently became a Subsidiary
of the Company or was merged with or into the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
since the beginning of such period) shall have made such an Asset Sale,
Investment or acquisition,
EBITDA
for such period shall be calculated after giving pro
forma
effect
to such Asset Sale, Investment or acquisition as if such Asset Sale, Investment
or acquisition occurred on the first day of such period.
If
any
Debt bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro
forma
effect,
the interest expense on such Debt shall be calculated as if the base interest
rate in effect for such floating rate of interest on the date of determination
had been the applicable base interest rate for the entire period (taking into
account any Interest Rate Agreement applicable to such Debt if such Interest
Rate Agreement has a remaining term in excess of 12 months). In the event
the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary of the Company is sold during the period,
the Company shall be deemed, for purposes of clause (1) above, to have
Repaid during such period the Debt of such Subsidiary to the extent the Company
and its continuing Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such Debt after such
sale.
“Lien”
means,
with respect to any Property of any Person, any mortgage or deed of trust,
pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, security interest,
lien,
charge, easement (other than any easement not materially impairing usefulness
or
marketability), encumbrance, preference, priority or other security agreement
or
preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever on or with respect
to
such Property (including any Capital Lease Obligation, conditional sale or
other
title retention agreement having substantially the same economic effect as
any
of the foregoing or any Sale and Leaseback Transaction).
“LNG
Project”
means
the liquefied natural gas processing and distribution plant to be constructed
in
Jinbiang, Shaanxi Province in the PRC and its related operations.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means
a
material adverse effect on (a) the property, business, operations, financial
condition, liabilities or capitalization of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (b) the ability of any such Person to perform its payment
obligations or any of its material obligations under any of the Security
Documents or Structured Business Agreements to which such Person is a party,
(c)
the validity or enforceability of any of the Security Documents or Structured
Business Agreements (or the Structured Business Agreements taken as a whole),
(d) the material rights and remedies of the Trustee or the Collateral Agent
under any of the Security Documents or (e) the timely payment of any principal
or premium of, or interest on, any of the Notes.
“Moody’s”
means
Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to the rating agency business
thereof.
“Net
Available Cash”
from
any Asset Sale means cash payments received therefrom (including any cash
payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note
or
installment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received, but
excluding any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the
acquiring Person of Debt or other obligations relating to the Property that
is
the subject of such Asset Sale or received in any other non-cash form), in
each
case net of:
(a) all
legal, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses
incurred, and all U.S. federal, state, national, provincial, foreign and local
taxes required to be accrued as a liability under GAAP, as a consequence of
such
Asset Sale,
(b) all
payments made on or in respect of any Debt that is secured by any Property
subject to such Asset Sale, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon such
Property, or which must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent
to such Asset Sale, or by applicable law, be repaid out of the proceeds from
such Asset Sale,
(c) all
distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest
holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures as a result of such Asset Sale, and
15
(d) the
deduction of appropriate amounts provided by the seller as a reserve, in
accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the Property
disposed of in such Asset Sale and retained by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries after such Asset Sale.
“Note
Obligations”
means
the Notes, the Guarantees and all other obligations of any obligor under this
Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees and the Security Documents.
“Notes”
is
defined in the preamble.
“Obligations”
means
all obligations for principal, premium, interest, penalties, fees,
indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under
the documentation governing any Debt.
“Officer”
means,
with respect to the Company, its Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President or any Vice President (whether or not designated by
a
number or numbers or word or words added before or after the title “Vice
President”) and the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or
Assistant Secretary.
“Officers’
Certificate”
means
a
certificate, signed by two Officers of the Company, at least one of whom shall
be the principal executive officer or principal financial officer of the
Company, and which certificate meets the requirements of Section
12.04
hereof
and is delivered to the Trustee.
“Operating
Company”
means
Shaanxi Xilan Natural Gas Equipment Co., Ltd., Xi’an Xilan Natural Gas Co.,
Ltd., Shaanxi Jingbian Liquefied Natural Gas Co., Ltd. and Shaanxi Xilan
Automobile Conversion Co., Ltd.
“Opinion
of Counsel”
means
a
written opinion, from legal counsel of recognized standing and which meets
the
requirements of Section
12.04
hereof.
“Participant”
means,
with respect to Euroclear or Clearstream, a Person who has an account with
Euroclear or Clearstream, respectively.
“Permitted
Holders”
means
Xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxx,
Xx Xxxxx,
each a
resident of the City of Xi’an in the PRC and his or her estate, spouse,
ancestors and lineal descendants, any legal entity in which he or she holds
a
majority of the Voting Stock and “controls” such entity, or the legal
representatives of any of the foregoing and the trustees of any bona fide trusts
of which the foregoing are the sole beneficiaries or the grantors, or any Person
of which the foregoing “beneficially owns” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under
the Exchange Act), individually or collectively with any of the foregoing,
at
least 80% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such
Person.
“Permitted
Investment”
means
any Investment by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in:
(a) the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries engaged in a Related Business,
(b) any
Person that will, upon the making of such Investment, become a Subsidiary of
the
Company, provided
that the
primary business of such Subsidiary is a Related Business;
(c) any
Person if as a result of such Investment such Person is merged or consolidated
with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all its Property
to,
the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, provided
that
such Person’s primary business is a Related Business;
(d) Cash
Equivalents;
(e) receivables
owing to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, if created or acquired in
the
ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with
customary trade terms; provided,
however,
that
such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Company
or
such Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;
16
(f) payroll,
travel and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time
of
such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses under GAAP and that are
made
in the ordinary course of business;
(g) loans
and advances to employees made in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practices of the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be,
provided
that
such loans and advances do not exceed $200,000 in the aggregate at any one
time
outstanding;
(h) stock,
obligations or other securities received in settlement of debts created in
the
ordinary course of business and owing to the Company or one of its Subsidiaries
or in satisfaction of judgments;
(i) any
Person to the extent such Investment represents the non-cash portion of the
consideration received in connection with (A) an Asset Sale consummated in
compliance with Section
4.12
or (B)
any disposition of Property not constituting an Asset Sale; and
(j) Hedging
Obligations by the Company or any Guarantor that are otherwise permitted to
be
incurred under this Indenture, and which were entered into for financial
management of interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates or commodity
prices and are directly related to transactions entered into by such Person
in
the ordinary course of its business, and not for speculative
purposes.
“Permitted
Liens”
means:
(a)
Liens
in favor of the Company or the Guarantors;
(b) Liens
securing, or created for the benefit of securing, the Notes and the
Guarantees;
(c) Liens
to secure Debt permitted to be Incurred under clause (b) of the second
paragraph of Section
4.09
and
other obligations thereunder;
(d)
Liens
to secure Debt permitted to be Incurred under clause (c) of the second
paragraph of Section
4.09
and
other obligations thereunder; provided
that
any
such Lien may not extend to any Property of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, other than the Property acquired, constructed or leased with
the
proceeds of such Debt and any improvements or accessions to such
Property;
(e)
Liens
for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies on the Property of
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries if the same shall not at the time be
delinquent or thereafter can be paid without penalty, or are being contested
in
good faith and by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently
concluded, provided
that any
reserve or other appropriate provision that shall be required in conformity
with
GAAP shall have been made therefor;
(f) Liens
imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens and other
similar Liens, on the Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries arising
in the ordinary course of business and securing payment of obligations that
are
not more than 60 days past due or are being contested in good faith and by
appropriate proceedings;
(g) Liens
on the Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries Incurred in the
ordinary course of business to secure performance of obligations with respect
to
statutory or regulatory requirements, performance or return-of-money bonds,
surety bonds or other obligations of a like nature and Incurred in a manner
consistent with industry practice, in each case which are not Incurred in
connection with the borrowing of money, the obtaining of advances or credit
or
the payment of the deferred purchase price of Property and which do not in
the
aggregate impair in any material respect the use of Property in the operation
of
the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole;
17
(h) Liens
on Property at the time the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acquired such
Property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with
or into the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided,
however,
that
any such Lien may not extend to any other Property of the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries; provided
further, that
such
Liens shall not have been Incurred in anticipation of or in connection with
the
transaction or series of transactions pursuant to which such Property was
acquired by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(i) Liens
on the Property of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of
the
Company; provided,
however,
that
any such Lien may not extend to any other Property of the Company or any other
Subsidiary of the Company that is not a direct Subsidiary of such Person;
provided
further, that
any
such Lien was not Incurred in anticipation of or in connection with the
transaction or series of transactions pursuant to which such Person became
a
Subsidiary of the Company;
(j) pledges
or deposits by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under workers’
compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good
faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for
the
payment of Debt) or leases to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is
party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of the Company,
or
deposits for the payment of rent, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course
of business;
(k) utility
easements, building restrictions and such other encumbrances or charges against
real Property as are of a nature generally existing with respect to properties
of a similar character;
(l) Liens
existing on the Issue Date not otherwise described in clauses (a) through
(k) above;
(m) Liens
on the Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to secure any
Refinancing, in whole or in part, of any Debt secured by Xxxxx referred to
in
clause (h), (i) or (l) above; provided,
however,
that
any such Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same Property that secured
the original Lien (together with improvements and accessions to such Property),
and the aggregate principal amount of Debt (and other obligations thereunder)
that is secured by such Lien shall not be increased to an amount greater than
the sum of:
(1)
|
the
outstanding principal amount, or, if greater, the committed amount,
of the
Debt (and other obligations thereunder) secured by Xxxxx described
under
clause (h), (i) or (l) above, as the case may be, at the time
the original Lien became a Permitted Lien under this Indenture, and
|
(2)
|
an
amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums
and
defeasance costs, incurred by the Company or such Subsidiary in connection
with such Refinancing.
|
“Permitted
Refinancing Debt”
means
any Debt that Refinances any other Debt, including any successive Refinancings,
so long as:
(a) such
Debt is in an aggregate principal amount (or if Incurred with original issue
discount, an aggregate issue price) not in excess of the sum of:
18
(1)
the
aggregate principal amount (or if Incurred with original issue discount, the
aggregate accreted value) then outstanding of the Debt being Refinanced,
and
(2)
an
amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums and defeasance
costs, related to such Refinancing,
(b) the
Average Life of such Debt is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the
Debt being Refinanced,
(c) the
Stated Maturity of such Debt is no earlier than the Stated Maturity of the
Debt
being Refinanced,
(d) the
new Debt shall not be senior in right of payment to the Debt that is being
Refinanced, and
(e)
the
new Debt, the proceeds of which are used to Refinance the Notes or any Debt
that
is pari
passu
with or
subordinate to the Notes or a Guarantee, shall only be permitted if (A) in
case
the Notes are refinanced in part or the Debt to be Refinanced is pari
passu
with the
Notes or a Guarantee, such new Debt, by its terms or by terms of any agreement
or instrument pursuant to which such new Debt is outstanding, is expressly
made
pari
passu
with, or
subordinate in right of payment to, the remaining Notes or such Guarantee,
or
(B) in case the Debt to be Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to
the
Notes or a Guarantee, such new Debt, by its terms or by the terms of any
agreement or instrument to which such new Debt is issued or remains outstanding,
is expressly made subordinate in right of payment to the Notes or such Guarantee
at least to the extent that the Debt to be Refinanced is subordinated to the
Notes or the Guarantee;
provided,
however,
that
Permitted Refinancing Debt shall not include the Debt of any Subsidiary that
is
not a Guarantor, if such Debt is used to Refinance Debt of the Company or a
Subsidiary.
“Person”
means
a
corporation, an association, a partnership, a limited liability company, an
individual, a joint venture, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated
organization or a government or an agency or a political subdivision
thereof.
“PRC”
means
the People’s Republic of China, exclusive of Taiwan, Macau and Hong
Kong.
“Predecessor
Note” of
any
particular Note means every previous Note evidencing all or a portion of the
same Debt as that evidenced by such particular Note; and any Note authenticated
and delivered under Section
2.07
in lieu
of a lost, destroyed or stolen Note shall be deemed to evidence the same Debt
as
the lost, destroyed or stolen Note.
“Preferred
Stock”
means
any Capital Stock of a Person, however designated, which entitles the holder
thereof to a preference with respect to the payment of dividends, or as to
the
distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or
dissolution of such Person, over shares of any other class of Capital Stock
issued by such Person.
“Preferred
Stock Dividends”
means
all dividends with respect to Preferred Stock of the Company’s Subsidiaries held
by Persons other than the Company or any of its Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.
The
amount of any such dividend shall be equal to the quotient of such dividend
divided by the difference between one and the maximum statutory federal income
rate (expressed as a decimal number between 1 and 0) then applicable to the
issuer of such Preferred Stock.
“pro
forma”
means,
with respect to any calculation made or required to be made pursuant to the
terms hereof, a calculation performed in accordance with Article 11 of
Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act, as interpreted in good
faith by the Board of Directors after consultation with the independent
certified public accountants of the Company, or otherwise a calculation made
in
good faith by the Board of Directors after consultation with the independent
certified public accountants of the Company, as the case may
be.
19
“Property”
means,
with respect to any Person, any interest of such Person in any kind of property
or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including
intellectual property rights and Capital Stock in, and other securities of,
any
other Person. For purposes of any calculation required pursuant to this
Indenture, the value of any Property shall be its Fair Market
Value.
“Purchase
Money Debt”
means
Debt:
(a)
consisting of the deferred purchase price of Property, conditional sale
obligations, obligations under any title retention agreement, other purchase
money obligations and obligations in respect of industrial revenue bonds, in
each case where the maturity of such Debt does not exceed the anticipated useful
life of the Property being financed, and
(b)
Incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or lease by the Company or
a
Subsidiary thereof of such Property, including additions and improvements
thereto;
provided,
however,
that
such Debt is Incurred within 180 days after the acquisition, construction or
lease of such Property by the Company or such Subsidiary.
“Qualifying
Listing”
means
a
listing of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market, Nasdaq Global Market
or New York Stock Exchange has been completed on or before, and maintained
as
of, January 29, 2009.
“Refinance”
means,
in respect of any Debt, to refinance, extend, renew, refund or Repay (in whole
or in part), or to issue other Debt, in exchange or replacement for (in whole
or
in part), such Debt. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative
meanings.
“Regular
Record Date”
for
the
interest payable on any Interest Payment Date means the applicable date
specified as a “Record Date” on the face of the Note, which shall be 15 days
prior to such Interest Payment Date.
“Related
Business”
means
the distribution and sale of CNG for vehicular fuel through Company-owned
filling stations, (ii) distribution and sale of CNG for vehicular fuel to third
party-owned filling stations; (iii) distribution and sale of natural gas to
residential, commercial and industrial customers through Company-owned
pipelines, in each case to commercial, industrial and residential customers
in
the Xian area, including Lantian County and the districts of Lintong and Baqiao,
in Shaanxi Province of the PRC; (iv) the construction and operation of the
LNG
Project and (v) the business of any entity related to distribution and sale
of
CNG or the LNG Project that the proceeds of the Notes are, directly or
indirectly, used to acquire.
“Repay”
means,
in respect of any Debt, to repay, prepay, repurchase, redeem, legally defease
or
otherwise retire such Debt. “Repayment” and “Repaid” shall have correlative
meanings. For purposes of Section
4.12
and the
definitions of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” and “Leverage Ratio,” Debt shall be
considered to have been Repaid only to the extent the related loan commitment,
if any, shall have been permanently reduced in connection therewith.
“Responsible
Officer,”
when
used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the Corporate Trust
Department of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) who is
responsible for the administration of this Indenture.
20
“Restricted
Payment”
means:
(a) any
dividend or distribution (whether made in cash, securities or other Property)
declared or paid on or with respect to any shares of Capital Stock of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including any payment in connection with
any
merger or consolidation with or into the Company or any of its Subsidiaries),
except for any dividend or distribution that is made solely to the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries (and, if such Subsidiary is not a Wholly Owned
Subsidiary, to the other shareholders of such Subsidiary on a pro
rata basis
or
on a basis that results in the receipt by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
of dividends or distributions of greater value than it would receive on a
pro
rata basis)
or
any dividend or distribution payable solely in shares of Capital Stock (other
than Disqualified Stock) of the Company;
(b) the
purchase, repurchase, redemption, acquisition or retirement for value of any
Capital Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than from the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries) or any securities exchangeable for or
convertible into any such Capital Stock, including the exercise of any option
to
exchange any Capital Stock (other than for or into Capital Stock of the Company
that is not Disqualified Stock);
(c) the
purchase, repurchase, redemption, acquisition or retirement for value, prior
to
the date for any scheduled maturity, sinking fund or amortization or other
installment payment, of any Subordinated Obligation (other than the purchase,
repurchase or other acquisition of any Subordinated Obligation purchased in
anticipation of satisfying a scheduled maturity, sinking fund or amortization
or
other installment obligation, in each case due within one year of the date
of
acquisition); or
(d) any
Investment (other than Permitted Investments) in any Person.
“RMB”
means
the lawful currency of the PRC.
“S&P”
means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of McGraw Hill, Inc., or any
successor to the rating agency business thereof.
“Sale
and Leaseback Transaction”
means
any direct or indirect arrangement relating to Property now owned or hereafter
acquired whereby the Company or any of its Subsidiaries transfers such Property
to another Person and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries leases it from
such
Person.
“Securities
Act”
means
the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder, as in effect from time to time.
“Security
Documents”
means
the WFOE Equity Pledge and the Account Agreement in favor of the Collateral
Agent for the benefit of the holders of Note Obligations, whenever incurred,
and
also for the benefit of the present and future holders of all other Note
Obligations and any document perfecting such security interests, and any one
or
more security agreements, pledge agreements, collateral assignments, mortgages,
deeds of trust or other grants or transfers for security executed and delivered
by the Company or any other obligor creating a Lien upon property owned or
to be
acquired by the Company or such other obligor in favor of the Collateral Agent
for the benefit of the holders of Note Obligations, whenever incurred, and
also
for the benefit of the present and future holders of all other Note Obligations
and any document perfecting such security interests pursuant to the terms of
Article
10
hereof.
“Senior
Debt”
of
the
Company means:
(a) all
obligations consisting of the principal, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid
interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition
in
bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company whether or not such
post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding) in respect of:
(1) Debt
of the Company for borrowed money, and
21
(2) Debt
of the Company evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar
instruments permitted under this Indenture for the payment of which the Company
is responsible or liable;
(b) all
Capital Lease Obligations of the Company and all Attributable Debt in respect
of
Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into by the Company;
(c) all
obligations of the Company
(1) for
the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or
similar credit transaction,
(2) under
Hedging Obligations, or
(3) issued
or assumed as the deferred purchase price of Property and all conditional sale
obligations of the Company and all obligations under any title retention
agreement permitted under this Indenture; and
(d) all
obligations of other Persons of the type referred to in clauses (a), (b) and
(c)
for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as
Guarantor;
provided,
however,
that
Senior Debt shall not include:
(A) Debt
of the Company that is by its terms subordinate in right of payment to the
Notes, including any
Subordinated Obligations;
(B) any
Debt Incurred in violation of the provisions of this Indenture;
(C) accounts
payable or any other obligations of the Company to trade creditors created
or
assumed by the Company in the ordinary course of business in connection with
the
obtaining of materials or services (including Guarantees thereof or instruments
evidencing such liabilities);
(D) any
liability for U.S. federal, state, national, provincial, local or other taxes
owed or owing by the Company;
(E)
any
obligation of the Company to any of its Subsidiaries; or
(F)
any
obligations with respect to any Capital Stock of the Company.
To
the
extent that any payment of Senior Debt (whether by or on behalf of the Company
as proceeds of security or enforcement or any right of setoff or otherwise)
is
declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be paid
to a
trustee, receiver or other similar party under any bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or similar law, then if such payment is recovered by, or paid
over
to, such trustee, receiver or other similar party, the Senior Debt or part
thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be deemed to be reinstated
and
outstanding as if such payment had not occurred.
“Senior
Debt” of any Guarantor has a correlative meaning.
“Significant
Subsidiary”
means
any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” of the Company within
the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission.
“Specified
Office of the Trustee”
shall
be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section
12.01
hereof,
or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the
Company.
22
“Stated
Maturity”
means,
with respect to any installment of interest or principal on any series of Debt
(including, without limitation, a scheduled repayment or a scheduled sinking
fund payment), the date on which the payment of interest or principal was
scheduled to be paid in the original documentation governing such Debt, and
will
not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such
interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment
hereof.
“Structured
Business Agreements”
means
each of the Operation
The
Structured Business Agreements were entered into on August 17, 2007 effective
as
of March 8, 2006 by and among Shaanxi Xilan Natural Gas Equipment Co., Ltd,
Xi’an Xilan Natural Gas Co., Ltd. and the registered shareholders of Xi’an Xilan
Natural Gas Co., Ltd. The agreements are as follows:
1. Operating
Agreement;
2. Consulting
Services Agreement;
3. Equity
Pledge Agreement;
4. Option
Agreement; and
5. Proxy
Agreement.
“Subordinated
Obligation”
means
any Debt of the Company or any Guarantor (whether outstanding on the Issue
Date
or thereafter Incurred) that is subordinate or junior in right of payment to
the
Notes or the applicable Guarantee pursuant to a written agreement to that
effect.
“Subsidiary”
with
respect to any Person, means (i) any corporation of which the outstanding
Capital Stock having a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election
of directors under ordinary circumstances shall at the time be owned, directly
or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, by such Person; (ii) any
other Person of which a majority of the voting interest under ordinary
circumstances is at the time, directly or indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries, owned by such Person; or (iii) any corporation which is
controlled by such Person through Structured Business Agreements or otherwise.
Subsidiary with respect to the Company shall mean any of the WFOE, any Operating
Company controlled by the Company through Structured Business Agreements and
the
Subsidiary of such Operating Company.
“Surviving
Person”
means
the surviving Person formed by a merger, consolidation or amalgamation and,
for
purposes of Section
5.01,
a
Person to whom all or substantially all of the Property of the Company or a
Guarantor is sold, transferred, assigned, leased, conveyed or otherwise
disposed.
“Tax
Original Issue Discount”
means
the amount of ordinary interest income on a Note that must be accrued as
original issue discount for United States federal income tax
purposes.
“Trading
Day”
shall
mean (x) if the applicable security is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market,
Nasdaq Global Market or New York Stock Exchange, a day on which trades may
be
made thereon or (y) if the applicable security is not so listed, admitted
for trading or quoted, any day other than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on
which
banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by
law
or executive order to close.
“Trustee”
means
the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument
until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean such successor
Trustee.
23
“U.S.
Government Securities”
means
direct obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such
obligations) of the United States of America (including any agency or
instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit
of
the United States of America are pledged and which are not callable or
redeemable at the issuer’s option.
“Voting
Stock”
of
any
Person means all classes of Capital Stock or other interests (including
partnership interests) of such Person then outstanding and normally entitled
(without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election
of
directors, managers or trustees thereof.
“WFOE”
means
Shaanxi Xilan Natural Gas Equipment Co., Ltd., a wholly foreign-owned limited
liability company organized and existing under the laws of the PRC, and for
the
purpose of this Indenture (other than in the definition of WFOE Equity Pledge
below), it shall also include the Operating Companies.
“WFOE
Equity Pledge”
means
that certain Share Pledge to be entered into by the Guarantor relating to the
equity interests owned by the Guarantor in Shaanxi Xilan Natural Gas Equipment
Co., Ltd..
“Wholly
Owned Subsidiary”
means,
at any time, a Subsidiary all the Voting Stock of which (except directors’
qualifying shares) is at such time owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company
and its other Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.
Section
1.02. Other
Definitions.
Defined
in
|
||
Term
|
Section
|
|
“Acceleration
Notice”
|
6.02
|
|
“Affiliate
Transaction”
|
4.14
|
|
“Allocable
Excess Proceeds”
|
4.12
|
|
“Asset
Sale Offer”
|
4.12
|
|
“Authentication
Order”
|
2.02
|
|
“Benefited
Party”
|
9.01
|
|
“Change
of Control Offer”
|
4.16
|
|
“Delisting
Offer”
|
4.29
|
|
“Event
of Default”
|
6.01
|
|
“Excess
Proceeds”
|
4.12
|
|
“Future
Guarantor”
|
9.03
|
|
“Future
Guarantor Pledgor”
|
10.02
|
|
“Guarantor
Pledgor”
|
10.02
|
|
“losses”
|
7.07
|
|
“Offer
Amount”
|
3.06
|
|
“Offer
Period”
|
3.06
|
|
“Offer
to Purchase”
|
3.06
|
|
“Paying
Agent”
|
2.03
|
|
“Purchase
Date”
|
3.06
|
|
“Purchase
Price”
|
3.06
|
|
“Registrar”
|
2.03
|
|
“Secured
Party”
|
10.01
|
|
“Security
Register”
|
2.03
|
Section
1.03. Rules
of Construction.
(a) Unless
the context otherwise requires:
(i) a
term
has the meaning assigned to it;
24
(ii) an
accounting term not otherwise defined herein has the meaning assigned to it
in
accordance with GAAP;
(iii) “or”
is
not exclusive;
(iv) words
in
the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the
singular;
(v) all
references in this instrument to “Articles,” “Sections” and other subdivisions
are to the designated Articles, Sections and subdivisions of this instrument
as
originally executed;
(vi) the
words
“herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to
this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other
subdivision.
(vii) “including”
means “including without limitation;”
(viii) provisions
apply to successive events and transactions;
(ix) “$”
means
the lawful currency of the United States of America; and
(x) references
to sections of or rules under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall
be
deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted
by the Commission from time to time thereunder.
ARTICLE
2.
THE
NOTES
Section
2.01. Form
and Dating.
(a) General.
The
Notes and the Registrar’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially
in the form included in Exhibit
A
hereto,
which is hereby incorporated in and expressly made part of this Indenture.
The
Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, exchange
rule
or usage in addition to those set forth on Exhibit
A.
Each
Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be in
denominations of RMB 1.0 million and integral multiples thereof. The terms
and
provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute a part of this Indenture
and
the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery
of
this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound
thereby. To the extent any provision of any Note conflicts with the express
provisions of this Indenture, the provisions of this Indenture shall govern
and
be controlling.
(b) Form
of Notes.
Notes
shall be issued initially in global form and shall be substantially in the
form
of Exhibit
A
attached
hereto (including the Global Note Legend thereon and the “Schedule of Exchanges
of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Notes shall be issued in
definitive form only under the limited circumstance set forth in Section
2.01(e).
Definitive Notes issued shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit
A
attached
hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon and without the “Schedule of
Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Each Global Note
shall represent such aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes as
shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed
thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented
thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to
reflect exchanges and redemptions and transfers of interests therein. Any
endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease
in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby
shall
be made by the Trustee or the Registrar, at the direction of the Trustee, in
accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by
Section
2.06
hereof.
25
(c) Book-Entry
Provisions.
This
Section
2.01(c)
shall
apply only to Global Notes deposited with the Common Depositary. Participants
shall have no rights under this Indenture or any Global Note with respect to
any
Global Note held on their behalf by the Common Depositary and the Common
Depositary shall be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the
Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all
purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent
the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving
effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished
by
the Common Depositary or impair, as between the Common Depositary and its
Participants, the Applicable Procedures or the operation of customary practices
of the Common Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of
a
beneficial interest in any Global Note.
(d) Euroclear
and Clearstream Procedures Applicable.
The
provisions of “Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear” and the “General
Terms and Conditions of Clearstream” and “Customer Handbook” of Clearstream
shall be applicable to transfers of beneficial interests in Global Notes that
are held by Participants through Euroclear or Clearstream.
(e) Definitive
Notes.
The
Company shall exchange Global Notes for Definitive Notes only if: (1) at any
time either Euroclear, Clearstream or any alternative clearing agency has
notified the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Common
Depositary for such Global Note and a successor Common Depositary has not been
appointed within 90 calendar days, (2) at any time either Euroclear or
Clearstream or any alternative clearing agency on behalf of which the Notes
evidenced by the Global Note may be held is closed for business for a continuous
period of 14 days (other than by reason of holidays, statutory or otherwise)
or
announces an intention to permanently cease business or does in fact do so,
and,
in either case, the Company shall not have appointed a successor Common
Depositary within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes
aware of such ineligibility, or (3) upon written request of a Holder or the
Trustee if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Upon
the
occurrence of any of the events set forth in clauses (1), (2) or (3) above,
the
Company shall execute, and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in
accordance with Section
2.02
hereof,
the Registrar shall authenticate and hold in the specified office of the Trustee
for collection by Holders of the Definitive Notes, in authorized denominations,
in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global
Notes in exchange for such Global Notes.
Upon
the
exchange of a Global Note for Definitive Notes, such Global Note shall be
canceled by the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee. Definitive
Notes issued in exchange for a Global Note pursuant to this Section
2.01
shall be
registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Common
Depositary, pursuant to instructions from its Participants or its Applicable
Procedures, shall instruct the Trustee or an agent of the Trustee in writing.
The Trustee or such agent shall hold in the specified office of the Trustee
for
collection by Holders of the Definitive Notes.
Section
2.02. Execution
and Authentication.
(a) The
chief
executive officer of the Company shall execute the Notes on behalf of the
Company by manual or facsimile signature.
(b) If
an
Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time
a
Note is authenticated by the Registrar, the Note shall nevertheless be
valid.
(c) A
Note
shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Registrar.
The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated
under this Indenture.
(d) The
Registrar shall, upon receipt of a written order of the Company signed by an
Officer (an “Authentication
Order”),
authenticate (i) one Global Note evidencing Notes for issuance on the Issue
Date
in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed RMB145,000,000, (ii) any other
Notes that have been executed by the Company in order to effect any registration
of transfer or exchange in accordance with the provisions of Section
2.06
and
(iii) any additional Notes issued by the Company after the Issue Date pursuant
to the next sentence of this paragraph. The Notes need not be issued at one
time
and, unless otherwise provided, the Notes may also be issued by the Company
and
authenticated and delivered under this Indenture after the Issue Date on the
same terms and conditions (other than the Issue Date) and with the same ISIN
number and Common Code as the Notes issued on the Issue Date and in an aggregate
principal amount not to exceed RMB363,000,000.
26
(e) The
Trustee and the Registrar shall each have the right to decline to authenticate
and deliver any Notes under this Indenture (i) unless and until it receives
an
Authentication Order from the Company or (ii) if the Trustee or Registrar
determines that such action would expose to Trustee or Registrar to personal
liability, unless indemnity and/or security satisfactory to such Person against
such liability is provided to it.
(f) The
Registrar may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to
authenticate Notes. Unless otherwise provided in such appointment, an
authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Registrar may do so.
Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Registrar includes
authentication by such agent and any such agent shall have the benefit of all
rights and indemnities available to the Registrar in respect of the
authentication of Notes hereunder. An authenticating agent shall have the same
rights as the Registrar to deal with Holders, the Company or an Affiliate of
the
Company.
Section
2.03. Registrar
and Paying Agent.
(a) The
Company shall maintain an office or agency where Notes may be presented for
registration of transfer or for exchange (“Registrar”)
and an
office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“Paying
Agent”).
The
Registrar shall keep a register (the “Security
Register”)
of the
Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Company may appoint one or more
co-registrars, one or more additional paying agents. The term “Registrar”
includes any co-registrar and the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional
paying agent. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without
notice to any Holder. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the
name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If the Company
fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the
Trustee shall act as such. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as
Paying Agent or Registrar.
(b) The
Company initially appoints Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch to act as Common
Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.
(c) The
Company initially appoints Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. to act as Registrar,
Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch to act as Paying Agent and such Agents as
appointed hereby agree so to initially act.
Section
2.04. Paying
Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The
Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in
writing that the Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of Holders
or
the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal,
premium, if any, or interest on the Notes. While any such default continues,
the
Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all funds held by it relating to
the
Notes to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to
pay
all funds held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the
Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary) shall have no further
liability for such funds. If the Company or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent,
it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the
Holders all funds held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any Event of Default under
Sections
6.01(h)
and
(i)
hereof
relating to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the
Notes.
Section
2.05. Holder
Lists.
The
Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the
most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders.
If
the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish or cause to be
furnished to the Trustee at least seven Business Days before each Interest
Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing,
a
list in such form and as of such date or such shorter time as the Trustee may
allow, as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of
the
Holders.
27
Section
2.06. Transfer
and Exchange.
(a) As
provided herein, interests in a Global Note will be exchanged, upon 45 days’
notice by a holder of an interest in such Global Note for Definitive Notes
only
upon the occurrence of the events set forth in Section
2.01(e).
Each
Global Note shall be deposited with the Common Depositary, which shall hold
such
Global Note in safe custody for the account of Euroclear and/or Clearstream
and
instruct Euroclear or Clearstream or both of them, as the case may be, to credit
the principal amounts of the Notes represented by such Global Note to the
holder’s distribution account with Euroclear or Clearstream.
(b) In
accordance with the terms of a Global Note and this Indenture, the Registrar
shall deliver at the cost of the Company, upon not less than 45 days’ notice to
the Registrar by Euroclear or Clearstream, the relevant Definitive Notes in
exchange for interests in such Global Note. For this purpose, the Registrar
is
authorized and it shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order (A)
authenticate each such Definitive Note and (B) deliver each such Definitive
Note
to or to the order of Euroclear or Clearstream, in exchange for interests in
such Global Note. The Registrar shall promptly notify the Company upon receipt
of a request for issue of Definitive Notes the aggregate principal amount of
the
relevant Global Note to be exchanged in connection therewith. The Company
undertakes to deliver to, or to the order of, the Registrar sufficient numbers
of duly executed Definitive Notes to enable the Registrar to comply with its
obligations under this Section
2.06(b).
Such
exchange shall be made free of charge to the holder and the beneficial owners
of
the relevant Global Note and to the holders of the Definitive Notes issued
in
exchange as provided above, except that (i) the Registrar may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other government charge payable
in connection therewith and (ii) a Person receiving Definitive Notes must
pick up such Definitive Notes in person at the offices of a Registrar.
Notwithstanding the above, interests in a Global Note shall be exchangeable
in
whole (but not in part) at the cost of the Company for Definitive Notes under
the conditions described in Section
2.01(e).
(c) Until
a
Global Note is exchanged in full, the holder of any interest in such Global
Note
shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture
as
Definitive Notes authenticated and delivered hereunder. Once a Global Note
is
exchanged in full, it shall be canceled and disposed of by the Trustee in
accordance with its customary procedures and a certificate of disposition will
be sent to the Company upon the Company’s written consent.
(d) The
Trustee or the Registrar shall cause all Global Notes and Definitive Notes
delivered to it and held by it hereunder to be maintained in safe custody in
accordance with this Section
2.06.
(e) The
Security Register shall be in written form in the English language and shall
include a record of the certificate number of each Note that has been issued,
and shall show the amount of such Notes, the date of issue, all subsequent
transfers and changes in ownership in respect thereof and the names, tax
identifying numbers (if relevant to a specific holder), addresses of the holders
of the Notes and any payment instructions with respect thereto (if different
from a holder’s registered address).
(f) The
Registrar shall at all reasonable times during office hours make the Security
Register available to the Trustee, any Agent, the Company and the holders of
such Notes or any person authorized by the Company in writing for inspection
and
for taking of copies thereof or extracts therefrom, and at the expense of the
Company, the Registrar shall make it available at its office to such persons
all
lists of holders of such Notes, their addresses, amounts of such holdings and
other details as they may request.
(g) The
Registrar shall handle all requests for the registration of transfer of Notes
and receive certificates for the Notes deposited with Agent for transfer or
exchange, and in doing so, shall ensure that every Note presented or surrendered
for registration of transfer or exchange (if so required by the Company, the
Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Registrar) be duly endorsed by, or be
accompanied by a written instrument of transfer (in form satisfactory to the
Company and the Registrar) duly executed by the holder thereof or by such
holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing.
28
(h) Prior
to
the Distribution Compliance Expiration Date, no beneficial interest in a Global
Note may be transferred to any U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under
the
Securities Act) or any Person inside the United States as evidenced by a
certification in the form of Exhibit
C
hereto
received by the Registrar. Unless determined otherwise by the Company in
accordance with applicable law, in the event prior to the Distribution
Compliance Expiration Date a Definitive Note is issued in exchange for a
beneficial interest in a Global Note, such Definitive Note shall bear the
Regulation S Legend shown on the form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit
A.
On and
after the Distribution Compliance Expiration Date, no such certification shall
be required with respect to such transfers and the Trustee is hereby authorized
to remove such Regulation S Legend from the applicable Notes.
(i) The
Trustee and the Registrar shall be entitled to treat a facsimile communication
from a person purporting to be (and who the Trustee or the Registrar believes
in
good faith to be) the authorized representative of the Company, named in a
list
furnished to the Trustee and the Registrar upon the execution of the Indenture
and supplemented from time to time, as sufficient instructions and authority
of
the Company for the Trustee and the Registrar to act in accordance with this
Section
2.06.
(j) Title
to
the Definitive Notes shall pass by upon recordation of delivery or exchange
in
the Security Register. However, title to Notes issued in the form of Global
Notes held through Euroclear and Clearstream shall be transferable only in
accordance with the rules and procedures of Euroclear and Clearstream, as
appropriate.
(k) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, as to any certificates and/or certifications
delivered to the Trustee or Registrar pursuant to this Section
2.06,
the
Trustee and Registrar’s duties shall be limited to checking whether that any
such certifications and certificates are in the form of Exhibit
C
attached
hereto and shall confirm to the transferor and the Company only if the
certificates and the certifications are not in the form of Exhibit
C.
Neither
the Trustee nor the Registrar shall be responsible for confirming the truth
or
accuracy of the representations made in any such certifications or
certificates.
Section
2.07. Replacement
Notes.
If
any
mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or the Company or if the Trustee
receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of
any
Note, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order
in
accordance with Section
2.02
hereof,
the Trustee shall authenticate a replacement Note. If required by the Trustee
or
the Company, the Holder of such Note shall provide indemnity that is sufficient,
in the judgment of the Trustee or the Company, as applicable, to protect the
Company, the Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss
that
any of them may suffer in connection with such replacement. If required by
the
Company and/or Trustee, such Holder shall reimburse the Company and/or the
Trustee, as the case may be, for their respective expenses in connection with
such replacement.
Every
replacement Note issued in accordance with this Section shall be the valid
obligation of the Company, evidencing the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed,
lost or stolen Note, and shall be entitled to all of the benefits of this
Indenture equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued
hereunder.
Section
2.08. Outstanding
Notes.
(a) The
Notes
outstanding at any time shall be the entire principal amount of Notes
represented by all of the Global Notes or Definitive Notes authenticated by
the
Registrar except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for
cancellation, those subject to reductions in beneficial interests effected
by
the Trustee in accordance with Section
2.06
hereof,
and those described in this Section as not outstanding. Except as set forth
in
Section
2.09
hereof,
a Note shall not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate
of
the Company holds the Note.
(b) If
a Note
is replaced pursuant to Section
2.07
hereof,
it shall cease to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory
to it that the replaced note is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands
such Note is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company.
(c) If
the
principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section
4.01
hereof,
it shall cease to be outstanding and interest on it shall cease to
accrue.
29
(d) If
the
Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any
thereof) holds, on a redemption date, a Purchase Date, or a maturity date,
funds
sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such
Notes shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding and shall cease to accrue
interest.
Section
2.09. Treasury
Notes.
In
determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have
concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Company,
or by
any Affiliate of the Company, shall be considered as though not outstanding,
except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be
protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes for
which the Trustee has received an Officers’ Certificate from the Company or an
Affiliate of the Company evidencing such ownership shall be so
disregarded.
Section
2.10. Temporary
Notes.
Until
certificates representing Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare
and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section
2.02
hereof,
the Registrar shall authenticate temporary Notes. Such temporary Notes shall
be
substantially in the form of Definitive Notes. Without unreasonable delay,
the
Company shall prepare and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication
Order, authenticate Global Notes or Definitive Notes in exchange for temporary
Notes, as applicable. After preparation of Global Note or Definitive Notes,
the
temporary Note will be exchangeable for Global Note or Definitive Notes upon
surrender of the temporary Notes.
Holders
of temporary Notes shall be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture
equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued
hereunder.
Section
2.11. Cancellation.
The
Company at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The
Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered
to
them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. Upon sole direction
of
the Company, the Trustee and no one else shall cancel all Notes surrendered
for
registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and
shall dispose of canceled Notes in accordance with customary procedures (subject
to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act or other applicable
laws) unless by written order, signed by an Officer of the Company, the Company
directs them to be returned to it. Certification of the destruction of all
canceled Notes shall be delivered to the Company upon the Company’s request. The
Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has paid or that have
been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section
2.12. Payment
of Interest; Defaulted Interest.
If
the
Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, it shall pay the
defaulted interest in any lawful manner plus, to the extent lawful, interest
payable on the defaulted interest, to the Persons who are Holders on a
subsequent special record date, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes
and in Section
4.01
hereof.
The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted
interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment.
The Company shall fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and
payment date; provided
that no
such special record date shall be less than 10 days prior to the related
Interest Payment Date for such defaulted interest. At least 15 days before
the
special record date, the Company (or, upon the written request of the Company,
the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company) shall mail or cause
to be mailed to Holders a notice that states the special record date, the
related Interest Payment Date and the amount of such interest to be
paid.
30
Section
2.13. ISIN
Numbers and Common Codes.
The
Company in issuing the Notes may use an “ISIN” and Common Code (if then
generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “ISIN” and Common Code in
notices of redemption or Offers to Purchase as a convenience to Holders;
provided,
however,
that any
such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness
of
such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of
a
redemption or notice of an Offer to Purchase and that reliance may be placed
only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such
redemption or Offer to Purchase shall not be affected by any defect in or
omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in
writing of any change in the “ISIN” or Common Code.
Section
2.14. Record
Date.
The
record date for purposes of determining the identity of Holders of Notes
entitled to vote or consent to any action by vote or consent or permitted under
this Indenture shall be 15 days prior to the date of such vote, consent or
action. The record date for the purpose of each payment of interest shall be
15
days prior to such Interest Payment Date.
ARTICLE
3.
REDEMPTION
AND PREPAYMENT
Section
3.01. Notice
of Redemption.
Upon
prior written notice to the Trustee, at least 30 days but not more than
60 days prior to a redemption date, the Company shall mail or cause to be
mailed, by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder at such
Holder’s registered address appearing in the Security Register, except that
redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date
if
the notice is issued in connection with a satisfaction and discharge pursuant
to
Article
11
hereof.
The
notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state:
(a) the
redemption date;
(b) the
Dollar Equivalent of the redemption price;
(c) the
name
and address of the Company for purposes of tendering Notes for
redemption;
(d) that
Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Company to collect the
redemption price;
(e) that,
unless the Company defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on
Notes
called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption
date;
(f) the
applicable Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for
redemption are being redeemed; and
(g) that
no
representation is made as to the correctness of the ISIN number or Common Code,
if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.
At
the
Company’s written request, the Trustee shall, within five Business Days upon its
receipt of such request, give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and
at the expense of the Company; provided,
however,
that
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee, at least 45 days (or such
shorter period allowed by the Trustee), prior to the redemption date, an
Officers’ Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice (in the name
and at the expense of the Company) and setting forth the information to be
stated in such notice as provided in this Section
3.01.
31
Section
3.02. Effect
of Notice of Redemption.
Once
notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section
3.01
hereof,
Notes called for redemption shall become irrevocably due and payable on the
redemption date at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be
conditional.
Section
3.03. Deposit
of Redemption Price.
Prior
to
11:00 a.m. Hong Kong time on the Business Day prior to any redemption date
and
subject to Section
3.05
hereof,
the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries is the Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust) money
sufficient to deliver to each tendering Holder the Dollar Equivalent of the
redemption price of and, if applicable, the Dollar Equivalent of accrued and
unpaid interest on the Notes to the redemption date.
If
the
Company complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after
the redemption date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes called for
purchase or redemption in accordance with Section
2.08(d)
hereof,
whether or not such Notes are presented for payment. If a Note is redeemed
on or
after a Regular Record Date but on or prior to the related Interest Payment
Date, then any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall be paid to the Person
in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such Regular
Record Date. If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon
surrender for redemption because of the failure of the Company to comply with
the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal from
the
redemption date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any
interest not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided
in
the Notes and in Section
4.01
hereof.
Section
3.04. Optional
Redemption.
(a) The
Notes
shall not be redeemable at the option of the Company prior to July 30, 2008.
Beginning on July 30, 2008, the Company may redeem all (but not less than all)
of the Notes, after giving the notice required pursuant to Section
3.01
hereof,
at the redemption price of 108.% and thereafter at the redemption prices set
forth below (in each case expressed as a percentage of the outstanding unpaid
principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest, to but excluding the
redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant
Regular Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment
Date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period commencing on January 29
of
the years set forth below:
Year
|
Percentage
|
|||
2009
|
108.0
|
%
|
||
2010
|
106.0
|
%
|
||
2011
|
104.0
|
%
|
||
2012
|
102.0
|
%
|
||
2013
|
100.0
|
%
|
Unless
the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price, interest will
cease
to accrue on the Notes on the applicable redemption date.
Any
prepayment pursuant to this Section
3.04
shall be
made pursuant to the provisions of Sections
3.01
through
3.03
hereof.
For
the
avoidance of doubt, the redemption prices set forth above shall not be
applicable to any mandatory redemption from and including July 30, 2011 to
the
Stated Maturity of the Notes if such redemption is made pursuant to Section
3.05
below,
but shall only be applicable in such years to the extent the Company optionally
repays any Notes beyond the prepayment made pursuant thereto.
32
Section
3.05. Mandatory
Redemption.
The
Company agrees that on the dates indicated in the following table, the Company
will prepay and there shall become due and payable the corresponding percentage
of principal amount (or such lesser principal amount as shall then be
outstanding) in respect of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the
Notes as of the first date listed below.
Date
|
Prepayment Amount Percentage of Principal Amount
|
|||
July
30, 2011
|
8.3333
|
%
|
||
January
30, 2012
|
8.3333
|
%
|
||
July
30, 2012
|
16.6667
|
%
|
||
January
30, 2013
|
16.6667
|
%
|
||
July
30, 2013
|
25.0000
|
%
|
The
entire remaining principal amount of the Notes shall become due and payable
on
January 30, 2014. Each required prepayment made pursuant to this Section shall
be made at the Dollar Equivalent of prepayment amount and without payment of
any
premium and allocated among all of the Notes in proportion, as nearly as
practicable, to the respective unpaid principal amounts thereof. Upon any
repurchase of the Notes pursuant to Section
4.12,
Section
4.16
or
Section
4.29
the
principal amount of each required prepayment of the Notes becoming due under
this Section on and after the date of such prepayment or purchase shall be
reduced in the same proportion as the aggregate unpaid principal amount of
the
Notes is reduced as a result of such prepayment or purchase.
In
the
case of each prepayment of Notes pursuant to this Section, the principal amount
of each Note to be prepaid shall mature and become due and payable on the date
fixed for such prepayment, together with interest on such principal amount
accrued to such date. From and after such date, unless the Company shall fail
to
pay such principal amount when so due and payable, together with the interest
as
aforesaid, interest on such principal amount shall cease to accrue. Any Note
paid or prepaid in full shall be surrendered to the Company and canceled and
shall not be reissued, and no Note shall be issued in lieu of any prepaid
principal amount of any Note.
Section
3.06. Offer
To Purchase.
(a) In
the
event that, pursuant to Section
4.12
or
Section
4.16
or
Section
4.29
hereof,
the Company shall be required to commence an Asset Sale Offer or a Change of
Control Offer or a Delisting Offer (each of the foregoing, an “Offer
to Purchase”),
respectively, it shall follow the procedures specified below.
(b) The
Company shall cause a notice of the Offer to Purchase to be sent at least once
to the Dow
Xxxxx News Service
or
similar business news service in the United States.
(c) The
Company shall commence the Offer to Purchase by sending, by first-class mail,
with a copy to the Trustee, to each Holder at such Xxxxxx’s address appearing in
the Security Register, a notice the terms of which shall govern the Offer to
Purchase stating:
(i) that
the
Offer to Purchase is being made pursuant to this Section and Section
4.12
or
Section
4.16
or
Section
4.29,
as the
case may be, and, in the case of a Change of Control Offer, that such event
has
occurred, the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such event, and that
a
Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to Section
4.16;
(ii) the
principal amount of Notes required to be purchased pursuant to Section
4.12
or
Section
4.16
or
Section
4.29,
as the
case may be (the “Offer
Amount”),
the
purchase price set forth in Section
4.12
or
Section
4.16
or
Section
4.29,
as
applicable (the “Purchase
Price”),
the
Offer Period and the Purchase Date (each as defined below);
(iii) except
as
provided in clause (ix), that all Notes timely tendered and not withdrawn shall
be accepted for payment;
(iv) that
any
Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue to accrue
interest;
(v) that,
unless the Company defaults in making such payment, any Note accepted for
payment pursuant to the Offer to Purchase shall cease to accrue interest after
the Purchase Date;
33
(vi) that
Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Offer to Purchase
may
elect to have Notes purchased in integral multiples of RMB1.0 million
only;
(vii) that
Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any Offer to Purchase
shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled “Option of
Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, or transfer by
book-entry transfer, to the Company, or the Common Depositary, if appointed
by
the Company, before the close of business on the third Business Day before
the
Purchase Date;
(viii) that
Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Company or the
Common Depositary, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration
of the Offer Period, a facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name
of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note (or portions thereof) the Holder
delivered for purchase and a statement that such Xxxxxx is withdrawing his
election to have such Note purchased;
(ix) that,
in
the case of an Asset Sale Offer, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes
surrendered by Holders exceeds the Offer Amount, the Company shall select the
Notes to be purchased on a pro
rata
basis
(with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Company so that
only
Notes in denominations of RMB1.0 million or integral multiples thereof shall
be
purchased);
(x) that
Holders whose Notes were purchased in part shall be issued new Notes equal
in
principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or
transferred by book-entry transfer); and
(xi) any
other
procedures the Holders must follow in order to tender their Notes (or portions
thereof) for payment and the procedures that Holders must follow in order to
withdraw an election to tender Notes (or portions thereof) for
payment.
(d) The
Offer
to Purchase shall remain open for a period of at least 30 days but no more
than
60 days following its commencement, except to the extent that a longer period
is
required by applicable law (the “Offer
Period”).
No
later than five (5) Business Days (and in any event no later than the 60th
day
following the Change of Control) after the termination of the Offer Period
(the
“Purchase
Date”),
the
Company shall purchase the Offer Amount or, if less than the Offer Amount has
been tendered, all Notes tendered in response to the Offer to Purchase. Payment
for any Notes so purchased shall be made in accordance with Section
4.01.
The
Company shall publicly announce the results of the Offer to Purchase on the
Purchase Date.
(e) On
or
prior to the Purchase Date, the Company shall, to the extent
lawful:
(i) accept
for payment (on a pro
rata
basis to
the extent necessary in connection with an Asset Sale Offer) from each tendering
Holder, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered and
not
withdrawn pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, or if less than the Offer Amount
has been tendered, all Notes tendered; and
(ii) deposit
with the Paying Agent funds in an amount equal to the Purchase Price in respect
of the Notes properly tendered; and
(iii) if
applicable, surrender to the Trustee the Definitive Notes properly accepted
to
be canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section
2.11
together
with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or
portions of Notes being purchased by the Company and that such Definitive Notes
or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Company in accordance
with
the terms of this Section.
34
(f) Upon
receipt of the Notes in accordance with Section
3.05(e)(i),
the
Company shall promptly, and in any event within three (3) Business Day after
the
Purchase Date, deliver to each tendering Holder the Purchase Price. In the
event
that Definitive Notes are issued and any portion of the Definitive Notes
surrendered is not purchased by the Company, the Company shall promptly execute
and issue a new Definitive Note in a principal amount equal to such unpurchased
portion of the Definitive Note surrendered, and, upon receipt of an
Authentication Order in accordance with Section
2.02
hereof,
the Registrar shall authenticate and deliver (or cause to be transferred by
book-entry) such new Definitive Note to such Holder, in a principal amount
equal
to any unpurchased portion of the Definitive Note surrendered; provided,
however,
that
each such new Definitive Note shall be in a principal amount of RMB1.0 million
or an integral multiple thereof. Any Definitive Note not so accepted shall
be
promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the Holder thereof.
(g) The
Company shall comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule
14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations
thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection
with the Offer to Purchase. To the extent that the provisions of any securities
laws or regulations conflict with Section
4.12
or
Section
4.16
or
Section
4.29,
as
applicable, this Section or other provisions of this Indenture, the Company
shall comply with applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not
be
deemed to have breached its obligations under Section
4.12
or
Section
4.16
or
Section
4.29,
as
applicable, this Section or such other provision by virtue of such
compliance.
(h) If
the
Purchase Date is on or after a Regular Record Date and on or before the related
Interest Payment Date, any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the
Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such
Regular Record Date, and no further interest shall be payable to Holders who
tender Notes pursuant to the Offer to Purchase.
(i) Other
than as specifically provided in this Section, any purchase pursuant to this
Section shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Section
3.01
through
3.03
hereof.
Section
3.07. Notice
To Trustee.
If
the
Notes are redeemed or repurchased in accordance with Section
3.04,
3.05
or
3.06
hereof,
the Company shall provide the Trustee and/or any Agent to be involved in the
redemption/repurchase process with details of any early
redemption/option/publication at least five London business days prior to the
latest date on which the Company is to give notice to the Holders in accordance
with the provisions hereunder, or as otherwise may be agreed to by the Company
and the Trustee or such Agent.
ARTICLE
4.
COVENANTS
Section
4.01. Payment
of Notes.
The
Company shall pay or cause to be paid the Dollar Equivalent of the principal
of,
premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes on the due dates and in the manner
provided in this Indenture and the Notes. The Company shall pay Additional
Interest upon the occurrence of the event, in the amount and at the times
specified in the definition of “Additional Interest” in Section
1.01
hereof.
Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the date
due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Company or a Subsidiary thereof,
holds as of 11:00 a.m. Hong Kong Time one Business Day prior to the due date
money deposited by the Company in the Dollar Equivalent of immediately available
funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any,
and interest then due. The Company shall provide Paying Agent with the
confirmation of its remittance of such fund by XXXXX or fax two Business Days
prior to any due date. Such
Paying Agent shall return to the Company promptly, and in any event, no later
than five (5) Business Days following the date of payment, any money (including
accrued interest) that exceeds such amount of principal, premium, if any, and
interest paid on the Notes. In no circumstances shall the Paying Agent be
obligated to make any payment to Holders until such time as it has received
sufficient funds from the Company and has been notified by the Company with
a
confirmation of such funds, or is able to identify such funds otherwise. If
a
payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made
at
that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no
interest shall accrue on such payment for the intervening
period.
35
The
Company shall pay, from time to time on demand, the Dollar Equivalent of
interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any
Bankruptcy Law) accrued on overdue principal and premium, if any, at a rate
that
is 3% per annum in excess of the rate then in effect from five Business Days
following the due date and ending on the date on which payment is made to the
Holders of the Notes in respect thereof; it shall pay the Dollar Equivalent
of
interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any
Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest (without regard to any
applicable grace periods), from time to time on demand at the same rate to
the
extent lawful. All payments on the Notes or in connection with or arising out
of
this Indenture or any Security Document will be made without withholding or
deduction for, or an account of, any present or future taxes, unless such
withholding is required by law or regulation in which case the Company will
make
such further payments as are necessary such that Holders receive the same
amounts as would have been received if no such taxes had been imposed or
withheld.
Interest
shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual number of days
elapsed.
Section
4.02. Maintenance
of Office or Agency.
(a) The
Company shall maintain in Hong Kong an office or agency (which may be an office
of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee, Registrar or co-registrar) where
Notes may be presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for
exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of
the
Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Company shall give prompt written
notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such
office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any
such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the
address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be
made
or served at the Specified Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby
appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders,
notices and demands.
(b) The
Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or
agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such
purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Company shall
give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission
and of any change in the location of any such other office or
agency.
(c) The
Company hereby designates the Specified Office of the Trustee, as one such
office, or agency of the Company in accordance with Section
2.03
hereof.
Section
4.03. Reports.
(a) Whether
or not required by the Commission’s rules and regulations, so long as any of the
Notes remain outstanding, the Company shall file with the Trustee and furnish
to
the Holders (or promptly provide notice thereof to the Trustee and to the
Holders in case of documents described below that are publicly available) within
the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and
regulations:
(i) all
quarterly and annual reports that would be required to be filed with the
Commission on Forms 10-QSB and 10-KSB if the Company were required to file
such
reports (or Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company is not eligible to file Forms
10-QSB or 10-KSB, as the case may be); and
(ii) all
current reports that would be required to be filed with the Commission on Form
8-K if the Company were required to file such reports.
All
such
reports shall be prepared in all material respects in accordance with all of
the
rules and regulations of the Commission applicable to such reports. Each annual
report on Form 10-KSB (or 10-K, as the case may be) shall include a report
on
the Company’s consolidated financial statements by a firm of independent
certified accountants. Delivery of such reports, information and documents
to
the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such
shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein,
including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to
which the Trustee shall be entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’
Certificates).
36
(b) So
long
as any of the Notes remains outstanding, the Company will provide to the Trustee
(i) within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Company, an
Officers’ Certificate stating the Leverage Ratio and Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
with respect to the four most recent quarterly periods and showing in reasonable
detail the calculation of each of such ratios, including the arithmetic
computations of each component of each of such ratios; and (ii) as soon as
possible and in any event within 14 days after the Company becomes aware of
the
occurrence of a Default, an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the details of
the Default, and the action that the Company proposes to take with respect
thereto.
(c) For
as
long as any Notes are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule
144(a)(3) under the Securities Act, during any period in which the Company
is
neither subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, nor exempt from
reporting pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) thereunder, the Company shall supply (i)
to
any Holder or Beneficial Owner of a Note or (ii) upon their request to a
prospective purchaser of a Note or beneficial interest therein designated by
such holder or owner, the information specified in, and meeting the requirements
of Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
(d) The
Company
shall notify the Paying Agent and Trustee in writing within five (5) Business
Days prior to filing a registration statement or other filing with any stock
exchange for a Qualifying Listing, and shall notify the Paying Agent and Trustee
of the consummation of the Qualifying Listing on the date of consummation
thereof.
Section
4.04. Compliance
Certificate.
(a) The
Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after the end of each
fiscal year of the Company, an Officers’ Certificate stating that a review of
the activities of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective Subsidiaries
during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the
signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company, the Guarantors
and their respective Subsidiaries have kept, observed, performed and fulfilled
their obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such
Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her knowledge
the
Company, the Guarantors and their respective Subsidiaries have kept, observed,
performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture
and
are not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms,
provisions and conditions of this Indenture (or, if a Default or Event of
Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default
of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Company is taking
or
proposes to take with respect thereto) and that to the best of his or her
knowledge no event has occurred and remains in existence by reason of which
payments on account of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the
Notes is prohibited or if such event has occurred, a description of the event
and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect
thereto.
The
Trustee shall be entitled to assume without inquiry that the Company, the
Guarantors and their respective Subsidiaries have performed in accordance with
their obligations under the Indenture, the Notes and the Security Documents
unless it has been notified in writing to the contrary.
Section
4.05. Taxes.
The
Company shall pay, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay, prior to
delinquency, all material taxes, assessments and governmental levies, except
such as are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, and
for which appropriate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP,
or
where the failure to effect such payment is not adverse in any material respect
to the Holders. The Company shall bear and pay all Taxes arising out of, or
relating to, the offering of the Notes under this Indenture.
The
Company agrees to pay any and all stamp duties and other documentary taxes
or
duties which may be payable in connection with the execution, delivery,
performance and enforcement of this Agreement by the Trustee or the
Agents.
37
Section
4.06. Stay,
Extension and Usury Laws.
The
Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall
not
at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the
benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted,
now
or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the
performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may
lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such
law, and covenants that it shall not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay
or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee or any Agent,
but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no
such
law has been enacted.
Section
4.07. Corporate
Existence.
Subject
to Section
5.01
hereof,
the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and
keep in full force and effect (i) its corporate existence, and the corporate,
partnership or other existence of each of its Subsidiaries, in accordance with
the respective organizational documents (as the same may be amended from time
to
time) of the Company or any such Subsidiary and (ii) the rights (charter and
statutory), licenses and franchises of the Company and its Subsidiaries;
provided,
however,
that
the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or
franchise, or the corporate, partnership or other existence of any of its
Subsidiaries, if the Board of Directors shall determine in good faith that
the
preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and that the loss thereof
is
not adverse in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes, or that such
preservation is not necessary in connection with any transaction not prohibited
by this Indenture.
Section
4.08. Payments
for Consent.
Section
4.09. Incurrence
of Additional Debt.
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, Incur,
directly or indirectly, any Debt unless, after giving effect to the application
of the proceeds thereof, no Default or Event of Default would occur as a
consequence of such Incurrence or be continuing following such Incurrence
and:
(1)
|
such
Debt is Debt of the Company or a Guarantor and, after giving effect
to the
Incurrence of such Debt and the application of the proceeds thereof,
(x)
the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would be greater than 3.00 to 1.00
and (y)
the Leverage Ratio would not exceed 4.00 to 1.00, or
|
(2)
|
such
Debt is Permitted Debt.
|
The
term
“Permitted Debt” is defined to include the following:
(a) (i)
Debt of the Company evidenced by the Notes and (ii) Debt of the Guarantors
evidenced by Guarantees relating to the Notes;
(b)
Debt
of the WFOEs under Credit Facilities, provided
that
the
aggregate principal amount of all such Debt under Credit Facilities at any
one time outstanding shall not exceed $25.0 million (or its equivalent in
another currency; provided
that the
amount of Debt so Incurred shall not be deemed to exceed such amount as a result
of changes in foreign currency exchange rates), which amount shall be
permanently reduced by the amount of Net Available Cash used to Repay Debt
under
Credit Facilities and not subsequently reinvested in Additional Assets or used
to purchase Notes or Repay other Debt, pursuant to Section
4.12;
38
(c)
Debt of the Company or a Subsidiary in respect of Capital Lease Obligations
and
Purchase Money Debt, provided
that:
(1) the
aggregate principal amount of such Debt does not exceed the Fair Market Value
(on the date of the Incurrence thereof) of the Property acquired, constructed
or
leased, and
(2)
the
aggregate principal amount of all Debt Incurred and then outstanding pursuant
to
this clause (c) (together with all Permitted Refinancing Debt Incurred and
then outstanding in respect of Debt previously Incurred pursuant to this
clause (c)) does not exceed $1.0 million (or its equivalent in another
currency; provided
that the
amount of Debt so Incurred shall not be deemed to exceed such amount as a result
of changes in foreign currency exchange rates);
(d)
Debt
of the Company owing to and held by any Wholly Owned Subsidiary and Debt of
any
Subsidiary of the Company owing to and held by the Company or any Wholly Owned
Subsidiary; provided,
however,
that
any subsequent issue or transfer of Capital Stock or other event that results
in
any such Wholly Owned Subsidiary ceasing to be a Wholly Owned Subsidiary or
any
subsequent transfer of any such Debt (except to the Company or a Wholly Owned
Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute the Incurrence of
such
Debt by the issuer thereof;
(e) Debt
of any Subsidiary of the Company outstanding on the date on which such
Subsidiary is acquired by the Company or otherwise becomes a Subsidiary of
the
Company (other than Debt Incurred as consideration in, or to provide all or
any
portion of the funds or credit support utilized to consummate, the transaction
or series of transactions pursuant to which such Subsidiary became a Subsidiary
of the Company or was otherwise acquired by the Company), provided
that
at
the time such Subsidiary is acquired by the Company or otherwise becomes a
Subsidiary of the Company and after giving effect to the Incurrence of such
Debt, the Company would have been able to Incur $1.00 of additional Debt
pursuant to clause (1) of the first paragraph of this
covenant;
(f) Debt
under Interest Rate Agreements entered into by the Company or a Guarantor for
the purpose of limiting interest rate risk in the ordinary course of the
financial management of the Company or such Guarantor and not for speculative
purposes, provided
that
the
obligations under such agreements are directly related to payment obligations
on
Debt otherwise permitted by the terms of this covenant;
(g)
Debt
under Currency Exchange Protection Agreements entered into by the Company or
a
Subsidiary for the purpose of limiting currency exchange rate risks directly
related to transactions entered into by the Company or such Subsidiary in the
ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;
(h)
Debt
under Commodity Price Protection Agreements entered into by the Company or
a
Subsidiary in the ordinary course of the financial management of the Company
or
such Subsidiary and not for speculative purposes;
(i)
Debt
in connection with one or more standby letters of credit or performance bonds
issued by the Company or a Guarantor in the ordinary course of business or
pursuant to self-insurance obligations and not in connection with the borrowing
of money or the obtaining of advances or credit;
(j) Debt
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries outstanding on the Issue Date not
otherwise described in clauses (a) through (i) above;
39
(k) Permitted
Refinancing Debt Incurred in respect of Debt Incurred pursuant to clause
(1) of the first paragraph of this covenant and clauses (a), (c), (e)
and (j) above.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Section,
(a) the
Company shall not,
and
shall
not permit any Guarantor to, Incur any Debt pursuant to this covenant if the
proceeds thereof are used, directly or indirectly, to Refinance any
Subordinated Obligations unless such Debt shall be subordinated to the Notes
or
the applicable Guarantee, as the case may be, to at least the same extent as
such Subordinated Obligations;
(b) the
Company shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries that
is
not a Guarantor to Incur any Debt pursuant to this covenant if the proceeds
thereof are used, directly or indirectly, to Refinance any Debt of the Company
or any Guarantor;
and
(c)
accrual of interest, accretion or amortization of original issue discount and
the payment of interest or dividends in the form of additional Debt, will be
deemed not to be an Incurrence of Debt for purposes of this
Section.
For
purposes of determining compliance with this Section, in the event that an
item
of Debt meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted
Debt
described in clauses (a) through (j) above or is entitled to be incurred
pursuant to clause (l) of the first paragraph of this Section, the Company
shall, in its sole discretion, classify (or later reclassify in whole or in
part, in its sole discretion) such item of Debt in any manner that complies
with
this Section.
Section
4.10. Restricted
Payments.
The
Company shall not make, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to make,
directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment if at the time of, and after
giving effect to, such proposed Restricted Payment,
(a) a
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing,
or
(b) the
Company could not Incur at least $1.00 of additional Debt pursuant to clause
(1)
of the first paragraph of Section
4.09,
or
(c) the
aggregate amount of such Restricted Payment and all other Restricted Payments
declared or made since the Issue Date (the amount of any Restricted Payment,
if
made other than in cash, to be based upon Fair Market Value at the time of
such
Restricted Payment) would exceed an amount equal to the sum of:
(1) 10%
of the aggregate amount of Consolidated Net Income accrued during the period
(treated as one accounting period) from the beginning of the Fiscal Quarter
after the Issue Date to the end of the most recent Fiscal Quarter ending prior
to the date of such Restricted Payment (or if the aggregate amount of
Consolidated Net Income for such period shall be a deficit, minus 100% of such
deficit), plus
(2) 100%
of the Capital Stock Sale Proceeds, plus
(3) the
sum of:
(A) the
aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Company or any Guarantor from the
issuance or sale after the Issue Date of convertible or exchangeable Debt that
has been converted into or exchanged for Capital Stock (other than Disqualified
Stock) of the Company, and
40
(B) the
aggregate amount by which Debt (other than Subordinated Obligations) of the
Company or any Guarantor is reduced on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet
on or after the Issue Date upon the conversion or exchange of any Debt issued
or
sold on or prior to the Issue Date that is convertible or exchangeable for
Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company,
excluding,
in the case of clause (A) or (B):
(x) any
such Debt issued or sold to the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company or an
employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Company or any such
Subsidiary for the benefit of their employees, and
(y) the
aggregate amount of any cash or other Property distributed by the Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries upon any such conversion or exchange, plus
(4) an
amount equal to the net reduction in Investments in any Person other than the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries resulting from dividends, repayments of
loans
or advances or other transfers of Property, in each case to the Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries from such Person.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing limitation, the Company may:
(a) pay
dividends on its Capital Stock within 60 days of the declaration thereof
if, on the declaration date, such dividends could have been paid in compliance
with the Indenture; provided,
however,
that at
the time of such payment of such dividend, no other Default or Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing (or result therefrom); provided
further,
however,
that
such dividend shall be included in the calculation of the amount of Restricted
Payments;
(b) purchase,
repurchase, redeem, legally defease, acquire or retire for value Capital Stock
of the Company or Subordinated Obligations in exchange for, or out of the
proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Capital Stock of the Company
(other than Disqualified Stock and other than Capital Stock issued or sold
to a
Subsidiary of the Company or an employee stock ownership plan or trust
established by the Company or any such Subsidiary for the benefit of their
employees); provided,
however,
that
(1) such
purchase, repurchase, redemption, legal defeasance, acquisition or retirement
shall be excluded in the calculation of the amount of Restricted Payments
and
(2) the
Capital Stock Sale Proceeds from such exchange or sale shall be excluded from
the calculation pursuant to clause (c)(2) above; and
(c)
purchase, repurchase, redeem, legally defease, acquire or retire for value
any
Subordinated Obligations in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the
substantially concurrent sale of, Permitted Refinancing Debt; provided,
however,
that
such purchase, repurchase, redemption, legal defeasance, acquisition or
retirement shall be excluded in the calculation of the amount of Restricted
Payments.
Section
4.11. Liens.
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or
indirectly, Incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on the Collateral (other
than Liens incurred pursuant to or permitted by the Security
Documents).
41
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly
or
indirectly, Incur or suffer to exist, any Lien (other than Permitted Liens)
upon
any of its Property (including Capital Stock of any of its Subsidiaries),
whether owned at the Issue Date or thereafter acquired, or any interest therein
or any income or profits therefrom, unless it has made or will make
effective provision whereby the Notes or the applicable Guarantee will be
secured by such Lien equally and ratably with (or, if such other Debt
constitutes Subordinated Debt, prior to) all other Debt of the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries secured by such Lien for so long as such other Debt is secured
by such Lien.
Section
4.12. Asset
Sales.
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly
or
indirectly, consummate any Asset Sale unless:
(a) the
Company or such Subsidiary receives consideration at the time of such Asset
Sale
at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the Property subject to such Asset
Sale;
(b) at
least 75% of the consideration paid to the Company or such Subsidiary in
connection with such Asset Sale is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents
or
the assumption by the purchaser of liabilities of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (other than contingent liabilities or liabilities that are by
their
terms subordinated to the Notes or the applicable Guarantee) as a result of
which the Company and its Subsidiaries are no longer obligated with respect
to
such liabilities; and
(c)
the
Company delivers an Officers’ Certificate to the Trustee certifying that such
Asset Sale complies with the foregoing clauses (a) and (b).
The
Net
Available Cash (or any portion thereof) from Asset Sales may be applied by
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, to the extent the Company or such Subsidiary
elects (or is required by the terms of any Debt) to reinvest in Additional
Assets (including by means of an Investment in Additional Assets by any
Subsidiary of the Company with Net Available Cash received by the Company or
another Subsidiary of the Company).
Any
Net
Available Cash from an Asset Sale not applied in accordance with the preceding
paragraph within 120 days from the date of the receipt of such Net
Available Cash shall constitute “Excess
Proceeds”.
When
the
aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $5.0 million (taking into account
income earned on such Excess Proceeds, if any), the Company will be required
to
make an offer to repurchase (the “Asset
Sale Offer”)
the
Notes, which offer shall be in the amount of the Allocable Excess Proceeds
(rounded to the nearest RMB1.0 million), on a pro
rata
basis
according to principal amount, at a purchase price equal to 105% of the
principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest if any to the
Purchase Date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant Regular
Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date),
in
accordance with the procedures (including prorating in the event of
oversubscription) set forth in Section
3.06.
To the
extent that any portion of the amount of Net Available Cash remains after
compliance with the preceding sentence and provided
that
all
holders of Notes have been given the opportunity to tender their Notes for
repurchase in accordance with Section
3.06,
the
Company or such Subsidiary may use such remaining amount first to Repay the
Credit Facilities or any other Senior Debt of the Company or any Guarantor
or
Debt of any Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Guarantor (excluding, in
any
such case, any Debt owed to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company), and
only thereafter, for any purpose permitted by this Indenture, and the amount
of
Excess Proceeds will be reset to zero.
The
term
“Allocable
Excess Proceeds”
shall
mean the product of:
(a) the
Excess Proceeds and
(b) a
fraction,
42
(1)
the
numerator of which is the aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding
on
the date of the Asset Sale Offer, and
(2)
the
denominator of which is the sum of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes
outstanding on the date of the Asset Sale Offer and the aggregate principal
amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of other Debt of the Company
outstanding on the date of the Asset Sale Offer that is pari
passu in
right
of payment with the Notes and subject to terms and conditions in respect of
Asset Sales similar in all material respects to this Section and requiring
the
Company to make an offer to repurchase such Debt at substantially the same
time
as the Asset Sale Offer.
Section
4.13. Restrictions
on Distributions from Subsidiaries.
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly
or
indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist any consensual
restriction on the right of any of its Subsidiaries to:
(a)
pay
dividends, in cash or otherwise, or make any other distributions on or in
respect of its Capital Stock owned by, or pay any Debt or other obligation
owed,
to, the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company,
(b)
make
any loans or advances to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company,
or
(c)
transfer any of its Property to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the
Company.
The
foregoing limitations will not apply:
(1)
with
respect to clauses (a), (b) and (c), to restrictions:
(A)
in
effect on the Issue Date (including, without limitation, restrictions pursuant
to the Notes and this Indenture),
(B)
relating to Debt of any Subsidiary of the Company and existing at the time
it
became a Subsidiary of the Company if such restriction was not created in
connection with or in anticipation of the transaction or series of transactions
pursuant to which such Subsidiary became a Subsidiary of the Company or was
acquired by the Company, or
(C) that
result from the Refinancing of Debt Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred
to in clause (1)(A) or (B) above or in clause (2)(A) or (B) below,
provided
such
restrictions are not less favorable to the holders of Notes than those under
the
agreement evidencing the Debt so Refinanced, and
(2) with
respect to clause (c) only, to restrictions:
(A)
relating to Debt that is permitted to be Incurred and secured without also
securing the Notes or the applicable Guarantee pursuant
to Section
4.09
and
Section
4.11
that
limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the Property securing such
Debt,
(B) encumbering
Property at the time such Property was acquired by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, so long as such restrictions relate solely to the Property so
acquired and were not created in connection with or in anticipation of such
acquisition,
(C) resulting
from customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of leases or
customary provisions in other agreements that restrict assignment of such
agreements or rights thereunder, or
43
(D)
customary restrictions contained in asset sale agreements limiting the transfer
of such Property pending the closing of such sale.
Section
4.14. Affiliate
Transactions.
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly
or
indirectly, conduct any business or enter into or suffer to exist any
transaction or series of transactions (including the purchase, sale, transfer,
assignment, lease, conveyance or exchange of any Property or the rendering
of
any service) with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of the Company (an
“Affiliate
Transaction”),
unless:
(a) the
terms of such Affiliate Transaction are:
(1) set
forth in writing,
(2) in
the best interest of the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may
be, and
(3) no
less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, than
those
that could be obtained in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person
that is not an Affiliate of the Company,
(b) if
such Affiliate Transaction involves aggregate payments or value in excess of
$1.0 million, the Board of Directors (including a majority of the disinterested
members of the Board of Directors) approves such Affiliate Transaction and,
in
its good faith judgment, believes that such Affiliate Transaction complies
with
clauses (a)(2) and (3) of this paragraph as evidenced by a Board
Resolution promptly delivered to the Trustee, and
(c) if
such Affiliate Transaction involves aggregate payments or value in excess of
$5.0 million, the Company obtains a written opinion from an Independent
Financial Advisor to the effect that the consideration to be paid or received
in
connection with such Affiliate Transaction is fair, from a financial point
of
view, to the Company and its Subsidiaries.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing limitation, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may enter
into
or suffer to exist the following:
(a)
any
transaction or series of transactions between the Company and one or more of
its
Subsidiaries or between two or more of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course
of business, provided
that no
more than 5% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock (on a fully diluted
basis) of any such Subsidiary is owned by an Affiliate of the Company (other
than any Subsidiary of the Company);
(b) any
Restricted Payment permitted to be made pursuant to Section
4.10
or any
Permitted Investment;
(c) the
payment of compensation (including amounts paid pursuant to employee benefit
plans) for the personal services of officers, directors and employees of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, so long as the Board of Directors in good
faith shall have approved the terms thereof and deemed the services theretofore
or thereafter to be performed for such compensation to be fair consideration
therefor;
(d)
loans
and advances to employees made in the ordinary course of business and consistent
with the past practices of the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may
be,
provided
that
such
loans and advances do not exceed $300,000 in the aggregate at any one time
outstanding; provided,
however,
that
the Company and its Subsidiaries shall comply in all material respects with
all
provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations
promulgated in connection therewith that would be applicable to an issuer with
debt securities registered under the Securities Act relating to such loans
and
advances; and
44
(e)
the
Structured Business Agreements as in effect on the Issue Date and transactions
pursuant thereto and any modifications, extensions or renewals thereto that
are
no less favorable to the Company or any Subsidiary (which, for purposes of
this
paragraph only, shall not include any Operating Company) than such agreements
as
in effect on the Issue Date.
Section
4.15. Issuance
or Sale of Capital Stock of Subsidiaries.
The
Company shall not:
(a) sell,
pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of any shares of Capital Stock of
any
of its Subsidiaries, or
(b) permit
any Subsidiary of the Company to, directly or indirectly, issue or sell or
otherwise dispose of any shares of its Capital Stock,
other
than, in the case of either (a) or (b):
(1) directors’
qualifying shares,
(2) to
the Company or a Wholly Owned Subsidiary, or
(3) a
disposition of 100% of the shares of Capital Stock of such Subsidiary;
provided,
however,
that, in
the case of this clause (3),
(A) such
disposition is effected in compliance with Section
4.12,
and
(B)
upon
consummation of such disposition and execution and delivery of a supplemental
indenture in form satisfactory to the Trustee, such Subsidiary shall be released
from any Guarantee previously made by such Subsidiary.
Section
4.16. Repurchase
at the Option of Holders Following a Change of Control.
(a) Upon
the
occurrence of a Change of Control, the Company shall, within 7 days thereafter
notify the Trustee and the Holders of such Change of Control, and within 30
days
of a Change of Control, make an offer (the “Change
of Control Offer”)
pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section
3.06.
Each
Holder shall have the right to accept such offer and require the Company to
repurchase all or any portion (equal to RMB1.0 million or an integral multiple
thereof) of such Holder’s Notes pursuant to the Change of Control Offer at a
purchase price, in cash equal to Dollar Equivalent of 105.0% of the aggregate
principal amount thereof repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the
Notes repurchased, to the Purchase Date.
(b) The
Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer following a
Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the
manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set
forth
in this Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company
and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change
of
Control Offer.
Section
4.17. Future
Guarantors.
The
Company shall cause each Person that becomes a directly or indirectly owned
Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary) of the Company following the Issue
Date (such person, the “Future
Guarantor”)
to
execute and deliver to the Trustee a Subsidiary Guarantee at the time such
Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company. Future Guarantors will provide
the
Trustee with all necessary information and documentation to allow it to perform
the “Know Your Customer” checks. Trustee is under no obligation to enter into
transaction documents with any of such Future Guarantors until the Trustee
has
completed such “Know Your Customer” checks to the Trustee’s
satisfaction.
45
Section
4.18. Business
Activities.
The
Company shall not, and the Company shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries
to,
directly or indirectly, engage in any business other than a Related Business,
and shall procure that all future CNG filling stations operated for the benefit
of the Company shall be owned by the WFOE, directly or through Subsidiaries,
whose equity interests are legally and beneficially owned by the WFOE to the
maximum extent permitted by law.
Section
4.19. Sale
and Leaseback Transactions.
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into
any Sale and Leaseback Transaction with respect to any Property
unless:
(a) the
Company or such Subsidiary would be entitled to:
(1) Incur
Debt in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt with respect to such Sale
and
Leaseback Transaction pursuant to Section
4.09
and
(2) create
a Lien on such Property securing such Attributable Debt without also securing
the Notes or the applicable Guarantee pursuant
to Section
4.11
and
(b) such
Sale and Leaseback Transaction is effected in compliance with Section
4.12.
Section
4.20. Impairment
of Security Interest.
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, take or
omit
to take any action that might or would have the result of materially impairing
the security interest with respect to the Collateral for the benefit of the
Trustee and the Holders, and the Company shall not, and shall not permit any
of
its Subsidiaries to, grant to any Person other than the Collateral Agent, for
the benefit of the Trustee, the Holders and the other beneficiaries described
in
the Security Documents, any interest whatsoever in any of the Collateral.
Section
4.21. Amendments
to Security Documents.
The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, amend,
waive
or otherwise modify, or permit or consent to any amendment, waiver or other
modification, the Security Documents in any way that would be adverse to the
holders of the Notes.
Section
4.22. Use
of Proceeds.
The
Company will not use the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes, in any amount,
for any purpose other than (i) Capital Expenditures, including construction
and
operation of the LNG Project and filling stations, (ii) strategic equity or
asset acquisitions by the Company and (iii) general working capital for the
Related Business, all in accordance with and subject to the Account Agreement,
and pending the application of all of such net proceeds in such manner, to
invest the portion of such net proceeds not yet so applied in Cash Equivalents.
Following the application of net proceeds in such manner, any remaining net
proceeds may be applied for general corporate purposes not otherwise prohibited
by the terms of this Indenture.
Section
4.23. Maintenance
of Insurance.
The
Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, maintain insurance policies
covering such risks, in such amounts and with such terms as are normally carried
by similar companies engaged in a similar business to the Related Business
in
the PRC.
46
Section
4.24. Qualifying
Listing.
The
Company shall make such filings, registrations or qualifications and take all
other necessary action and will use its best efforts to obtain such consents,
approvals and authorizations, if any, and satisfy all conditions that may be
required in connection with listing the Company’s common stock in a Qualifying
Listing and shall use its best efforts to complete a Qualifying Listing and
maintain such listing continuously thereafter.
Section
4.25. Government
Approvals and Licenses; Structured Business Agreements.
(a) The
Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, (i) obtain and maintain
in
full force and effect all Governmental Approvals, authorizations, consents,
permits, concessions and licenses as are necessary to engage in a Related
Business, (ii) preserve and maintain good and valid title to its properties
and
assets (including land-use rights) free and clear of any Liens other than
Permitted Liens and (iii) comply with all laws, regulations, orders, judgments
and decrees of any governmental body, except to the extent that failure so
to
obtain, maintain, preserve and comply would reasonably be expected not to have
a
material adverse effect on (1) the business, results of operations or prospects
of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (2) the ability of
the
Company or any Guarantor to perform its obligations under the Notes, the
relevant Guarantee of the Notes or this Indenture.
(b) Except
as
set forth in paragraph (c) below, the
Company
and its Subsidiaries shall keep in full force and effect each Structured
Business Agreement and take such steps as are necessary so that (i) all
Structured Business Agreements considered as a whole remain in full force and
effect, (ii) no Structured Business Agreement shall be declared by any
Governmental Authority to be illegal or enforceable, (iii) no Structured
Business Agreement shall be terminated prior to its scheduled termination date,
and (iv) no party to a Structured Business Agreement shall deny that it has
any
liability or obligation under any such Structured Business Agreement to which
it
is a party nor shall any such party cease performance thereunder prior to its
scheduled expiration date.
(c)
As
soon as practicable after the Issue Date and in no event later than the
expiration of five months after the Issue Date, the Company shall procure that
the business license of the WFOE be expanded to allow for the operation of
the
LNG Project. In addition, as soon as practicable after the Issue Date and in
no
event later than the expiration of six months after the Issue Date, the Company
shall cause the WFOE to procure the ownership (directly or indirectly through
Subsidiaries, whose equity interests are legally and beneficially owned by
the
WFOE) and operation by the WFOE of the LNG Project that, as of the Issue Date,
is under development pursuant to Structured Business Agreements. Following
the
Issue Date, no Subsidiary shall acquire, construct or operate a CNG or liquefied
natural gas filling station unless such Subsidiary is Shaanxi Xilan Natural
Gas
Equipment Co., Ltd. or is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary except to the extent that
the ownership interest in twenty four filling stations currently owned by Xi’an
Xilan Natural Gas Equipment Co., Ltd. as listed on Schedule
A
hereto
shall be retained by Xi’an Xilan Natural Gas Equipment Co., Ltd.
Section
4.26. Minimum
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio and Leverage Ratio.
The
Company shall maintain:
(a) a
Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio, as determined as of the last day of each Fiscal Quarter,
for the four Fiscal Quarters ending on such day, of at least 3.00 to
1.00.
(b) a
Leverage Ratio, as determined as of the last day of each Fiscal Quarter, for
the
four Fiscal Quarters ending on such day, not exceeding 4.00 to
1.00.
Section
4.27. Notes
to Rank Senior.
The
Notes
and all other obligations of the Company and the Guarantors under this Indenture
are and at all times shall remain direct and first-priority secured obligations
of the Company and each Guarantor ranking pari
passu
as
against the assets of the Company and each Guarantor with all other Notes from
time to time issued and outstanding hereunder, without any preference among
themselves and senior in right and priority of payment to all other present
and
future unsecured Indebtedness (actual or contingent) of the Company and each
Guarantor (except as otherwise required by law).
47
Section
4.28. Calculation
of Original Issue Discount.
The
Company shall file with the Trustee, solely for purposes of making such
information available to the Holders upon request, promptly at the end of each
calendar year (i) a written notice specifying the amount of Tax Original
Issue Discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on
outstanding Notes as of the end of such year and (ii) such other specific
information relating to such Tax Original Issue Discount as may then be required
under the Code, or the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder.
Section
4.29. Repurchase
Upon Delisting.
Upon
the
occurrence of a Delisting, the Company shall, within 7 days thereafter notify
the Trustee and the holders of the Delisting, and within 30 days of a Delisting,
make an offer (the “Delisting
Offer”)
pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section
3.06.
Each
holder shall have the right to accept such offer and require the Company to
repurchase all or any portion (equal to RMB1.0 million or an integral multiple
thereof) of such Holder’s Notes pursuant to the Delisting Offer at a purchase
price, in cash equal to the Dollar Equivalent of 105.0% of the aggregate
principal amount thereof repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the
Notes repurchased, to the Purchase Date.
ARTICLE
5.
SUCCESSORS
Section
5.01. Merger,
Consolidation and Sale of Assets.
(a) The
Company shall not merge, consolidate or amalgamate with or into any other Person
(other than a merger of a Wholly Owned Subsidiary into the Company) or sell,
transfer, assign, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially
all
of its Property in any one transaction or series of transactions
unless:
(i) the
Company shall be the Surviving Person in such merger, consolidation or
amalgamation, or the Surviving Person (if other than the Company) formed by
such
merger, consolidation or amalgamation or to which such sale, transfer,
assignment, lease, conveyance or disposition is made shall be a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any
State
thereof or the District of Columbia;
(ii) the
Surviving Person (if other than the Company) expressly assumes, by supplemental
indenture in form satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the
Trustee by such Surviving Person, the due and punctual payment of the principal
of, and premium, if any, and interest on, all the Notes, according to their
tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all the covenants
and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Company;
(iii) in
the
case of a sale, transfer, assignment, lease, conveyance or other disposition
of
all or substantially all the Property of the Company, such Property shall have
been transferred as an entirety or virtually as an entirety to one Person;
(iv) immediately
before and after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions
on
a pro forma basis (and treating, for purposes of this clause (iv) and
clauses (v) and (vi) below, any Debt that becomes, or is anticipated to
become, an obligation of the Surviving Person or any Subsidiary of the Company
as a result of such transaction or series of transactions as having been
Incurred by the Surviving Person or such Subsidiary at the time of such
transaction or series of transactions), no Default or Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing;
48
(v) immediately
after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a pro
forma
basis:
(1) the
Company or the Surviving Person, as the case may be, would be able to Incur
at
least $1.00 of additional Debt under clause (1) of Section
4.09;
and
(2) the
Company or the Surviving Person, as the case may be, would have a Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio that is not lower than the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the
Company immediately prior to such transaction;
(vi) immediately
after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a pro
forma
basis, the Surviving Person shall have a Consolidated Net Worth in an amount
which is not less than the Consolidated Net Worth of the Company immediately
prior to such transaction or series of transactions;
(vii) the
Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee, an Officers’
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction or
series of transactions and the supplemental indenture, if any, in respect
thereto comply with this covenant and that all conditions precedent herein
provided for relating to such transaction or series of transactions have been
satisfied; and
(viii) the
Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect
that the holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income
tax
purposes as a result of such transaction and will be subject to federal income
tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would
have
been the case if such transaction had not occurred.
The
foregoing provisions (other than clause (iv)) shall not apply to any
transaction or series of transactions which constitute an Asset Sale if the
Company has complied with Section
4.12.
(b) The
Company shall not permit any Guarantor to merge, consolidate or amalgamate
with
or into any other Person (other than a merger of a Wholly Owned Subsidiary
into
the Company or such Guarantor) or sell, transfer, assign, lease, convey or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all its Property in any one
transaction or series of transactions unless:
(i) the
Surviving Person (if not such Guarantor) formed by such merger, consolidation
or
amalgamation or to which such sale, transfer, assignment, lease, conveyance
or
disposition is made shall be a corporation, company (including a limited
liability company) or partnership organized and existing under the laws of
the
United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia;
(ii) the
Surviving Person (if other than such Guarantor) expressly assumes, by
supplemental indenture in form satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and
delivered to the Trustee by such Surviving Person, the due and punctual
performance and observance of all the obligations of such Guarantor under its
Guarantee;
(iii) in
the
case of a sale, transfer, assignment, lease, conveyance or other disposition
of
all or substantially all the Property of such Guarantor, such Property shall
have been transferred as an entirety or virtually as an entirety to one Person;
(iv) immediately
before and after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions
on
a pro forma basis (and treating, for purposes of this clause (iv) and
clauses (v) and (vi) below, any Debt that becomes, or is anticipated to
become, an obligation of the Surviving Person, the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries as a result of such transaction or series of transactions as having
been Incurred by the Surviving Person, the Company or such Subsidiary at the
time of such transaction or series of transactions), no Default or Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing;
(v) immediately
after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a pro
forma
basis:
49
(1) the
Company would be able to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Debt under
clause (1) of the first paragraph of Section
4.09,
and
(2) the
Company would have a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio which is not lower than the
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company immediately prior to such
transaction; and
(vi) immediately
after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a pro
forma
basis, the Company shall have a Consolidated Net Worth in an amount which is
not
less than the Consolidated Net Worth of the Company immediately prior to such
transaction or series of transactions; and
(vii) the
Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee, an Officers’
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction or
series of transactions and the supplemental indenture, if any, in respect
thereto comply with this covenant and that all conditions precedent herein
provided for relating to such transaction or series of transactions have been
satisfied.
The
foregoing provisions (other than clause (iv)) shall not apply to any
transaction or series of transactions which constitute an Asset Sale if the
Company has complied with Section
4.12.
Section
5.02. Successor
Corporation Substituted.
The
Surviving Person shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise
every right and power of the Company or a Guarantor, as applicable, under this
Indenture; provided,
however,
that
the predecessor entity shall not be released from any of the obligations or
covenants under this Indenture, including with respect to the payment of the
Notes and obligations under the Guarantee, as the case may be, in the case
of:
(a) a
sale,
transfer, assignment, conveyance or other disposition (unless such sale,
transfer, assignment, conveyance or other disposition is of all or substantially
all of the assets of the Company, taken as a whole or, in the case of a
Guarantor, such sale, transfer, assignment, conveyance or other disposition
is
of all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor to a Person that
is
not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) a Subsidiary
of
the Company, or such portion of the Capital Stock of such Guarantor ceases
to be
a Subsidiary of the Company), or
(b) a
lease.
ARTICLE
6.
DEFAULTS
AND REMEDIES
Section
6.01. Events
of Default.
Each
of
the following constitutes an “Event of Default” with respect to the
Notes:
(a) failure
to make the payment of any interest on the Notes, including payment of
Additional Interest pursuant to Section
4.01,
when
the same becomes due and payable, and such failure continues for a period of
5
Business Days;
(b) failure
to make the payment of any principal of, or premium, if any, on, any of the
Notes when the same becomes due and payable at its Stated Maturity, upon
acceleration, redemption, optional redemption, required repurchase or otherwise
and such failure continues for a period of 5 Business Days;
(c) failure
to comply with Section
5.01;
50
(d) failure
to comply with any other material covenant or agreement in the Notes or in
this
Indenture (other than a failure that is the subject of the foregoing
clause (a), (b) or (c), and other than the failure to comply with
Section
4.24,
for
which payment of Additional Interest is provided for hereunder and is governed
by Section
4.01),
and
such failure continues for 30 days after written notice is given to the Company
by the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount
of the Notes then outstanding specifying the default, demanding that it be
remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default;”
(e) a
default
under any Debt by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that results in
acceleration of the maturity of such Debt, or failure to pay any such Debt
when
due, in an aggregate amount greater than $3.0 million or its foreign currency
equivalent at the time;
(f) any
judgment or judgments for, the payment of money in an aggregate amount
potentially in excess of $1.0 million (or its foreign currency equivalent at
the
time) that shall be rendered against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(g) any
Guarantee ceases to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with
the terms of such Guarantee) or any Guarantor or a group of Guarantors that,
taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary denies or disaffirms
its obligations under its Guarantee;
(h) the
Company, any of its Significant Subsidiaries (or any group of Subsidiaries
that,
when taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary) pursuant to
or
within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(A) commences
a voluntary case or gives notice of intention to make a proposal under any
Bankruptcy Law;
(B) consents
to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case or
consents to its dissolution or winding up;
(C) consents
to the appointment of a receiver, interim receiver, receiver and manager,
liquidator, trustee or custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its
property;
(D) makes
a
general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or
(E) admits
in
writing its inability to pay its debts as they become due or otherwise admits
its insolvency;
(i) a
court
of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law
that:
(A) is
for
relief against the Company, any of its Significant Subsidiaries (or any group
of
Subsidiaries that, when taken together, would constitute a Significant
Subsidiary) in an involuntary case; or
(B) appoints
a receiver, interim receiver, receiver and manager, liquidator, trustee or
custodian of the Company, any of its Significant Subsidiaries (or any group
of
Subsidiaries that, when taken together, would constitute a Significant
Subsidiary) for all or substantially all of the property of the Company, any
of
its Significant Subsidiaries (or any group of Subsidiaries that, when taken
together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary); or
(C) orders
the liquidation of the Company, any of its Significant Subsidiaries (or any
group of Subsidiaries that, when taken together, would constitute a Significant
Subsidiary);
and
such
order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive
days;
51
(j) any
default by the Company or Future Guarantor Pledgor in any of its obligations
under the Security Documents, which adversely affects the enforceability,
validity, perfection or priority of the applicable Lien on the Collateral or
which adversely affects the condition or value of the Collateral, taken as
a
whole, in any material respect; the security interest under the Security
Documents shall, at any time, cease to be in full force and effect for any
reason other than the satisfaction in full of all Note Obligations and discharge
of the Indenture or any security interest created thereunder shall be declared
invalid or unenforceable or the Company or any Guarantor shall assert, in any
pleading in any court of competent jurisdiction, that any such security interest
is invalid or unenforceable;
(k)
the
Company or any Future Guarantor Pledgor denies or disaffirms its obligations
under any Security Document or, other than in accordance with this Indenture
and
the Security Documents, any Security Document ceases to be or is not in full
force and effect or the Collateral Agent ceases to have a first priority
interest in the Collateral;
(l)
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries amends or modifies their respective
constitutive documents in such a manner that would have a Material Adverse
Effect or engages any business other than a Related Business;
(m)
either (i) any Structured Business Agreement (or all Structured Business
Agreements considered as a whole), the Indenture, the Notes, any loan made
directly or indirectly from the Company to the WFOE, or any Security Document
shall be (A) declared by any Governmental Authority to be illegal or
unenforceable or (B) terminated prior to its scheduled termination date, or
(ii)
any party to a Structured Business Agreement shall deny that it has any
liability or obligation under any such Structured Business Agreement to which
it
is a party and such party shall have ceased performance thereunder prior to
its
scheduled expiration date;
(n)
(i)
the confiscation, expropriation or nationalization by any Governmental Authority
of any Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective
interests in any Structured Business Agreement (or all Structured Business
Agreements considered as a whole) if such confiscation, expropriation or
nationalization could have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company as a whole;
or (ii) the cancellation, or material and substantially adverse modification,
of
the rights of the WFOE pursuant to the Structured Business Agreements, or (iii)
if such revocation or repudiation could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, the revocation or repudiation by any Governmental
Authority of any previously granted Governmental Approval to the WFOE or any
Operating Company that is material to the operation of the Related Business;
or
(iv) the imposition or introduction of material and discriminatory taxes,
tariffs, royalties, customs or excise duties imposed on the WFOE or any
Operating Company, or the material and discriminatory withdrawal or suspension
of material privileges or specifically granted material rights of a fiscal
nature;
(o)
failure by the Company or any Affiliate thereof (other than any Person who
is an
Affiliate solely because such Person is a holder of Notes or of the Company’s
warrants to purchase its common stock) to comply with any of the agreements
in
that certain Investor Rights Agreement dated the Issue Date by and among the
Company, certain Affiliates of the Company and the other Persons therein named
if such failure continues for 30 days after written notice is given to the
Company by the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes then outstanding specifying the default, demanding
that it be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of
Default;”
(p)
failure by the Company to comply with the Account Agreement if such failure
continues for 30 days after written notice is given to the Company by the
Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of
the
Notes then outstanding specifying the default, demanding that it be remedied
and
stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default,”
(q)
failure by any Permitted Holder, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
fully
comply, including without limitation, with any applicable foreign exchange
registration, settlement or remittance requirement therein, with Circular 75
issued by the PRC State Administration of Foreign Exchange on October 21, 2005,
including any amendment, implementing rules, or official interpretation thereof
or any replacement, successor or alternative legislation having the same subject
matter thereof and the failure to so comply may have a material adverse effect
on the Company;
52
(r)failure
to deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Company's warrants dated
the Issue Date; or
(s)
failure to provide received evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee
that
the WFOE has amended its Memorandum and Articles of Association to reflect
the
expanded business scope on its new business license by March 3
2008.
Section
6.02. Acceleration.
If
any
Event of Default (other than those of the type described in Section
6.01(h)
or
(i),
or
resulting from a breach of Section
4.24,
for
which Additional Interest is provided) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee
may, and the Trustee upon the written request of Holders of 25% in principal
amount of the outstanding Notes shall, or the Holders of at least 25% in
principal amount of outstanding Notes may, declare the principal of all the
Notes, together with all accrued and unpaid interest, premium, if any, to be
due
and payable by notice in writing to the Company and the Trustee specifying
the
respective Event of Default and that such notice is a notice of acceleration
(the “Acceleration
Notice”),
and
the same shall become immediately due and payable together with any premium
that
would be payable pursuant to the terms of this Indenture if the Notes were
redeemed pursuant to any election of the Company or a Noteholder which is herein
provided.
In
the
case of an Event of Default specified in Section
6.01 (h)
or
(i)
hereof,
all outstanding Notes shall become due and payable immediately without any
further declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or the Holders.
Holders may not enforce this Indenture or the Notes except as provided in this
Indenture.
Section
6.03. Other
Remedies.
If
an
Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available
remedy to collect the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on
the
Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this
Indenture. In addition, if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the
Trustee may, upon request of Holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal
amount of the Notes then outstanding, instruct the Collateral Agent to foreclose
on the Collateral in accordance with the terms of the Security Documents and
take such further action on behalf of the Holders of the Notes with respect
to
the Collateral as the Trustee deems appropriate.
The
Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes
or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.
Section
6.04. Waiver
of Defaults.
The
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then
outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of
the
Notes, waive any existing Default or Event of Default, and its consequences,
except a continuing Default or Event of Default (i) in the payment of the
principal of, premium, if any, or interest, on the Notes and (ii) in respect
of
a covenant or provision which under this Indenture cannot be modified or amended
without the consent of the Holder of each Note affected by such modification
or
amendment. In the event of any Event of Default specified in Section
6.01(e),
such
Event of Default and all consequences of that Event of Default, including
without limitation any acceleration or resulting payment default, shall be
annulled, waived and rescinded, automatically and without any action by the
Trustee or the Holders of the Notes, if within 60 days after the Event of
Default arose:
(a) the
Debt
that is the basis for the Event of Default has been discharged;
(b) the
holders of such Debt have rescinded or waived the acceleration, notice or
action, as the case may be, giving rise to the Event of Default; or
(c) if
the
default that is the basis for such Event of Default has been cured.
53
The
Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the
requisite percentage of Holders has consented to such waiver and attaching
copies of such consents. In case of any such waiver, the Company, the Trustee
and the Holders shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder
and under the Notes, respectively. Upon any waiver of a Default or Event of
Default, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising
therefrom shall be deemed cured for every purpose of this Indenture but no
such
waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default
or
impair any right consequent thereon.
Section
6.05. Control
by Majority.
Subject
to Section
7.01,
Section
7.01(f)
(including the Trustee’s receipt of the security or indemnification described
therein) and Section
7.07
hereof,
in case an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding shall
have
the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding
for
any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred
on the Trustee with respect to the Notes. However, the Trustee may refuse to
follow any direction that conflicts with law, this Indenture, or the Security
Documents or that may involve the Trustee in personal liability, or that the
Trustee determines in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of
Holders not joining in the giving of such direction and may take any other
action it deems proper that is not inconsistent with any such direction received
from Holders.
Section
6.06. Limitation
on Suits.
No
Holder
shall have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to this Indenture,
or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any remedy thereunder,
unless:
(a) such
Holder has previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event
of Default or the Trustee receives the notice from the Company,
(b) Holders
of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding
have
made written request to the Trustee to institute such proceeding as trustee
and
have provided the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee
against any loss, liability or expense but the Trustee has not complied with
such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the
security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee, and
(c) the
Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes then outstanding a direction inconsistent with
such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60
days.
The
preceding limitations shall not apply to a suit instituted by a Holder for
enforcement of payment of principal of, and premium, if any, or interest on,
a
Note on or after the respective due dates for such payments set forth in such
Note.
A
Holder
may not use this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of another
Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder.
Section
6.07. Rights
of Holders to Receive Payment.
Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Indenture (including Section
6.06),
the
right of any Holder to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, and
interest on the Notes held by such Holder, on or after the respective due dates
expressed in the Notes (including in connection with an offer to purchase),
or
to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such
respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of
such
Holder.
54
Section
6.08. Collection
Suit by Trustee.
If
an
Event of Default specified in Section
6.01 (h)
or
(i)
occurs
and is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment as trustee
of
an express trust, upon the written request of the Holders and at the expense
of
the Company, against the Company for the whole amount of principal of, premium,
if any, and interest then due and owing (together with interest on overdue
principal and, to the extent lawful, interest) and such further amount as shall
be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including
compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents
and counsel.
Section
6.09. Trustee
May File Proofs of Claim.
The
Trustee shall be authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers or
documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the
Trustee (including any claim for the compensation, expenses, disbursements
and
advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders allowed in
any
judicial proceedings relative to the Company (or any other obligor upon the
Notes), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to
collect, receive and distribute any money or other property payable or
deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding
is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and
in
the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly
to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the compensation,
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel,
and
any other amounts due the Trustee or any Agent under Section
7.07
hereof.
To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements
and advances of the Trustee, Agents and their respective agents and counsel,
and
any other amounts due the Trustee or any Agents under Section
7.07
hereof
out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason,
payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of,
any
and all distributions, moneys, securities and any other properties that the
Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation
or
under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise. Nothing herein
contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent
to or
accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder,
or to
authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any
such
proceeding.
Section
6.10. Priorities.
If
the
Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article
6,
it
shall pay out the money in the following order:
First:
to the
Trustee, the Agents, their respective agents and attorneys for amounts due
under
Section
7.07
hereof,
including payment of all compensation, expenses and liabilities incurred, and
all advances made, by the Trustee, the Agents, their respective agents and
the
costs and expenses of collection in connection with this Indenture, the Security
Documents or the Notes, including the collection or distribution of such amounts
held or realized or in connection with expenses incurred in enforcing its
remedies under the Indenture, the Notes and the Security Documents and
preserving the Collateral and all amounts for which the Trustee and the Agents
are entitled to indemnification under the Indenture, the Notes and the Security
Documents;
Second:
in
case
the principal of the outstanding Notes shall not have become due and be unpaid,
to the payment of Interest on the Notes in default in the order of the maturity
of the installments of such Interest, with interest (to the extent that such
interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon the overdue installments of
Interest at the rate specified in the Notes, such payments to be made ratably
to
the Holders;
Third:
in case
the principal of the outstanding Notes shall have become due, by declaration
or
otherwise, and be unpaid to the payment of the whole amount then owing and
unpaid upon the Notes for principal and Interest, with Interest on the overdue
principal and (to the extent that such Interest has been collected by the
Trustee) upon overdue installments of Interest at the rate specified in the
Notes, and in case such monies shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole
amounts so due and unpaid upon the Notes, then to the payment of such principal
and Interest without preference or priority of principal over Interest, or
of
Interest over principal, or of any installment of Interest over any other
installment of Interest, or of any Note over any other Note, ratably to the
aggregate of such principal and accrued and unpaid Interest to the Holders;
and
55
Fourth:
to the
Company or the Guarantors or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction
shall direct.
The
Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders
pursuant to this Section.
Section
6.11. Undertaking
for Costs.
In
any
suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in
any
suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as a Trustee,
a
court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in such
suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and the court in its
discretion may assess costs, including attorneys’ fees, against any party
litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the
claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section shall not
apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by the Company, a suit by a Holder
pursuant to Section
6.07
hereof,
or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the then
outstanding Notes.
Section
6.12. Restoration
of Rights and Remedies.
If
the
Trustee or any Holder has instituted a proceeding to enforce any right or remedy
under this Indenture and the proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned
for
any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to the Holder,
then, subject to any determination in the proceeding, the Company, the Trustee
and the Holders will be restored severally and respectively to their former
positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Company,
the
Trustee and the Holders will continue as though no such proceeding had been
instituted.
Section
6.13. Rights
and Remedies Cumulative.
No
right
or remedy conferred or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders under this
Indenture is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and all
such
rights and remedies are, to the extent permitted by law, cumulative and in
addition to every other right and remedy hereunder or now or hereafter existing
at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or exercise of any right or
remedy hereunder, or otherwise, will not prevent the concurrent assertion or
exercise of any other right or remedy.
Section
6.14. Delay
or Omission Not Waiver.
No
delay
or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy
accruing upon any Event of Default will impair any such right or remedy or
constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein.
Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to
the
Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed
expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
ARTICLE
7.
TRUSTEE
AND AGENTS
Section
7.01. Duties
of Trustee.
(a) The
duties and responsibilities of the Trustee are as set forth herein. Whether
or
not expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the
conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee
is
subject to this Article. The rights and protections provided to the Trustee
in
this Article shall also apply to the Agents. However, the duties and obligations
of the Trustee and the Agents hereunder are several and not
joint.
56
(b) If
an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise
such
of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the degree
of
care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under
the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.
(c) Except
during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(1) the
duties of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions
of
this Indenture and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are
specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants
or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;
and
(2) in
the
absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to
the
truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein,
upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Indenture. However, with respect to certificates or
opinions specifically required to be furnished to it hereunder, the Trustee
shall examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they
conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not verify, confirm
or
investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated
therein).
(d) The
Trustee may not be relieved from liabilities for its own grossly negligent
action, its own grossly negligent failure to act, or its own willful default
as
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction determines, except
that:
(1) this
paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this
Section;
(2) the
Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by
a
Responsible Officer, unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that
the Trustee was grossly negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
and
(3) the
Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to
take
in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to
Section
6.05
hereof.
(e) Whether
or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture that
in
any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d)
of
this Section.
(f) No
provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its
own
funds or incur any liability. The Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of its rights and powers under this Indenture at the request of
any
Holders, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee security and
indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or
expense.
(g) The
Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except
as
the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the
Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required
by
law and need not be invested except as agreed to by the Trustee.
(h) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, none of the Agents shall
be obliged to act or omit to act in accordance with any instruction, direction
or request delivered to them by the Company unless such instruction, direction
or request is delivered to such Agents according to the provisions under this
Indenture in writing. Each of the Agents may, in connection with its services
hereunder rely upon the terms of any notice, communication or other document
believed by it to be genuine.
57
(i) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee shall not be responsible for
recitals, statements, warranties or representations of any party contained
in
this Indenture or any other agreement or other document, entered into in
connection herewith or therewith and shall assume the accuracy and correctness
thereof and shall not be responsible for the execution, legality, effectiveness,
adequacy, genuineness, validity or enforceability or admissibility in evidence
of any such agreement or other document or any trust or security thereby
constituted or evidenced. Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing,
each
Holder shall be solely responsible for making its own independent appraisal
of
and investigation into the financial condition, creditworthiness, condition,
affairs, status and nature of the Company and any Subsidiary, and the Trustee
shall not at any time have any responsibility for the same and each Holder
shall
not rely on the Trustee in respect thereof.
Section
7.02. Rights
of Trustee.
Subject
to Section
7.01:
(a) The
Trustee may conclusively rely upon any document believed by it to be genuine
and
to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need
not investigate any fact or matter stated in any such document but may, in
its
discretion, make further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters
as
it sees fit.
(b) Before
the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’
Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable
for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such
Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may at the
expense of the Company consult with counsel and the written advice of such
counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization
and
protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted
by
it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon. The Company shall reimburse
the Trustee for any expenses, including attorneys fees, incurred in connection
with the actions contemplated by this Section
7.02(b).
(c) The
Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good
faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred
upon it by this Indenture.
(d) Unless
otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request,
direction or notice from the Company shall be sufficient if signed by an Officer
of the Company.
(e) The
Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of the Qualifying Listing unless
a
written notice in respect thereof is received by the Paying Agent or a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Specified Office of the Trustee from
the Company as contemplated by Section
4.03(d)
hereof.
(f) The
Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default
unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or
unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a Default or Event
of
Default is received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Specified
Office of the Trustee from the Company or the Holders of 25% in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding Notes, and such notice references the
specific Default or Event of Default, the Notes and this Indenture.
(g) The
Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the
performance of its power and duties hereunder.
(h) The
Trustee shall have no duty to inquire as to the performance or observance of
any
covenants, conditions or agreements on the part of the Company under this
Indenture; but the Trustee may require of the Company full information and
advice as to the performance of the covenants, conditions and agreements
aforesaid.
(i) The
Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties
hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee
shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any
agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
(j) The
permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as
duties.
58
(k) The
Trustee shall at no time have any responsibility or liability for or with
respect to the legality, validity or enforceability of any security interest
or
Collateral or any arrangement or agreement between Company and any Person with
respect thereto, or the perfection or priority of any security interest or
Collateral created in any of the Security Documents or the maintenance of any
such perfection and priority, or for or with respect to the sufficiency of
any
security interest or Collateral following an Event of Default.
(l) The
Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers
vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the
Holders, unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity
satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be
incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(m) The
Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for special, indirect, punitive,
or
consequential damages or loss of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited
to, loss of profit) regardless of the form of action.
Section
7.03. Individual
Rights of Trustee.
The
Trustee or any of its affiliates in its individual or any other capacity may
become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company
or
any Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were
not
Trustee and nothing herein shall obligate the Trustee to account for any profits
earned from any business or transactional relationship with the Company or
any
Affiliate thereof. Any Agent may do the same with like rights and
duties.
Section
7.04. Trustee’s
Disclaimer.
The
Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the
validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes or any Guarantee, it shall
not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Notes or any
money paid to the Company or upon the Company’s direction under any provision of
this Indenture, it shall not be responsible for the use or application of any
money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, it shall not be
responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes
or
any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to
this
Indenture other than the certificate of authentication. The Trustee shall not
have any responsibility for the Company’s or any Holder’s compliance with any
U.S. federal or state securities laws in connection with the Notes. The Trustee
shall not be responsible for ensuring that the interest rate on the Notes is
no
higher than the maximum rate permitted by New York Law.
Section
7.05. Notice
of Defaults.
If
the
Trustee receives notice of any Default or Event of Default from the Company,
the
Trustee shall mail to Holders a notice of the Default or Event of Default within
90 days after receipt thereof. Except in the case of a Default or Event of
Default in payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note,
the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its
Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is
in
the interests of the Holders.
Section
7.06. Force
Majeure
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Indenture, none of the Agents shall in any
event be liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations
under this Indenture, arising out or caused, directly or indirectly, by any
circumstances beyond the reasonable control of such Agent, including without
limitation, existing or future law or regulation, any existing or future act
of
governmental authority, act of God, flood, war whether declared or undeclared,
terrorism, riot, rebellion, civil commotion, strike, lockout, other industrial
action, general failure of electricity or other supply, aircraft collision,
technical failure, accidental or mechanical or electrical breakdown, computer
failure or failure of any money transmission system.
59
Section
7.07. Compensation
and Indemnity.
The
Company and each Guarantor, jointly and severally, shall pay compensation and
expenses of the Trustee and Agents as may be separately agreed from time to
time
for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder. The Trustee’s
compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of
an
express trust. The Company and each Guarantor, jointly and severally, shall
reimburse the Trustee promptly upon request for all disbursements, advances
and
expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its
services. Such expenses shall include the compensation, disbursements and
expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel. All rights, protections and
benefits of the Trustee shall be extended to the Trustee acting as an Agent
with
respect thereto.
The
Company and each Guarantor, jointly and severally, hereby unconditionally and
irrevocably covenants and undertakes to indemnify and hold harmless the Trustee,
its directors, officers, employees and agents (each an “indemnified
party”)
in
full at all times against all losses, liabilities, actions, proceedings, claims,
demands, penalties, damages, costs, expenses disbursements, and other
liabilities whatsoever (for purposes of this Article, the “losses”),
including without limitation incidental and out-of-pocket expenses and the
costs
and expenses of legal advisors and other experts, which may be incurred,
suffered or brought against such indemnified party as a result or in connection
with the acceptance or administration of its duties under this Indenture, the
Notes, the Guarantee and Security Documents, including the costs and expenses
of
enforcing this Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantee and Security Documents
against the Company (including this Section) and defending itself against any
claim (whether asserted by the Company or any Holder or any other Person) or
liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers
or
duties hereunder, provided that this indemnity shall not apply in respect of
an
indemnified party to the extent but only to the extent that a court of competent
jurisdiction determines that any such losses incurred or suffered by or brought
against such indemnified party arises directly from the fraud, willful default
or gross negligence of such indemnified party. The parties hereto acknowledge
that the foregoing indemnities shall survive the resignation or removal of
the
Trustee or the termination of this Indenture.
Notwithstanding
any other term or provision of this Indenture to the contrary, the Trustee
shall
not be liable under any circumstances, and shall be fully indemnified by the
Company, for special, punitive, indirect or consequential loss or damage of
any
kind whatsoever including but not limited to loss of profits, whether or not
foreseeable, regardless of whether the claim for such loss or damage is in
connection with the Trustee’s fraud, willful default, breach of fiduciary duty
or gross negligence. The provisions of this Section
7.07
shall
survive the termination or expiration of this Indenture, the Guarantee and
the
Security Document and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.
The
obligations of the Company and Guarantors under this Section shall survive
the
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Article
11
hereof,
the termination of this Indenture and the Security Documents, the resignation
or
removal of the Trustee or payment in full of the Notes through the expiration
of
the applicable statute of limitations.
To
secure
the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a Lien
prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee,
except that held in trust to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest on
particular Notes. Notwithstanding any provision hereof to the contrary, the
Trustee’s Lien shall not be subordinated to that of Senior Debt. Such Lien shall
survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture pursuant to
Article
11
hereof,
the termination of this Indenture and the Security Documents, the resignation
or
removal of the Trustee or payment in full of the Notes through the expiration
of
the applicable statute of limitations.
When
the
Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified
in Section
6.01(h)
or
(i)
hereof
occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including the fees
and expenses of its agents and counsel) are intended to constitute expenses
of
administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
Section
7.08. Replacement
of Trustee.
A
resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee
shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of
appointment as provided in this Section.
60
The
Trustee may resign without assigning any reason and without being responsible
for any costs, charges and expenses occasioned by such retirement, and be
discharged from the trust hereby created in writing at any time upon 30 days’
prior notice to the Company . The Holders holding more than two-thirds in
aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee
by so notifying the Trustee and the Company in writing with at least 45 days
advance notice.
If
the
Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee
for any reason (the Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the
retiring Trustee), the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then
outstanding Notes shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.
If
a
successor Trustee does not take office within 20 days after the retiring Trustee
has served its notice to retire, the retiring Trustee may appoint a successor
Trustee, or the Holders of at least 10% in aggregate principal amount of the
then outstanding Notes may petition at the expense of the Company any court
of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
A
successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to
the
retiring Trustee and to the Company. Thereupon, the resignation or removal
of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall
have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture.
The
successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Holders.
Subject to the Lien provided for in Section
7.07
hereof,
the retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee
to the successor Trustee; provided,
however,
that
all sums owing to the Trustee hereunder shall have been paid. Notwithstanding
replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations
under Section
7.07
hereof
shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.
In
the
case of an appointment hereunder of a separate or successor Trustee with respect
to the Notes, the Company, the Guarantors, any retiring Trustee and each
successor or separate Trustee with respect to the Notes shall execute and
deliver a supplemental indenture hereto (1) which shall contain such provisions
as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights,
powers, trusts and duties of any retiring Trustee with respect to the Notes
as
to which any such retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested
in such retiring Trustee and (2) that shall add to or change any of the
provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate
the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being
understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall
constitute such Trustee co-trustees of the same trust and that each such
separate, retiring or successor Trustee shall be Trustee of a trust or trusts
hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered
by
any such other Trustee.
Section
7.09. Successor
Trustee by Xxxxxx, etc.
If
the
Trustee consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially
all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation or banking
association, the successor corporation or banking association without any
further act shall, if such successor corporation or banking association is
otherwise eligible hereunder, be the successor Trustee.
In
case
at the time of any successor Registrar in place by merger, conversion or
consolidation any of the Notes have been authenticated but not delivered, any
such successor Registrar may adopt the certificate of authentication of any
predecessor Registrar, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case
at
that time any of the Notes have not been authenticated, any successor Registrar
shall authenticate and deliver such Notes.
Section
7.10. Agents.
Agents
(other than the Collateral Agent) shall act solely as agents of the Company
and
need have no concern for the interest of the Holders.
61
ARTICLE
8.
AMENDMENT,
SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER
Section
8.01. Without
Consent of Holders.
Notwithstanding
Section
8.02
of this
Indenture, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture,
the Security Documents or the Notes without consent of any Holder
to:
(a) cure
any
ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;
(b) provide
for the assumption by a Surviving Person of the obligations of the Company
under
this Indenture;
(c) provide
for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes
(provided
that the
uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section
163(f) of the Code, or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are
described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code);
(d) add
additional Guarantees or additional obligors with respect to the Notes or
release Guarantors from guarantees as permitted by the terms of this
Indenture;
(e) further
secure the Notes, or release all or any portion of the Collateral pursuant
to
the terms of the Security Documents;
(f) add
to
the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders or to surrender
any
right or power conferred upon the Company; or
(g) make
any
other change that does not adversely affect the legal rights hereunder of any
such Xxxxxx.
Section
8.02. With
Consent of Holders.
Except
as
provided below in this Section, the Company and the Trustee may amend or
supplement this Indenture, the Security Documents and the Notes with the consent
of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then
outstanding voting as a single class (including consents obtained in connection
with a purchase of or tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes), and,
subject to Sections
6.04
and
6.07,
any
existing Default or Event of Default (except a continuing Default or Event
of
Default in (i) the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the
Notes and (ii) in respect of a covenant or provision which under this Indenture
cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Note
affected by such modification or amendment) or compliance with any provision
of
this Indenture or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of
a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding voting
as a
single class (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of
or
tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes).
Without
the consent of each Holder, an amendment or waiver under this Section may not
(with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):
(a) reduce
the amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment or
waiver;
(b) reduce
the rate of, or extend the time for payment of, interest, if any, on, any
Note;
(c) reduce
the principal of, or extend the Stated Maturity of, any Note;
(d) make
any
Note payable in money other than that stated in the Note;
62
(e) impair
the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, premium, if any,
and
interest, if any, on, such Holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or
to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to
such
Xxxxxx’s Notes or any Guarantee;
(f) subordinate
the Notes or any Guarantee to any other obligation of the Company or the
applicable Guarantor;
(g) (A) release
the security interest granted in favor of the holders of the Notes in the
Collateral other than pursuant to the terms of the Security Documents, or
(B) release
any other security interest that may have been granted in favor of the holders
of the Notes other than pursuant to the terms of such security
interest;
(h) reduce
the amount payable as Additional Interest or upon the redemption of any Note
or
change the time at which any Note may be redeemed, as described under
Section
3.05,
Section
4.12,
Section
4.16
or
Section
4.29;
(i) reduce
the premium payable upon a Change of Control or, at any time after a Change
of
Control has occurred, change the time at which the Change of Control Offer
relating thereto must be made or at which the Notes must be repurchased pursuant
to such Change of Control Offer;
(j) at
any
time after the Company is obligated to make an Asset Sale Offer with the Excess
Proceeds from Asset Sales, change the time at which such Asset Sale Offer must
be made or at which the Notes must be repurchased pursuant thereto;
or
(k) make
any
change in any Guarantee that would adversely affect the Holders.
The
Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose
of
determining the Persons entitled to consent to any supplemental indenture.
If a
record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date, or their duly designated
proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to consent to such
supplemental indenture, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such
record date; provided
that
unless such consent shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite
percentage having been obtained prior to the date which is 120 days after such
record date, any such consent previously given shall automatically and without
further action by any Holder be canceled and of no further effect.
It
shall
not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section to approve
the particular form of any proposed amendment or waiver, but it shall be
sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.
After
an
amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section becomes effective, the
Company shall mail to the Holder of each Note affected thereby to such Xxxxxx’s
address appearing in the Security Register a notice briefly describing the
amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice,
or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the
validity of any such amended or supplemental indenture or waiver.
Upon
the
request of the Company, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents
described in Section 12.03
hereof,
the Trustee will join with the Company in the execution of any amended or
supplemental indenture or waiver authorized or permitted by the terms of this
Indenture; but the Trustee will not be obligated to enter into such amended
or
supplemental indenture or waiver that affects its own rights, duties or
immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Section
8.03. Revocation
and Effect of Consents.
Until
an
amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder
is a continuing consent by the Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder
of a
Note or portion thereof that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s
Note, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note. However, any
such
Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to its Note or portion
thereof if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation before the date
the
waiver, supplement or amendment becomes effective. An amendment, supplement
or
waiver shall become effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter shall
bind every Holder.
63
Section
8.04. Notation
on or Exchange of Notes.
The
Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or
waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for
all Notes may issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance
with Section
2.02
hereof,
the Registrar shall authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment,
supplement or waiver.
Failure
to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not affect the
validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.
Section
8.05. Trustee
to Sign Amendments, etc.
None
of
the Company nor any Guarantor may sign an amendment or supplemental indenture
until its board of directors (or committee serving a similar function) approves
it. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture or any amendment or
supplement to the Security Documents or Notes, the Trustee shall be entitled
to
receive in addition to the documents required by Section
12.03,
and
(subject to Section
7.01
hereof)
shall be fully protected in relying upon an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion
of Counsel stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture
is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that such amended or
supplemental indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Company enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to
customary exceptions and that such amended or supplemental indenture complies
with the provisions hereof.
If
the
Trustee has received such an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, it
shall sign the amendment, supplement or waiver so long as the same does not
adversely affect the rights of the Trustee. The Trustee may, but is not
obligated to, execute any amendment, supplement or waiver that affects the
Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture, the Notes or
the Security Documents.
ARTICLE
9.
GUARANTEES
Section
9.01. Guarantee.
Subject
to this Article
9,
each
Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Note
authenticated and delivered by the Registrar and to the Trustee and its
successors and assigns: (a) the due and punctual payment of the principal of,
premium, if any, and interest on the Notes, subject to any applicable grace
period, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise,
the due and punctual payment of interest on the overdue principal of and
premium, if any, and, to the extent permitted by law, interest, and the due
and
punctual performance of all other obligations of the Company to the Holders
or
the Trustee under this Indenture or any other agreement with or for the benefit
of the Holders or the Trustee, all in accordance with the terms hereof and
thereof; and (b) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of
any
Notes or any of such other obligations, that same shall be promptly paid in
full
when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal,
whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration pursuant to Section
6.02,
redemption or otherwise. Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed
or
any performance so guaranteed for whatever reason, the Guarantors shall be
jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Each Guarantor
agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of
collection.
64
Each
Guarantor hereby agrees that its obligations with regard to its Guarantee shall
be joint and several, unconditional, irrespective of the validity or
enforceability of the Notes or the obligations of the Company under this
Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, the recovery of any
judgment against the Company or any other obligor with respect to this
Indenture, the Notes or the Note Obligations of the Company any action to
enforce the same or any other circumstances (other than complete performance)
which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense
of a
Guarantor. Each Guarantor further, to the extent permitted by law, waives and
relinquishes all claims, rights and remedies accorded by applicable law to
guarantors and agrees not to assert or take advantage of any such claims, rights
or remedies, including but not limited to: (a) any right to require any of
the
Trustee, the Holders or the Company (each a “Benefited
Party”),
as a
condition of payment or performance by such Guarantor, to (1) proceed against
the Company, any other guarantor (including any other Guarantor) of the
Obligations under the Guarantees or any other Person, (2) proceed against or
exhaust any security held from the Company, any such other guarantor or any
other Person, (3) proceed against or have resort to any balance of any deposit
account or credit on the books of any Benefited Party in favor of the Company
or
any other Person, or (4) pursue any other remedy in the power of any Benefited
Party whatsoever; (b) any defense arising by reason of the incapacity, lack
of
authority or any disability or other defense of the Company including any
defense based on or arising out of the lack of validity or the unenforceability
of the Obligations under the Guarantees or any agreement or instrument relating
thereto or by reason of the cessation of the liability of the Company from
any
cause other than payment in full of the Obligations under the Guarantees; (c)
any defense based upon any statute or rule of law which provides that the
obligation of a surety must be neither larger in amount nor in other respects
more burdensome than that of the principal; (d) any defense based upon any
Benefited Party’s errors or omissions in the administration of the Obligations
under the Guarantees, except behavior which amounts to gross negligence, willful
default or bad faith; (e)(1) any principles or provisions of law, statutory
or
otherwise, which are or might be in conflict with the terms of the Guarantees
and any legal or equitable discharge of such Guarantor’s obligations hereunder,
(2) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting such Guarantor’s
liability hereunder or the enforcement hereof, (3) any rights to set-offs,
recoupments and counterclaims and (4) promptness, diligence and any requirement
that any Benefited Party protect, secure, perfect or insure any security
interest or lien or any property subject thereto; (f) notices, demands,
presentations, protests, notices of protest, notices of dishonor and notices
of
any action or inaction, including acceptance of the Guarantees, notices of
Default under the Notes or any agreement or instrument related thereto, notices
of any renewal, extension or modification of the Obligations under the
Guarantees or any agreement related thereto, and notices of any extension of
credit to the Company and any right to consent to any thereof; (g) to the extent
permitted under applicable law, the benefits of any “One Action” rule and (h)
any defenses or benefits that may be derived from or afforded by law which
limit
the liability of or exonerate guarantors or sureties, or which may conflict
with
the terms of the Guarantees. Except to the extent expressly provided herein,
including Section
9.05,
each
Guarantor hereby covenants that its Guarantee shall not be discharged except
by
complete performance of the obligations contained in its Guarantee and this
Indenture.
If
any
Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the
Company, the Guarantors or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar
official acting in relation to either the Company or the Guarantors, any amount
paid by either to the Trustee or such Holder, this Guarantee to the extent
theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and
effect.
Each
Guarantor agrees that it shall not be entitled to any right of subrogation
in
relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby until
payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby. Each Guarantor further
agrees that, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders and
the
Trustee, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed
hereby may be accelerated as provided in Section
6.02
hereof
for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or
other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations
guaranteed hereby and (y) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of
such obligations as provided in Section
6.02
hereof,
such obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due
and
payable by the Guarantors for the purpose of this Guarantee. The Guarantors
shall have the right to seek contribution from any non-paying Guarantor so
long
as the exercise of such right does not impair the rights of the Holders under
the Guarantee.
65
Section
9.02. Limitation
on Guarantor Liability.
(a) Each
Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that
it
is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee of such Guarantor not
constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law,
the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act
or
any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any guarantee.
To
effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors
hereby irrevocably agree that each Guarantor’s liability shall be that amount
from time to time equal to the aggregate liability of such Guarantor under
the
Guarantee, but shall be limited to the lesser of (i) the aggregate amount
of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture or (ii) the
amount, if any, which would not have (1) rendered the Guarantor “insolvent”
(as such term is defined in Bankruptcy Law and in the Debtor and Creditor Law
of
the State of New York) or (2) left it with unreasonably small capital at
the time its guarantee with respect to the Notes was entered into, after giving
effect to the incurrence of existing Debt immediately before such time;
provided,
however,
it
shall be a presumption in any lawsuit or proceeding in which a Guarantor is
a
party that the amount guaranteed pursuant to the guarantee with respect to
the
Notes is the amount described in clause (i) above unless any creditor,
or representative of creditors of the Guarantor, or debtor in possession or
trustee in bankruptcy of the Guarantor, otherwise proves in a lawsuit that
the
aggregate liability of the Guarantor is limited to the amount described in
clause (ii).
(b) In
making
any determination as to the solvency or sufficiency of capital of a Guarantor
in
accordance with the proviso of Section
9.02(a),
the
right of each Guarantor to contribution from other Guarantors and any other
rights such Guarantor may have, contractual or otherwise, shall be taken into
account.
Section
9.03. Execution
and Delivery of Guarantee.
To
evidence its Guarantee set forth in Section
9.01,
each
Guarantor hereby agrees that a notation of such Guarantee in substantially
the
form included in Exhibit
B
attached
hereto shall be endorsed by an Officer of such Guarantor on each Note
authenticated and delivered by the Registrar and that this Indenture shall
be
executed on behalf of such Guarantor by its President or one of its Vice
Presidents.
Each
Guarantor hereby agrees that its Guarantee set forth in Section
9.01
shall
remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each
Note a notation of such Guarantee.
If
an
Officer whose signature is on this Indenture or on the Guarantee no longer
holds
that office at the time the Registrar authenticates the Note on which a
Guarantee is endorsed, the Guarantee shall be valid nevertheless.
The
delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder,
shall constitute due delivery of the Guarantee set forth in this Indenture
on
behalf of the Guarantors.
The
Company hereby agrees that it shall cause each Person that becomes obligated
to
provide a Guarantee pursuant to Section
4.17
(each, a
“Future
Guarantor”)
to
execute a supplemental indenture pursuant to which such Person provides the
guarantee set forth in this Article
9
and
otherwise assumes the obligations and accepts the rights of a Guarantor under
this Indenture, in each case with the same effect and to the same extent as
if
such Person had been named herein as a Guarantor. The Company also hereby agrees
to cause each such new Guarantor to evidence its guarantee by endorsing a
notation of such guarantee on each Note as provided in this
Section.
Section
9.04. Guarantors
May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms.
Except
as
otherwise provided in Section
9.05,
no
Guarantor may consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such
Guarantor is the Surviving Person) another Person whether or not affiliated
with
such Guarantor unless:
(a) subject
to Section
9.05,
the
Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than
a
Guarantor or the Company) unconditionally assumes all the obligations of such
Guarantor, pursuant to a supplemental indenture in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Trustee, under this Indenture, the Guarantee on the terms
set forth herein or therein; and
(b) the
Guarantor complies with the requirements of Article
5
hereof.
66
In
case
of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance and upon the assumption
by
the successor Person, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to
the
Trustee and satisfactory in form and substance to the Trustee, of the Guarantee
endorsed upon the Notes and the due and punctual performance of all of the
covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Guarantor,
such successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Guarantor
with
the same effect as if it had been named herein as a Guarantor. Such successor
Person thereupon may cause to be signed any or all of the Guarantees to be
endorsed upon all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not
have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee. All the Guarantees
so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under
this
Indenture as the Guarantees theretofore and thereafter issued in accordance
with
the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Guarantees had been issued
at
the date of the execution hereof.
Except
as
set forth in Articles
4
and
5,
and
notwithstanding clauses (a) and (b) above, nothing contained in this Indenture
or in any of the Notes shall prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor
with or into the Company or another Guarantor, or shall prevent any sale or
conveyance of the property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as
an
entirety to the Company or another Guarantor.
Section
9.05. Releases
Following Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets,
Etc.
In
the
event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets
of any Guarantor, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, or a sale or
other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of any Guarantor, in each case
to
a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transactions)
a Subsidiary of the Company, then such Guarantor (in the event of a sale or
other disposition, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, of all of
the
Capital Stock of such Guarantor) or the corporation acquiring the property
(in
the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
assets of such Guarantor) shall be released and relieved of any obligations
under its Guarantee; provided
that the
net proceeds of such sale or other disposition shall be applied in accordance
with the applicable provisions of this Indenture, including without limitation
Section
4.12.
Upon
delivery by the Company to the Trustee of an Officers’ Certificate and an
Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such sale or other disposition was made
by
the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, including
without limitation Section
4.12,
the
Trustee shall execute any documents reasonably required in order to evidence
the
release of any Guarantor from its obligations under its Guarantee.
Any
Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Guarantee shall remain
liable for the full amount of principal of and interest on the Notes and for
the
other obligations of any Guarantor under this Indenture as provided in this
Article
9.
ARTICLE
10.
COLLATERAL
AND SECURITY
Section
10.01. Security
Documents.
(a) The
due
and punctual payment of the principal of and interest on the Notes when and
as
the same shall be due and payable, whether on an Interest Payment Date, at
maturity, by acceleration, repurchase, redemption or otherwise, and interest
on
the overdue principal of and interest on the Notes and performance of all other
obligations of the Company and the Guarantors to the Holders or the Trustee
under this Indenture and the Notes, according to the terms hereunder or
thereunder, are secured as provided in the Security Documents which the Company
and the Guarantors has entered into simultaneously with the execution of this
Indenture and which is attached as Exhibit
D
hereto.
Each Holder, by its acceptance thereof, consents and agrees to the terms of
the
Security Documents (including, without limitation, the provisions providing
for
foreclosure and release of Collateral) as the same may be in effect or may
be
amended from time to time in accordance with its terms and authorizes and
directs the Trustee to enter into the Security Documents and to perform its
obligations and exercise its rights thereunder as a Secured Party in accordance
therewith. The Company will do or cause to be done all such acts and things
as
may be required by applicable law or may be necessary or proper, or as may
be
required by the provisions of the Security Documents, to assure and confirm
to
the Trustee the security interest in the Collateral contemplated hereby, by
the
Security Documents or any part thereof, as from time to time constituted, so
as
to render the same available for the security and benefit of this Indenture
and
of the Notes secured hereby, according to the intent and purposes herein
expressed. The Company will take, and will cause its Subsidiaries to take,
any
and all actions reasonably required to cause the Security Documents to create
and maintain, as security for the Obligations of the Company and the Guarantors
hereunder, a valid and enforceable perfected first priority Lien in and on
all
the Collateral, in favor of the Trustee, as Secured Party, for the benefit
of
the Holders, superior to and prior to the rights of all third Persons and
subject to no other Liens than Permitted Liens.
67
(b) If
at any
time after the Issue Date there is a change in PRC law or interpretation in
PRC
law that permits the encumbrance of the WFOE’s assets or Property by a Lien
without the approval of any governmental body of the PRC, then the Company
shall
cause the WFOE to, concurrently:
(i) execute
and deliver to the Trustee a Security Document upon substantially the same
terms
granting a Lien upon such assets or Property to the Trustee for the benefit
of
the holders of Notes, which Lien shall be first priority if such assets or
Property is not then encumbered by any other Lien (other than Liens required
by
law) or a second priority Lien if such assets or Property is at that time so
encumbered;
(ii) cause
the
Lien to be granted in such Security Document to be duly perfected in any manner
permitted by law; and
(iii) deliver
to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel confirming as to such Security Document
the
matters set forth as to the Security Documents and Liens thereunder in the
Opinions of Counsel delivered to holders on the Issue Date and, if the property
subject to such Security Document is an interest in real estate, such local
counsel opinions, insurance policies, surveys and other supporting documents
as
the Trustee may reasonably request.
(c) Notwithstanding
(i) anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Security
Documents, the Notes or any other instrument governing, evidencing or relating
to any Debt, (ii) the time, order or method of attachment of any Liens, (iii)
the time or order of filing or recording of financing statements or other
documents filed or recorded to perfect any Lien upon any Collateral, (iv) the
time of taking possession or control over any Collateral or (v) the rules for
determining priority under the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the
State
of Delaware or any other law of any relevant jurisdiction governing relative
priorities of secured creditors:
(A) the
Liens
under this Indenture will rank at least equally and ratably with all valid,
enforceable and perfected Liens, whenever granted upon any present or future
Collateral, but only to the extent such Liens are permitted under this Indenture
to exist and to rank equally and ratably with the Notes and the Guarantees;
and
(B) all
proceeds of the Collateral applied under the Security Documents shall be
allocated and distributed as set forth in Section
6.10.
Section
10.02. Future
Guarantor Pledgors.
(a) The
Company will use its reasonable best efforts promptly to obtain any necessary
consents and waivers and to take all other actions necessary to pledge and
to
cause each Future Guarantor to pledge the Capital Stock of any future Subsidiary
(other than any Subsidiary organized under the laws of the PRC, unless at any
time after the Issue Date there is a change in PRC law or official
interpretation in PRC law that permits the encumbrance of the PRC Subsidiary’s
assets or Property by a Lien without the approval of any governmental body
of
the PRC) in each case owned by the Company or such Future Guarantor, on a first
priority basis (subject to Liens arising by operation of law) in order to secure
the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture and of such
Future Guarantor under its Guarantee; provided
that the
Company or any Future Guarantor, as the case may be, shall pledge no more than
65% of the Voting Stock of a Foreign Subsidiary that is directly owned by the
Company or such Future Guarantor, as the case may be, and shall not be required
to pledge any Voting Stock of any Subsidiary that is owned by any Foreign
Subsidiary.
68
(b) The
Company will, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, pledge, or cause
each
Guarantor to pledge, the Capital Stock owned by the Company or such Guarantor
of
any Person that becomes a Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary organized under
the laws of the PRC, unless at any time after the Issue Date there is a change
in PRC law or official interpretation in PRC law that permits the encumbrance
of
the PRC Subsidiary’s assets or Property by a Lien without the approval of any
governmental body of the PRC) after the Issue Date, immediately upon such Person
becoming a Subsidiary, to secure the obligations of the Company under the Notes
and this Indenture, and of such Guarantor under its Guarantee, in the manner
described above; provided
that the
Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, shall pledge no more than 65%
of
the Voting Stock of any person that becomes a Foreign Subsidiary directly owned
by the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, and shall not be required
to pledge any Voting Stock of any person that becomes a Subsidiary owned by
any
Foreign Subsidiary of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may
be.
(c) Each
Guarantor that pledges Capital Stock of a Subsidiary after the Issue Date is
referred to as a “Future
Guarantor Pledgor”
and,
upon giving such pledge, will be a “Guarantor
Pledgor.”
(d) Upon
each
pledge by a Future Guarantor of the Capital Stock of any Other Non-Guarantor
Subsidiary or any future Subsidiary in accordance with Section
10.02(a)
or
Section
10.02(b),
the
Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that entry
into the applicable pledge agreement has been duly and validly authorized and
an
Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) in the opinion of such counsel, such
action has been taken with respect to the recording, registering and filing
of
or with respect to this Indenture and the applicable pledge agreement and all
other instruments of further assurance as are necessary to make effective the
first priority lien (subject to Liens arising by operation of law) created
by
such pledge agreement in the Capital Stock referenced in Section
10.02(a)
or
Section
10.02(b),
and
referencing the details of such action; or (ii) in the opinion of such counsel,
no such action is necessary to make such first priority lien (subject to Liens
arising by operation of law) effective; provided
that any
such Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officers’ Certificate or certificates of
public officials with respect to matters of fact.
(e) All
Opinions of Counsel delivered pursuant to Section
10.02(d)
may
contain assumptions, qualifications, exceptions and limitations as are
appropriate and customary for similar opinions relating to the nature of the
Capital Stock pledged.
(f) Upon
each
pledge by any Future Guarantor of the Capital Stock of any Other Non-Guarantor
Subsidiary or any future Subsidiary in accordance with Section
10.02(a)
or
Section
10.02(b),
the
Company will give notice, file, register or record any supplemental indentures,
financing statements, continuation statements, pledge agreements or other
instruments or cause each such Future Guarantor Pledgor to give notice, file,
register or record any supplemental indentures, financing statements,
continuation statements, pledge agreements or other instruments and take any
other actions necessary in order to perfect and protect the first priority
lien
(subject to Liens arising by operation of law) thereby created.
Section
10.03. Recording
and Opinions.
(a) The
Company will furnish to the Trustee within three months after each anniversary
of the Issue Date, an Opinion of Counsel, dated as of such date, stating either
that (i) in the opinion of such counsel, action has been taken with respect
to
the recording, registering, filing, re-recording, re-registering and re-filing
of all supplemental indentures, financing statements, continuation statements
or
other instruments of further assurance as is necessary to maintain the Lien
of
the Security Documents and reciting with respect to the security interest in
the
Collateral the details of such action or referring to prior Opinions of Counsel
in which such details are given, and stating that, in the opinion of such
counsel, based on relevant laws as in effect on the date of such Opinion of
Counsel, all financing statements and continuation statements have been executed
and filed that are necessary as of such date and during the succeeding 12 months
fully to preserve and protect, to the extent such protection and preservation
are possible by filing, the rights of the Holders and the Trustee hereunder
and
under the Security Documents with respect to the security interest in the
Collateral; or (ii) in the opinion of such counsel, no such action is necessary
to maintain such Lien and assignment.
(b) So
long
as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and subject
to
certain terms and conditions, the Company and the Guarantors will be entitled
to
receive all cash dividends, interest and other payments made upon or with
respect to the Collateral pledged by them.
69
(c) So
long
as there has occurred no Event of Default, then the Company and the Guarantors
shall have the right to exercise any voting and other consensual rights
pertaining to the Collateral pledged by them.
(d) Upon
the
occurrence and during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default, all
rights of the Company and the Guarantors to receive all cash dividends, interest
and other payments made upon or with respect to the Collateral will cease and
such cash dividends, interest and other payments will be paid to the Collateral
Agent;
(e) Upon
the
occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) all
rights of the Company and the Guarantors to exercise such voting or other
consensual rights will cease, and all such rights will become vested in the
Collateral Agent, which, to the extent permitted by law, will have the sole
right to exercise such voting and other consensual rights; and
(ii)the
Collateral Agent, upon the instructions of the Trustee pursuant to this
Indenture and the Security Documents, may sell the Collateral or any part of
the
Collateral in accordance with the terms of the Security Documents and may deduct
from the proceeds from the sale of the Collateral its costs associated with
the
sale of the Collateral. The Collateral Agent, in accordance with the provisions
of this Indenture, will distribute all funds (after deduction of its costs
as
provided under the preceding sentence) distributed under the Security Documents
and received by the Collateral Agent to the Trustee for the benefit of the
holders of the Notes.
Section
10.04. Release
of Collateral.
(a) Subject
to subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this Section
10.04,
Collateral may be released from the Lien and security interest created by the
Security Documents at any time or from time to time in accordance with the
provisions of the Security Documents or as provided hereby. In addition, upon
the request of the Company pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate certifying that
all conditions precedent hereunder have been met and stating whether or not
such
release is in connection with an Asset Sale and (at the sole cost and expense
of
the Company) the Trustee will release Collateral that is sold, conveyed or
disposed of in compliance with the provisions of this Indenture; provided,
that if
such sale, conveyance or disposition constitutes an Asset Sale, the Company
will
apply the Net Available Cash in accordance with Section
4.12
hereof.
Upon receipt of such Officers’ Certificate the Trustee shall execute, deliver or
acknowledge any necessary or proper instruments of termination, satisfaction
or
release to evidence the release of any Collateral permitted to be released
pursuant to this Indenture or the Security Documents.
(b) No
Collateral may be released from the Lien and security interest created by the
Security Documents pursuant to the provisions of the Security Documents unless
the certificate required by this Section has been delivered to the
Trustee.
(c) At
any
time when a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and
the
maturity of the Notes has been accelerated (whether by declaration or
otherwise), no release of Collateral pursuant to the provisions of the Security
Documents will be effective as against the Holders.
(d) The
release of any Collateral from the terms of this Indenture and the Security
Documents will not be deemed to impair the security under this Indenture in
contravention of the provisions hereof if and to the extent the Collateral
is
released pursuant to the terms of the Security Documents and
hereof.
Section
10.05. Authorization
of Actions to Be Taken by the Trustee Under the Security
Documents.
Subject
to the provisions of Section
7.01
and
7.02
hereof,
the Trustee may, in its sole discretion and without the consent of the Holders,
take, on behalf of the Holders, all actions it deems reasonably necessary or
appropriate in order to:
(a) enforce
any of the terms of the Security Documents; and
70
(b) collect
and receive any and all amounts payable in respect of the Obligations of the
Company hereunder.
The
Trustee will have power to institute and maintain such suits and proceedings
as
it may deem expedient to prevent any impairment of the Collateral by any acts
that may be unlawful or in violation of the Security Documents or this
Indenture, and such suits and proceedings as the Trustee may deem expedient
to
preserve or protect its interests and the interests of the Holders in the
Collateral (including power to institute and maintain suits or proceedings
to
restrain the enforcement of or compliance with any legislative or other
governmental enactment, rule or order that may be unconstitutional or otherwise
invalid if the enforcement of, or compliance with, such enactment, rule or
order
would impair the security interest hereunder or be prejudicial to the interests
of the Holders or of the Trustee).
The
Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any acts that may be unlawful
or in violation of the Security Documents or this Indenture unless and until
it
obtains actual knowledge of such unlawful acts or violation through the receipt
of written notification describing the circumstances of such, and identifying
the circumstances constituting such unlawful acts or violation.
Neither
the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent nor any of their officers, directors,
employees, attorneys or agents will be responsible or liable for the existence,
genuineness, value or protection of any Collateral securing the Notes and the
Guarantees, for the legality, enforceability, effectiveness or sufficiency
of
the Security Documents, for the creation, perfection, priority, sufficiency
or
protection of any of the Liens, or for any defect or deficiency as to any such
matters, or for any failure to demand, collect, foreclose or realize upon or
otherwise enforce any of the Liens on the Collateral or Security Documents
or
any delay in doing so.
The
Trustee and the Collateral Agent will be under no obligation to exercise any
rights or powers conferred under the Indenture or any of the Security Documents
for the benefit of the Holders unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee
and the Collateral Agent indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any
loss, liability or expense. In the exercise of its duties, neither the Trustee
nor the Collateral Agent shall be responsible for the verification of the
accuracy or completeness of any certification submitted to it by the Company
or
any Guarantor and each is entitled to rely exclusively on the certifications
contained therein. Furthermore, each Holder, by accepting the Notes will agree,
for the benefit of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent, that it is solely
responsible for its own independent appraisal of and investigation into all
risks arising under or in connection with the Security Documents and has not
relied on and will not at any time rely on the Trustee or the Collateral Agent
in respect of such risks.
Section
10.06. Authorization
of Receipt of Funds by the Trustee Under the Security
Documents.
The
Trustee is authorized to receive any funds for the benefit of the Holders
distributed under the Security Documents, and to make further distributions
of
such funds to the Holders according to the provisions of this
Indenture.
Section
10.07. Termination
of Security Interest.
Upon
the
payment in full of all Obligations of the Company under this Indenture and
the
Notes, the Trustee will, at the request of the Company, promptly instruct the
Collateral Agent to release the Liens pursuant to this Indenture and the
Security Documents.
Section
10.08. Appointment
of Collateral Agent.
The
parties hereto acknowledge and agree, and each Holder by accepting a Note
acknowledges and agrees, that the Company hereby irrevocably appoints DB
Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited as Collateral Agent hereunder. The Collateral
Agent
shall have such duties and responsibilities, with respect to the Holders of
Notes, as are explicitly set forth herein and in the Security Documents to
which
it is a party and no others; provided
that the
Collateral Agent shall only take action with respect to or under the Security
Documents in accordance with the written instructions of the Trustee acting
on
behalf of the Holders of the Notes, and shall apply any proceeds from the
enforcement of any security, as set forth in this Indenture. The provisions
of
Article
7
hereof
relating to the Trustee acting in such capacity shall apply to the Collateral
Agent to the extent applicable. In addition, the Company and the Guarantors
hereby, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify the Collateral Agent on the
same basis as their indemnity to the Trustee in Article
7
with
respect to actions taken or not taken by it in accordance with this Indenture
and the Security Documents.
71
ARTICLE
11.
SATISFACTION
AND DISCHARGE
Section
11.01. Satisfaction
and Discharge.
This
Indenture shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further effect, except
as
to surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of the Notes, as
to
all Notes issued hereunder, when:
(a) either:
(i) all
Notes
that have been previously authenticated and delivered (except lost, stolen
or
destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment
money has previously been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust
by
the Company and is thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from the
trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(ii) (x)
all
Notes that have not been previously delivered to the Trustee for cancellation,
have become due and payable by their terms or have been called for redemption,
and the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the
Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders, cash in
U.S. dollars in such amount as shall be sufficient without consideration of
any
reinvestment of interest to pay and discharge the entire Debt on the Notes
not
previously delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or redemption for
principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to the date of deposit,
in
the case of Notes that have become due and payable, or to the Stated Maturity
or
redemption date, as the case may be; (y) the Company has paid all other sums
payable by the Company with respect to the Notes under this Indenture; and
(z)
the Company has delivered irrevocable written instructions to the Trustee to
apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at Stated Maturity
or
on the redemption date, as the case may be.
In
the
case of either clause (i) or (ii):
(x) no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date
of
such deposit or shall occur as a result of such deposit and such deposit will
not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any
other
instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound;
and
(y) the
Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion
of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent relating to the satisfaction
and discharge of this Indenture have been satisfied.
Section
11.02. Deposited
Cash to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous
Provisions.
Subject
to Section
11.03,
all
cash deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section
11.01
hereof
in respect of the outstanding Notes shall be held in trust and applied by the
Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Indenture,
to
the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company
acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such
Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal,
premium, if any, and interest but such cash and securities need not be
segregated from other funds except to the extent required by
law.
72
Section
11.03. Repayment
to Company.
Any
cash
deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company,
in
trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on,
any
Note and remaining unclaimed for six months after such principal, and premium,
if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company
on
its request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such
trust, provided
that the
Trustee may deduct from such unclaimed amount any costs associated with the
safe-keeping thereof; and the Holder shall thereafter, as an unsecured creditor,
look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee
or such Paying Agent with respect to such cash and securities, and all liability
of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided,
however,
that
the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such
repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in
The
New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that
such
cash remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall
not
be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any
unclaimed balance of such cash then remaining shall be repaid to the Company.
After payment to the Company, Holders entitled to such money shall look to
the
Company for payment and all liability at the Trustee with respect to such money
shall cease.
ARTICLE
12.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
12.01. Notices.
Any
notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other is duly
given
if in writing in English and delivered in person or mailed by first class mail
(registered or certified, return receipt requested), facsimile transmission
or
overnight air courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, to the other’s
address:
If
to the
Company:
19th
Floor, Building B, Van Metropolis
Xx.
00
Xxxxxx Xxxx
High
Tech
Zone
Xi’an
710065
P.R.
China
Attention:
Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile
No.: x00 00 0000 0000
00
Xxxx
Xxx Xxxxx# 0000
New
York,
NY 10016
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Facsimile
No.: x0 000 000 0000
If
to the
Trustee:
DB
Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited
48th
Floor, Xxxxxx Kong Center2 Queen’s Road Central
Hong
Kong
Attention:
The Managing Director
Facsimile
No: x000 0000 0000
x000
0000
0000
73
The
Company or the Trustee, by notice to the other, may designate additional or
different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
All
notices and communications (other than those sent to the Trustee or Holders)
shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if
personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail,
postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt acknowledged, if sent by facsimile
transmission; and the second Business Day after timely delivery to the courier,
if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next-day delivery. All notices
and
communications to the Trustee or Holders shall be deemed duly given and
effective only upon receipt.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, as long as the Notes are represented by the Global Notes and
such
Global Notes are held on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, any notice or
communication to a Holder shall be deemed to have been given or served when
so
sent or deposited in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures of
Euroclear and Clearstream, as the case may be. Any such notice shall be deemed
to have been delivered on the day such notice is delivered to Euroclear or
Clearstream.
If
the
Notes are no longer represented by Global Notes, any notice or communication
to
a Holder shall be mailed by first class mail, certified or registered, return
receipt requested, or by overnight air courier guaranteeing next-day delivery
to
its address shown on the Security Register. Failure to mail a notice or
communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency
with respect to other Holders.
If
a
notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above within the time
prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives
it.
If
the
Company mails a notice or communication to Holders, it shall mail a copy to
the
Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
Section
12.02. Communication
by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.
Holders
may communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this
Indenture or the Notes.
Section
12.03. Certificate
and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Upon
any
request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under
any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the
Trustee:
(a) an
Officers’ Certificate (which shall include the statements set forth in
Section
12.04
hereof)
stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and
covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed
action have been complied with; and
(b) an
Opinion of Counsel (which shall include the statements set forth in Section
12.04
hereof)
stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent
and
covenants have been complied with.
Section
12.04. Statements
Required in Certificate or Opinion.
Each
certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(a) a
statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such
covenant or condition;
(b) a
brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation
upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion
are based;
74
(c) a
statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he or she has made such
examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such Person to express
an
informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been
complied with; and
(d) a
statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition
or
covenant has been complied with.
With
respect to matters of fact, an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officers’
Certificate, certificates of public officials or reports or opinions of
experts.
Section
12.05. Legal
Holidays.
In
any
case where any Interest Payment Date, Purchase Date or Stated Maturity of any
Note is not a Business Day at the city in which the Specified Office of the
Trustee is located, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture
or of the Notes) payment of Interest or principal (and premium, if any) need
not
be made at such Specified Office of the Trustee on such date, but such payment
may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Specified Office of
the
Trustee with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date
or Purchase Date, or at the Stated Maturity and such extension of time shall
in
such case be included in the computation of Interest accruing on such
Note.
Section
12.06. Rules
by Trustee and Agents.
The
Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders.
The
Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable
requirements for its functions.
Section
12.07. No
Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and
Stockholders.
No
past,
present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder
of
the Company or any Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any
obligations of the Company or of the Guarantors under the Notes, this Indenture,
the Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such
obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives
and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the
consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver and release may not be
effective to waive or release liabilities under the U.S. federal securities
laws.
Section
12.08. Governing
Law.
THIS
INDENTURE, THE GUARANTEE AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Section
12.09. Consent
to Jurisdiction and Service or Process
The
Company irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State
of
New York and the courts of the United States of America located in the Borough
of Manhattan, City and State of New York over any suit, action or proceeding
with respect to this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby. The
Company waives any objection that it may have to the venue of any suit, action
or proceeding with respect to this Indenture or the transactions contemplated
hereby in the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States
of America, in each case, located in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State
of
New York, or that such suit, action or proceeding brought in the courts of
the
State of New York or the United States of America, in each case, located in
the
Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York was brought in an inconvenient
court and agrees not to plead or claim the same.
75
Section
12.10. No
Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
This
Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or debt
agreement of the Company or its Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any
such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this
Indenture.
Section
12.11. Successors.
All
covenants and agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Notes shall
bind its successors. All covenants and agreements of the Trustee in this
Indenture shall bind its successors.
Section
12.12. Severability.
In
case
any provision in this Indenture, the Guarantee or in the Notes shall be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the
remaining provisions, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall
not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section
12.13. Counterpart
Originals.
The
parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy
shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same
agreement.
Section
12.14. Table
of Contents, Headings, etc.
The
Table
of Contents and Headings in this Indenture have been inserted for convenience
of
reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Indenture and shall
in
no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
[Signatures
on following page]
76
SIGNATURES
Dated
January 29, 2008
|
||
Company:
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx Xx | |
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
[SIGNATURE
PAGE TO INDENTURE]
Trustee
and Collateral Agent:
|
||
DB
TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED,
|
||
as
Trustee
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxx-Xxxxxxx | |
Name:
Xxxx Xxx-Xxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Authorized Signatory
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name:
Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Authorized Signatory
|
||
Registrar:
|
||
DEUTSCHE
BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.,
|
||
as
Registrar
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxx-Xxxxxxx | |
Name:
Xxxx Xxx-Xxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Attorney
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name:
Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Attorney
|
||
Paying
Agent:
|
||
DEUTSCHE
BANK AG, HONG KONG BRANCH,
|
||
as
Paying Agent
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxx-Xxxxxxx | |
Name:
Xxxx Xxx-Xxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Authorized Signatory
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name:
Xxxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Title:
Authorized Signatory
|
[SIGNATURE
PAGE TO INDENTURE]
EXHIBIT
A
(Face of Note)
[GLOBAL
NOTE LEGEND]
UNLESS
THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF EUROCLEAR
BANK
S.A./N.V. (“EUROCLEAR”), OR CLEARSTREAM BANKING, SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME
(“CLEARSTREAM”), TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER,
EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF
ITS
AUTHORIZED NOMINEE OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF EUROCLEAR OR CLEARSTREAM (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO ITS
AUTHORIZED NOMINEE, OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF EUROCLEAR OR CLEARSTREAM), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER
USE
HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE
REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, ITS AUTHORIZED NOMINEE, HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
TRANSFERS
OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART,
TO
NOMINEES OF EUROCLEAR OR CLEARSTREAM OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH
SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE.
[REGULATION
S LEGEND]
UNTIL
40
DAYS AFTER THE LATER OF THE DAY ON WHICH THE NOTES ARE FIRST OFFERED TO PERSONS
OTHER THAN DISTRIBUTORS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S, AS DEFINED BELOW) AND
THE
DATE OF THE CLOSING OF THE OFFERING OF THE NOTES, AN OFFER OR SALE OF THE NOTES
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES (AS DEFINED IN THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE “U.S. SECURITIES ACT”) MAY VIOLATE THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF
THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT IF SUCH OFFER OR SALE IS MADE OTHERWISE THAN IN
ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 144A THEREUNDER.
THIS
NOTE
HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER SECURITIES LAWS
OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR ANY INTEREST OR
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED,
ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION UNLESS
THE TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
OF THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT.
A-1
THE
HOLDER OF THIS NOTE BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS
A
“QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE U.S.
SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”)) OR (B) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING
THIS NOTE IN AN “OFFSHORE TRANSACTION” PURSUANT TO RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF
REGULATION S UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT (“REGULATION S”), (2) AGREES ON ITS
OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED
SECURITIES THAT IT WILL NOT PRIOR TO (X) THE DATE WHICH IS 40 DAYS AFTER THE
LATER OF THE DATE OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE OFFERING AND THE DATE OF ORIGINAL
ISSUANCE (OR OF ANY PREDECESSOR OF THIS NOTE) AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY,
AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION
DATE”), OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE EXCEPT (A) TO THE ISSUER,
(B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE
UNDER
THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE NOTES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE
PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY
BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT
PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF ANOTHER QUALIFIED
INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE
IN
RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S. PERSONS
THAT
OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S OR (E)
PURSUANT TO ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
OF
THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT, AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO
WHOM
THIS NOTE IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND;
PROVIDED THAT THE ISSUER, THE TRUSTEE, THE REGISTRAR AND THE TRANSFER AGENT
SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO
CLAUSE (D) PRIOR TO THE END OF THE 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD WITHIN
THE MEANING OF REGULATION S OR PURSUANT TO CLAUSE (E) PRIOR TO THE RESALE
RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE TO REQUIRE THAT AN OPINION OF COUNSEL,
CERTIFICATIONS AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER, THE TRUSTEE,
THE REGISTRAR AND THE TRANSFER AGENT IS COMPLETED AND DELIVERED BY THE
TRANSFEROR. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER
THE
RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS “OFFSHORE
TRANSACTION,” “UNITED STATES” AND “U.S. PERSON” HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM
BY REGULATION S.
THIS
NOTE
MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT
OR
BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS (I) AS PART OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION AT ANY TIME OR (II)
OTHERWISE UNTIL 40 DAYS AFTER THE LATER OF THE DATE OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF
THE
OFFERING AND THE DATE OF ORIGINAL ISSUANCE, EXCEPT IN EITHER CASE IN ACCORDANCE
WITH REGULATION S (OR RULE 144A, IF AVAILABLE) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.
A-2
5.0%
GUARANTEED SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
ISIN:
XS0331534494
Common
Code:033153449
No. 1 |
RMB145,000,000
|
promises
to pay to BT GLOBENET NOMINEES LIMITED,
or
registered assigns, as nominee of the Common Depositary for Clearstream Banking,
société anonyme (“Clearstream”)
and/or
Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. (“Euroclear”),
or
registered assigns, the Dollar Equivalent of the principal sum of RMB145,000,000
(one hundred forty five million) on January 30, 2014, or such greater or lesser
principal amount at the Stated Maturity hereof as is indicated in the records
of
the Trustee and the Common Depositary.
Interest
Payment Dates: January 30 and July 30, commencing July 30, 2008.
Record
Dates: January 15 and July 15.
Registrar:
Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A.
Dated:
January 29, 2008.
A-3
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be signed manually or
by
facsimile by its duly authorized officer.
By:
|
||
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
CERTIFICATE
OF AUTHENTICATION
|
|||
This
is one of the Global
|
|||
Notes
referred to in the
|
|||
within-mentioned
Indenture:
|
|||
DEUTSCHE
BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.,
|
|||
as
Registrar
|
|||
By:
|
|||
Authorized
Signatory
|
|||
By:
|
|||
Authorized
Signatory
|
|||
Dated
_____________, 20__
|
A-4
(Back
of
Note)
5.0%
GUARANTEED SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
Capitalized
terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture
referred to below unless otherwise indicated.
1. Interest. CHINA
NATURAL GAS, INC.,
a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
promises to pay the Dollar Equivalent of interest on the principal amount of
this Note at 5.0% per annum from the Issue Date until maturity; provided
that the
Company promises to pay Additional Interest at 3.0% per annum at the time and
in
the manner set forth in the Indenture. The interest rate on the Notes is subject
to increase pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture. The Company shall
pay
interest semi-annually on January 30 and July 30 of each year (each an
“Interest
Payment Date”), provided,
however
that in
any case where any Interest Payment Date of any Note is not a Business Day
at
the city in which the Specified Office of the Trustee is located, then
(notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or of the Notes) payment
of Interest need not be made at such Specified Office of the Trustee on such
date, but such payment may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such
Specified Office of the Trustee with the same force and effect as if made on
the
Interest Payment Date and such extension of time shall in such case be included
in the computation of Interest accruing on such Note.
Interest
shall accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid on the
Notes (or one or more Predecessor Notes) or, if no interest has been paid,
from
the date of issuance; provided,
however,
that if
there is no existing Default in the payment of interest, and if this Note is
authenticated between a record date referred to on the face hereof and the
next
succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest shall accrue from such next
succeeding Interest Payment Date; provided,
further,
that
the first Interest Payment Date shall be July 30, 2008. The Company shall pay
the Dollar Equivalent of interest (including post-petition interest in any
proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any,
from time to time at a rate that is 3.0% per annum in excess of the interest
rate then in effect under the Indenture and this Note; it shall pay the Dollar
Equivalent of interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding
under
any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest (without regard to
any
applicable grace periods), from time to time at the same rate to the extent
lawful. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year for the
actual number of days elapsed. The amount of interest for each day that the
Notes are outstanding (the “Daily
Interest Amount”)
will
be calculated by dividing the interest rate in effect for such day by 360 and
multiplying the result by the principal amount of the Notes. The amount of
interest to be paid on the Notes for each Interest Period will be calculated
by
adding the Daily Interest Amounts for each day in the Interest Period. All
percentages resulting from any of the above calculations will be rounded, if
necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with
five one-millionths of a percentage point being rounded upwards and all dollar
amounts used in or resulting from such calculations will be rounded to the
nearest cent (with one-half cent being rounded upwards). The interest rate
on
the Notes will in no event be higher than the maximum rate permitted by New
York
law as such rate may be modified by United States law of general
application.
2. Method
of Payment.
The Company shall pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest) to
the
Persons in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered
at the close of business on the January 15 or July 15 next preceding the
Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date
and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section
2.12
of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes shall be
payable as to principal, premium, if any, and interest (including Additional
Interest, if any) at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such
purpose, or, at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made
by
check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the Security
Register; provided,
however,
that
payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds shall be required with
respect to principal of and interest and premium, if any, on, all Global Notes
and all other Notes the Holders of which shall have provided wire transfer
instructions to the Company or the Paying Agent. Such payment shall be in such
coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment
is
legal tender for payment of public and private debts.
3. Paying
Agent and Registrar. Initially,
Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch shall act as Paying Agent and Deutsche Bank
Luxembourg S.A. shall act as Registrar. The Company may change any Paying
Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Company or any of its
Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity.
A-5
4. Indenture.
The
Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated January 29, 2008
(“Indenture”)
between the Company and the Trustee. To the extent any provision of this
Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions
of
the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.
5.Mandatory
Redemption.
The
Company agrees that on the dates indicated in the following table, the Company
will prepay and there shall become due and payable the corresponding principal
amount (or such lesser principal amount as shall then be outstanding) in respect
of the aggregate principal Debt evidenced by the Notes as of the first date
listed below.
Date
|
Prepayment
Amount
|
|||
July
30, 2011
|
8.3333
|
%
|
||
January
30, 2012
|
8.3333
|
%
|
||
July
30, 2012
|
16.6667
|
%
|
||
January
30, 2013
|
16.6667
|
%
|
||
July
30, 2013
|
25.0000
|
%
|
The
entire remaining principal amount of the Notes shall become due and payable
on
January 30, 2014. Each required prepayment made pursuant to this paragraph
5
shall be made at the Dollar Equivalent of the prepayment amount and without
payment of any premium and allocated among all of the Notes in proportion,
as
nearly as practicable, to the respective unpaid principal amounts thereof.
Upon
any repurchase of the Notes pursuant to paragraph 7, the principal amount of
each required prepayment of the Notes becoming due under this paragraph 5 on
and
after the date of such prepayment or purchase shall be reduced in the same
proportion as the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Notes is reduced
as a
result of such prepayment or purchase.
In
the
case of each prepayment of Notes pursuant to this paragraph 5, the principal
amount of each Note to be prepaid shall mature and become due and payable on
the
date fixed for such prepayment, together with interest on such principal amount
accrued to such date. From and after such date, unless the Company shall fail
to
pay such principal amount when so due and payable, together with the interest
as
aforesaid, interest on such principal amount shall cease to accrue. Any Note
paid or prepaid in full shall be surrendered to the Company and canceled and
shall not be reissued, and no Note shall be issued in lieu of any prepaid
principal amount of any Note.
6. Optional
Redemption.
The
Notes
shall not be redeemable at the option of the Company prior to July 30, 2008.
Beginning on July 30, 2008, the Company may redeem all (but not less than all)
of the Notes, after giving the notice required pursuant to Section 3.01 of
the
Indenture, at the redemption price of 108.% and thereafter at the redemption
prices set forth below (in each case expressed as a percentage of the
outstanding unpaid principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest, to
but
excluding the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on
the
relevant Regular Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest
Payment Date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period commencing on January
30 of the years set forth below:
Unless
the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price, interest will
cease
to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption on the
applicable redemption date.
A-6
Any
prepayment pursuant to this paragraph shall be made pursuant to the provisions
of Sections 3.01 through 3.03 of the Indenture.
7. Repurchase
at Option of Holder.
(a)
Upon the
occurrence of a Change of Control, each Holder shall have the right to require
the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to RMB1.0 million or an
integral multiple of RMB1.0 million) of such Holder’s Notes (a “Change
of Control Offer”)
at a
purchase price in cash equal to the Dollar Equivalent of 105.0% of the aggregate
principal amount thereof repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the
Notes repurchased to the purchase date (subject to the right of Holders of
record on the relevant record date to receive interest to, but excluding, the
Purchase Date).
(b) If
the
Company or one of its Subsidiaries consummates any Asset Sales, they shall
not
be required to apply any Net Available Cash in accordance with the Indenture
until the aggregate Net Available Cash from all Asset Sales following the date
the Notes are first issued exceeds $5.0 million. Thereafter, the Company shall,
after application of the additional aggregate $5.0 million of Net Available
Cash
as provided in the second paragraph of Section 4.12 of the Indenture, commence
an offer for Notes pursuant to the Indenture by applying the Net Available
Cash
(an “Asset
Sale Offer”)
pursuant to Section 3.06 of the Indenture to purchase the maximum principal
amount of Notes that may be purchased out of the Net Available Cash at an offer
price in cash equal to the Dollar Equivalent of 105% of the principal amount
thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date fixed for the closing
of
such offer in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture. To
the
extent that the aggregate amount of Notes tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale
Offer is less than the Net Available Cash, the Company (or such Subsidiary)
may
use such deficiency first to repay certain credit facilities or any other Senior
Debt of the Company or any Guarantor or Debt of any Subsidiary of the Company
that is not a Guarantor (excluding, in any such case, any Debt owed to the
Company or an Affiliate of the Company), and only thereafter, for any purpose
permitted by the Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes
surrendered by Holders thereof exceeds the amount of Net Available Cash, the
Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a pro
rata
basis.
Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase will receive
an
Asset Sale Offer from the Company prior to any related purchase date and may
elect to have such Notes purchased by completing the form entitled “Option of
Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Notes.
(c)
Upon the
occurrence of a Delisting, each Holder shall have the right to require the
Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to RMB1.0 or an integral multiple
of RMB1.0 million) of such Holder’s Notes (a “Delisting
Offer”)
at a
purchase price in cash equal to the Dollar Equivalent of 105.0% of the aggregate
principal amount thereof repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the
Notes repurchased to the purchase date (subject to the right of Holders of
record on the relevant record date to receive interest to, but excluding, the
Purchase Date).
8. Notice
of Redemption.
Notice of redemption shall be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60
days
before the redemption date to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at
its
registered address. Notes in denominations larger than RMB1.0 million may
be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of RMB1.0 million, unless all
of
the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed. On and after the redemption
date interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for
redemption.
9. Denominations,
Transfer, Exchange.
The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of RMB1.0
million and integral multiples of RMB1.0 million. This Note shall
represent the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to
time
endorsed hereon and the aggregate principal amount of Notes represented hereby
may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect
exchanges and redemptions. The transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes
may
be exchanged as provided in the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee
may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements
and transfer documents and the Company may require a Holder to pay any taxes
and
fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company need not
exchange or register the transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected
for
redemption, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in
part. Also, the Company need not exchange or register the transfer of any
Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or
during the period between a record date and the corresponding Interest Payment
Date.
10. Persons
Deemed Owners.
The registered Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all
purposes.
A-7
11. Amendment,
Supplement and Waiver.
Subject to certain exceptions, the Company and the Trustee may amend or
supplement the Indenture or the Notes with the consent of the Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes voting as a single
class (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of or tender
offer or exchange offer for the Notes), and, subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07
of the Indenture, any existing Default or Event of Default (except a continuing
Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or
interest on the Notes) or compliance with any provision of the Indenture or
the
Notes (except for certain covenants and provisions of the Indenture which cannot
be amended without the consent of each Holder) may be waived with the consent
of
the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes
voting as a single class (including consents obtained in connection with a
purchase of or tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes). Without the
consent of any Holder, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement
the
Indenture or the Notes to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency,
to provide for the assumption by a successor corporation, partnership or limited
liability company of the obligations of the Company under the Indenture, to
provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated
Notes, to add additional Guarantees or additional obligors with respect to
the
Notes, to secure the Notes, to add to the covenants of the Company for the
benefit of the Holders of the Notes or to surrender any right or power conferred
upon the Company, or to make any change that would provide any additional rights
or benefits to the Holders of Notes or that does not adversely affect the legal
rights under the Indenture of any such Holder.
12.
Defaults
and Remedies.
Each of the following is an Event of Default under the Indenture: (a) failure
to
make the payment of any interest on such Notes when the same becomes due and
payable, and such failure continues for a period of 5 Business Days; (b) failure
to make the payment of any principal of, or premium, if any, on, any of such
Notes when the same becomes due and payable at its Stated Maturity, upon
acceleration, mandatory redemption, optional redemption, required repurchase
or
otherwise, including payment of Additional Interest and such failure continues
for a period of 5 Business Days; (c) failure to comply with Section 5.01 of
the
Indenture; (d) failure to comply with any other material covenant or agreement
in such Notes or in this Indenture (other than a failure that is the subject
of
the foregoing clause (a), (b) or (c) and other than the failure to comply with
Section 4.24 of the Indenture, for which payment of Additional Interest is
provided for under the Indenture and is governed by Section 4.01 thereof),
and
such failure continues for 30 days after written notice is given to the Company
by the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount
of such Notes then outstanding specifying the default, demanding that it be
remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default;” (e)
a
default under any Debt by the Company or any Subsidiary that results in
acceleration of the maturity of such Debt, or failure to pay any such Debt
at
maturity, in an aggregate amount greater than $3.0 million or its foreign
currency equivalent at the time; (f) any judgment or judgments for, the payment
of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $1.0 million (or its foreign
currency equivalent at the time) that shall be instituted or rendered against
the Company or any Subsidiary; (g) any Guarantee ceases to be in full force
and
effect (other than in accordance with the terms of such Guarantee) or any
Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under its Guarantee; (h) certain
events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization affecting the Company or
any
of its Significant Subsidiaries; (i) any default by the Company or Future
Guarantor Pledgor in any of its obligations under the Security Documents, which
adversely affects the enforceability, validity, perfection or priority of the
applicable Lien on the Collateral or which adversely affects the condition
or
value of the Collateral, taken as a whole, in any material respect; the security
interest under the Security Documents shall, at any time, cease to be in full
force and effect for any reason other than the satisfaction in full of all
obligations under the Indenture and discharge of the Indenture or any security
interest created thereunder shall be declared invalid or unenforceable or the
Company or any Guarantor shall assert, in any pleading in any court of competent
jurisdiction, that any such security interest is invalid or unenforceable;
(j)
the Company or any Future Guarantor Pledgor denies or disaffirms its obligations
under any Security Document or, other than in accordance with this Indenture
and
the Security Documents, any Security Document ceases to be or is not in full
force and effect or the Trustee ceases to have a first priority interest in
the
Collateral; (k) the Company or its Subsidiaries amends or modifies their
respective constitutive documents in such a manner that would have a Material
Adverse Effect or engages any business other than a Related Business; (l) either
(i) any Structured Business Agreement (or all Structured Business Agreements
considered as a whole), the Indenture, the Notes, any loan made directly or
indirectly from the Company to the WFOE, or any Security Document shall be
(A)
declared by any Governmental Authority to be illegal or unenforceable or (B)
terminated prior to its scheduled termination date, or (ii) any party to a
Structured Business Agreement shall deny that it has any liability or obligation
under any such Structured Business Agreement to which it is a party and such
party shall have ceased performance thereunder prior to its scheduled expiration
date; (m) (i) the confiscation, expropriation or nationalization by any
Governmental Authority of any Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or their respective interests in any Structured Business Agreement (or all
Structured Business Agreements considered as a whole) if such confiscation,
expropriation or nationalization could have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company as a whole; or (ii) the cancellation, or material and substantially
adverse modification, of the rights of the WFOE pursuant to the Structured
Business Agreements, or (iii) if such revocation or repudiation could reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the revocation or repudiation
by
any Governmental Authority of any previously granted Governmental Approval
to
the WFOE or any Operating Company that is material to the operation of the
Related Business; or (iv) the imposition or introduction of material and
discriminatory taxes, tariffs, royalties, customs or excise duties imposed
on
the WFOE or any Operating Company, or the material and discriminatory withdrawal
or suspension of material privileges or specifically granted material rights
of
a fiscal nature; (n) failure by the Company or any Affiliate thereof (other
than
any Person who is an Affiliate solely because such Person is a holder of Notes
or of the Company’s warrants to purchase its common stock) to comply with any of
the agreements in that certain Investor Rights Agreement dated the Issue Date
by
and among the Company, certain Affiliates of the Company and the other Persons
therein named if such failure continues for 30 days after written notice is
given to the Company by the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in
aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding specifying the default,
demanding that it be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of
Default;” (o) failure by the Company to comply with the Account Agreement if
such failure continues for 30 days after written notice is given to the Company
by the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount
of the Notes then outstanding specifying the default, demanding that it be
remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default;” or (p) failure
by any Permitted Holder, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to fully comply,
including without limitation, with any applicable foreign exchange registration,
settlement or remittance requirement therein, with Circular 75 issued by the
PRC
State Administration of Foreign Exchange on October 21, 2005, including any
amendment, implementing rules, or official interpretation thereof or any
replacement, successor or alternative legislation having the same subject matter
thereof and the failure to so comply may have a material adverse effect on
the
Company.
A-8
If
any
Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at
least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare all
the
Notes to be due and payable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of
an
Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency
described in the Indenture, all outstanding Notes shall become due and payable
without further action or notice. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or
the
Notes except as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations,
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding
Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee
may withhold from Holders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default
(except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal
or
interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest. The
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then
outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of
the
Notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under
the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment
of
interest, or the principal of, the Notes. The Company is required to deliver
to
the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and
the Company is required upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default,
to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of
Default.
13. Trustee
Dealings with Company.
Subject
to certain limitations, the Trustee in its individual or any other capacity
may
become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company
or
any Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were
not
Trustee.
14. No
Recourse Against Others.
No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator or
stockholder of the Company or of any Guarantor, as such, shall have any
liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor under the
Indenture, the Notes, the Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect
of,
or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by
accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability.
15. Authentication.
This Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of
the
Trustee or an authenticating agent.
16. Abbreviations.
Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee,
such
as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entireties),
JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in
common), CUST (= Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors
Act).
A-9
17. Original
Issue Discount.
For
purposes of sections 1272, 1273 and 1275 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended, this Note is being issued with Tax Original Issue Discount and
the
issue date of this Note is January 29, 2008. A holder of Notes may obtain the
issue price, amount of Tax Original Issue Discount, issue date, and yield to
maturity for the Notes by submitting a written request to the Company at the
following address:
00
Xxxx
Xxx Xxxxx# 0000
New
York,
NY 10016
Attention:
Chief Financial Officer
18. Governing
Law.
The
Indenture, the Guarantee and this Note shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the law of the state of New York.
A-10
Option
of
Holder to Elect Purchase
If
you
want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section
4.12 or 4.16 or 4.29 of the Indenture, check the box below:
Section
4.12 Purchase
Date:_______________
Section
4.16
Section
4.29
If
you
want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the Company pursuant
to
Section 4.12 or 4.16 or 4.29 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to
have purchased: $_____________________
Date:______________________________
|
Your
Signature:_______________________________
|
(Sign
exactly as your name appears on the Note)
|
|
Tax Identification No.__________________________________________
|
A-11
Assignment
Form
To
assign
this Note, fill in the form below:
(I)
or
(we) assign and transfer this Note to
(Insert
assignee’s social security or other tax I.D. no.)
(Print
or
type assignee’s name, address and zip code)
and
irrevocably
appoint_________________________________________________________________________
as
agent
to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may
substitute another to act for him.
Date:
______________
|
|
Your
Signature:______________________________
|
|
(Sign
exactly as your name appears on the face of
this
Note)
|
A-12
SCHEDULE
OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE
The
following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another
Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global
Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been
made:
Date of Exchange
|
Amount of
decrease in
Principal Amount
of this Global Note
|
Amount of increase
in Principal Amount
of this Global Note
|
Principal Amount
of this Global Note
following such
decrease (or
increase)
|
Signature of
authorized signatory
of Trustee or
Note Custodian
|
|||||||||
A-13
EXHIBIT
B
FORM
OF
NOTATION OF GUARANTEE
For
value
received, each Guarantor (which term includes any successor Person under the
Indenture), jointly and severally, unconditionally guarantees, to the extent
set
forth in the Indenture and subject to the provisions in the Indenture, dated
January 29, 2008 (the “Indenture”),
among
China Natural Gas, Inc., as issuer (the “Company”),
the
Guarantor listed on the signature pages thereto and DB Trustees (Hong Kong)
Limited, as trustee (the “Trustee”),
(a)
the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest
on the Notes, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise,
the
due and punctual payment of interest on overdue principal and premium, if any,
and, to the extent permitted by law, interest and the due and punctual
performance of all other obligations of the Company to the Holders or the
Trustee all in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and (b) in case of
any
extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other
obligations, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed
in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated
maturity, by acceleration or otherwise. The obligations of the Guarantors to
the
Holders of Notes and to the Trustee pursuant to the Guarantee and the Indenture
are expressly set forth in Article 9 of the Indenture and reference is hereby
made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Guarantee. This Guarantee
is
subject to release as and to the extent set forth in Section 9.05 of the
Indenture. Each Holder of a Note, by accepting the same agrees to and shall
be
bound by such provisions. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined are
used
herein as so defined in the Indenture.
[GUARANTOR
NAME]
|
|||
By:
|
|||
Name:
|
|||
Title:
|
EXHIBIT
C
FORM
OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
China
Natural Gas, Inc.
19th
Floor, Building B, Van Metropolis
Xx.
00
Xxxxxx Xxxx
High
Tech
Zone
Xi’an
710065
P.R.
China
Attention:
Chief Financial Officer
DB
Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited
48th
Floor, Xxxxxx Kong Center2 Queen’s Road Central
Hong
Kong
Attention:
The Managing Director
Facsimile
No: x000 0000 0000
Re: 5.0%
GUARANTEED SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
Reference
is hereby made to the Indenture, dated January 29, 2008 (the “Indenture”),
among
CHINA NATURAL GAS, INC., as issuer (the “Company”)
and DB
TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined
herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
___________________,
(the “Transferor”)
owns
and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] in the
principal amount of $___________ (the “Transfer”),
to
___________________________ (the “Transferee”).
In
connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:
[CHECK
ALL THAT APPLY]
1. Check
if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Global Note
or
a Definitive Note pursuant to Regulation S.
The
Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule
904 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)
and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer
is not being made to a Person in the United States and (x) at the time the
buy
order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such
Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes
that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was
executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities
market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows
that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii)
no
directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements
of
Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(a) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii)
the
transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration
requirements of the Securities Act and (iv) if the proposed transfer is being
made prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period (as defined
in Regulation S under the Securities Act), the transfer is not being made to
a
U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person. Upon consummation
of
the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the
transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the
restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the legend printed on the Global Note
and/or the Definitive Note and in the Securities Act.
2. Check
if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Global Note
or
a Definitive Note Pursuant to Rule 144A.
The
Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under
the Securities Act, and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies
that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person
that the Transferor reasonably believed and believes is purchasing the
beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more
accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion,
and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer”
within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of
Rule 144A and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky
securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the
proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred
beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions
on
transfer enumerated in the legend printed on the Global Note or the Definitive
Note and in the Securities Act.
3. Check
if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Global Note
or
a Definitive Note pursuant to any provision of the Securities Act other than
Rule 144A or Regulation S.
The
Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions
applicable to beneficial interests in Global Notes and Definitive Notes and
pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue
sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the
Transferor hereby further certifies that:
(i)
such
Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under
the
Securities Act; or
(ii)
such
Transfer is being effected to the Company or a subsidiary thereof; or
(iii)
such
Transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement
under
the Securities Act.
This
certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and
the benefit of the Company.
EXHIBIT
D
FORM
OF AUTHORIZATION CERTIFICATE
I,
Xx
Xxxxx, Chief Executive Officer, acting on behalf of China Natural Gas, Inc.
(the
“Company”),
hereby certify that:
(A)
the
persons listed below are (i) officers for purposes of the Indenture dated as
of
January 29, 2008 between the Company and DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, as
Trustee, (ii) duly elected or appointed, qualified and acting as the holder
of
the respective office or offices set forth opposite his name and (iii) the
duly
authorized person who executed or will execute the Notes by his manual or
facsimile signature and was at the time of such execution, duly elected or
appointed, qualified and acting as the holder of the office set forth opposite
his name;
(B)
each
signature appearing below is the person’s genuine signature; and
(C)
attached hereto as Schedule I is a true, correct and complete specimen of the
certificates representing the Notes.
Officers:
Name
|
Title
|
Signature
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
EXHIBIT
E
CHINA
NATURAL GAS, INC.
19th
Floor, Building B, Van Metropolis
Xx.
00 Xxxxxx Xxxx
High
Tech Zone
Xi’an
710065
P.R.
China
[Date]
To: |
Deutsche
Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch (as "Paying Agent")
|
DB
Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited (as "Trustee")
|
Dear
Sirs, CHINA
NATURAL GAS, INC.
RMB
Denominated U.S. Dollar Settled 5% Guaranteed Senior Notes due
2014
(the
“Notes”)
In
respect to the [Interest Payment due on ________/Redemption Price/Repurchase
payment/repayment of principal amount of the Notes], Pursuant to Section
1.01 of the Indenture, please be advised that the applicable US$/RMB
exchange base rate is ________.
We
hereby
confirm the following payment details and accordingly we will arrange payment
of
US$________ to the paying agent on ________ in accordance with the Indenture.
Payment
Details:
Issuer
Name: China Natural Gas, Inc.
ISIN
Code: XS0331534494
Interest
period (if applicable): (in) to (ex)
Interest
Payment Date or other Payment Date, where applicable:
Applicable
Interest Rate:
Payment
Amount per denomination:
Amount
in
RMB (amount per denomination x total No. of denominations):
Applicable
Exchange Rate:
Total
amount due in US$:
Terms
defined in the Indenture shall have the same meaning as used in this notice.
[Remainder
of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
Very
truly yours,
|
||
CHINA
NATURAL GAS, INC.
|
||
By:
|
||
Name:
|
||
Title:
Authorized Signatory
|
E-1
SCHEDULE
A
List
of Fillng Stations
Name
of Station
|
Address
(in PRC)
|
|
1.
Pingdingshan Station
|
Dongfong
Road
Yongji
Small District
Building
No. 5, Unit 2
Pingdingshan,
Henan
|
|
2.
Yanshi Station
|
Shangdu
West Road
(Yanhua
Intersection)
Yanshi,
Henan
|
|
3.
Changlepo Station
|
Changle
East Road
Baqiao
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
4.
Hongqing Station
|
Hongqing
Industrial Park
Baqiao
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
5.
Lantian Station
|
Lantian
Industrial Park
Shaanxi
|
|
6.
Fangzhi City Station
|
Fangzhi
City Fangnan Road
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
7.
Yanhuan West Road Station
|
Yanhuan
West Road
Ducheng
Crossroad, Northeast corner
Xxxxx
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
8.
Jiyuan Station
|
Nihetou
South Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxx
0, Xx. 0
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx
|
|
9.
Beer Road Station
|
Beer
Road
Weiyang
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
10.
Jianzhang Road Station
|
Xx.
0 Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxx
Xxxx,
Xxxxxxx
|
|
11.
Quenming Road Station
|
Quenming
Road
Lianhu
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
12.
Shihua Boulevard Station
|
Shihua
Road
Weiyang
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
13.
North Erhuan Station
|
North
Erhuan West Section
North
Side
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
14.
Shudao Road Station
|
Xx.
0 Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxx,
Xxxxxxx
|
|
15.
Kaifeng Station
|
Beijiao
Township
Batun
Village
Kaifeng,
Henan
|
|
16.
Miqin Road Station
|
Miqin
Road
Baqiao
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
17.
Keji Road Station
|
Keji
0 Xxxx
Xxxx,
Xxxxxxx
|
|
18.
Epang 0 Xxxx Station
|
Epang
0 Xxxx
Xxxx,
Xxxxxxx
|
|
19.
Zhengzhou ZhongZhou Station
|
Zhongzhou
Boulevard
Zhengzhou,
Henan
|
|
20.
Zhengzhou Beihuan Station
|
Beihuan
Road
Zhengzhou,
Henan
|
|
21.
Fenghe Road Station
|
Fenghe
Road
Lianhu
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
00
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Station
|
Zhangba
North Road
Xxxxx
District
Xian,
Shaanxi
|
|
23.
Kaifeng Longting Station
|
Beihuan
Road
Kaifeng,
Henan
|
|
24.
Xuchang Xiangyang Road Station
|
Xiangyang
Road
Xuchang,
Henan
|
|
25.
Hualong Station
|
Tanan
Road, New Star Company Park West, Jiao Zuo, Henan
|
|
26.
Donghuan Road Station
|
Donghuan
Road North, Jiao Zuo, Henan
|
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
|
|||
1
|
|||
Section
1.01.
|
Definitions
|
1
|
|
Section
1.02.
|
Other
Definitions
|
24
|
|
Section
1.03.
|
Rules
of Construction
|
24
|
|
ARTICLE
2. THE
NOTES
|
25
|
||
Section
2.01.
|
Form
and Dating
|
25
|
|
Section
2.02.
|
Execution
and Authentication
|
26
|
|
Section
2.03.
|
Registrar
and Paying Agent
|
27
|
|
Section
2.04.
|
Paying
Agent to Hold Money in Trust
|
27
|
|
Section
2.05.
|
Holder
Lists
|
27
|
|
Section
2.06.
|
Transfer
and Exchange
|
28
|
|
Section
2.07.
|
Replacement
Notes
|
29
|
|
Section
2.08.
|
Outstanding
Notes
|
29
|
|
Section
2.09.
|
Treasury
Notes
|
30
|
|
Section
2.10.
|
Temporary
Notes
|
30
|
|
Section
2.11.
|
Cancellation
|
30
|
|
Section
2.12.
|
Payment
of Interest; Defaulted Interest
|
30
|
|
Section
2.13.
|
ISIN
Numbers and Common Codes
|
31
|
|
Section
2.14.
|
Record
Date
|
31
|
|
ARTICLE
3. REDEMPTION
AND PREPAYMENT
|
31
|
||
Section
3.01.
|
Notice
of Redemption
|
31
|
|
Section
3.02.
|
Effect
of Notice of Redemption
|
32
|
|
Section
3.03.
|
Deposit
of Redemption Price
|
32
|
|
Section
3.04.
|
Optional
Redemption
|
32
|
|
Section
3.05.
|
Mandatory
Redemption
|
33
|
|
Section
3.06.
|
Offer
To Purchase
|
33
|
|
Section
3.07.
|
NOTICE
TO TRUSTEE
|
35
|
|
ARTICLE
4. COVENANTS
|
35
|
||
Section
4.01.
|
Payment
of Notes
|
35
|
|
Section
4.02.
|
Maintenance
of Office or Agency
|
36
|
|
Section
4.03.
|
Reports
|
36
|
|
Section
4.04.
|
Compliance
Certificate
|
37
|
|
Section
4.05.
|
Taxes
|
37
|
|
Section
4.06.
|
Stay,
Extension and Usury Laws
|
38
|
|
Section
4.07.
|
Corporate
Existence
|
38
|
|
Section
4.08.
|
Payments
for Consent
|
38
|
|
Section
4.09.
|
Incurrence
of Additional Debt
|
38
|
|
Section
4.10.
|
Restricted
Payments
|
40
|
|
Section
4.11.
|
Liens
|
41
|
|
Section
4.12.
|
Asset
Sales
|
42
|
|
Section
4.13.
|
Restrictions
on Distributions from Subsidiaries
|
43
|
|
Section
4.14.
|
Affiliate
Transactions
|
44
|
|
Section
4.15.
|
Issuance
or Sale of Capital Stock of Subsidiaries
|
45
|
|
Section
4.16.
|
Repurchase
at the Option of Holders Following a Change of Control
|
45
|
|
Section
4.17.
|
Future
Guarantors
|
45
|
|
Section
4.18.
|
Business
Activities
|
46
|
|
Section
4.19.
|
Sale
and Leaseback Transactions
|
46
|
i
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
|||
Section
4.20.
|
Impairment
of Security Interest
|
46
|
|
Section
4.21.
|
Amendments
to Security Documents
|
46
|
|
Section
4.22.
|
Use
of Proceeds
|
46
|
|
Section
4.23.
|
Maintenance
of Insurance
|
46
|
|
Section
4.24.
|
Qualifying
Listing
|
47
|
|
Section
4.25.
|
Government
Approvals and Licenses; Structured Business Agreements
|
47
|
|
Section
4.26.
|
Minimum
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio and Leverage Ratio
|
47
|
|
Section
4.27.
|
Notes
to Rank Senior
|
47
|
|
Section
4.28.
|
Calculation
of Original Issue Discount
|
48
|
|
Section
4.29.
|
Repurchase
Upon Delisting
|
48
|
|
ARTICLE
5. SUCCESSORS
|
48
|
||
Section
5.01.
|
Merger,
Consolidation and Sale of Assets
|
48
|
|
Section
5.02.
|
Successor
Corporation Substituted
|
50
|
|
ARTICLE
6. DEFAULTS
AND REMEDIES
|
50
|
||
Section
6.01.
|
Events
of Default
|
50
|
|
Section
6.02.
|
Acceleration
|
53
|
|
Section
6.03.
|
Other
Remedies
|
53
|
|
Section
6.04.
|
Waiver
of Defaults
|
53
|
|
Section
6.05.
|
Control
by Supermajority
|
54
|
|
Section
6.06.
|
Limitation
on Suits
|
54
|
|
Section
6.07.
|
Rights
of Holders to Receive Payment
|
54
|
|
Section
6.08.
|
Collection
Suit by Trustee
|
55
|
|
Section
6.09.
|
Trustee
May File Proofs of Claim
|
55
|
|
Section
6.10.
|
Priorities
|
55
|
|
Section
6.11.
|
Undertaking
for Costs
|
56
|
|
Section
6.12.
|
Restoration
of Rights and Remedies
|
56
|
|
Section
6.13.
|
Rights
and Remedies Cumulative
|
56
|
|
Section
6.14.
|
Delay
or Omission Not Waiver
|
56
|
|
ARTICLE
7. TRUSTEE
AND AGENTS
|
56
|
||
Section
7.01.
|
Duties
of Trustee
|
56
|
|
Section
7.02.
|
Rights
of Trustee
|
58
|
|
Section
7.03.
|
Individual
Rights of Trustee
|
59
|
|
Section
7.04.
|
Trustee’s
Disclaimer
|
59
|
|
Section
7.05.
|
Notice
of Defaults
|
59
|
|
Section
7.06.
|
Force
Majeure
|
59
|
|
Section
7.07.
|
Compensation
and Indemnity
|
60
|
|
Section
7.08.
|
Replacement
of Trustee
|
60
|
|
Section
7.09.
|
Successor
Trustee by Xxxxxx, etc
|
61
|
|
Section
7.10.
|
AGENTS
|
61
|
|
ARTICLE
8. AMENDMENT,
SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER
|
62
|
||
Section
8.01.
|
Without
Consent of Holders
|
62
|
|
Section
8.02.
|
With
Consent of Holders
|
62
|
|
Section
8.03.
|
Revocation
and Effect of Consents
|
63
|
|
Section
8.04.
|
Notation
on or Exchange of Notes
|
63
|
|
Section
8.05.
|
Trustee
to Sign Amendments, etc
|
64
|
|
ARTICLE
9. GUARANTEES
|
64
|
||
Section
9.01.
|
Guarantee
|
64
|
ii
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
|
|||
Section
9.02.
|
Limitation
on Guarantor Liability
|
66
|
|
Section
9.03.
|
Execution
and Delivery of Guarantee
|
66
|
|
Section
9.04.
|
Guarantors
May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms
|
66
|
|
Section
9.05.
|
Releases
Following Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets, Etc
|
67
|
|
ARTICLE
10. COLLATERAL
AND SECURITY
|
67
|
||
Section
10.01.
|
Security
Documents
|
67
|
|
Section
10.02.
|
Future
Guarantor Pledgors
|
68
|
|
Section
10.03.
|
Recording
and Opinions
|
69
|
|
Section
10.04.
|
Release
of Collateral
|
70
|
|
Section
10.05.
|
Authorization
of Actions to Be Taken by the Trustee Under the Security
Documents
|
70
|
|
Section
10.06.
|
Authorization
of Receipt of Funds by the Trustee Under the Security
Documents
|
71
|
|
Section
10.07.
|
Termination
of Security Interest
|
71
|
|
Section
10.08.
|
Appointment
of Collateral Agent
|
71
|
|
ARTICLE
11. SATISFACTION
AND DISCHARGE
|
72
|
||
Section
11.01.
|
Satisfaction
and Discharge
|
72
|
|
Section
11.02.
|
Deposited
Cash to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions
|
72
|
|
Section
11.03.
|
Repayment
to Company
|
73
|
|
ARTICLE
12. MISCELLANEOUS
|
73
|
||
Section
12.01.
|
Notices
|
73
|
|
Section
12.02.
|
Communication
by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes
|
74
|
|
Section
12.03.
|
Certificate
and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent
|
74
|
|
Section
12.04.
|
Statements
Required in Certificate or Opinion
|
74
|
|
Section
12.05.
|
Legal
Holidays
|
75
|
|
Section
12.06.
|
Rules
by Trustee and Agents
|
75
|
|
Section
12.07.
|
No
Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and
Stockholders
|
75
|
|
Section
12.08.
|
Governing
Law
|
75
|
|
Section
12.09.
|
No
Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements
|
75
|
|
Section
12.10.
|
Successors
|
76
|
|
Section
12.11.
|
Severability
|
76
|
|
Section
12.12.
|
Counterpart
Originals
|
76
|
|
Section
12.13.
|
Table
of Contents, Headings, etc
|
76
|
EXHIBIT
A
EXHIBIT
B
EXHIBIT
C
EXHIBIT
D
EXHIBIT
E
iii