Risk Factors Dashboard
Once a year, publicly traded companies issue a comprehensive report of their business, called a 10-K. A component mandated in the 10-K is the ‘Risk Factors’ section, where companies disclose any major potential risks that they may face. This dashboard highlights all major changes and additions in new 10K reports, allowing investors to quickly identify new potential risks and opportunities.
View risk factors by ticker
Search filings by term
Risk Factors - CXKJ
-New additions in green
-Changes in blue
-Hover to see similar sentence in last filing
7 |
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
8 |
9 |
● | Our current auditor, J&S, an independent registered public accounting firm that is headquartered in Malaysia, is a firm registered with the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”). Although we believe that the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act and the related regulations do not currently affect us, we cannot assure you that there will not be any further implementations and interpretations of or amendments to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act or the related regulations, which might pose regulatory risks to and impose restrictions on us because of our operations in mainland China. A potential consequence is that our securities are delisted by the exchange on which our securities are listed.. See “Item 1A. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Related to Doing Business in China - To the extent that our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit documentation related to their audit reports for the Company may, in the future, be located in China or in Hong Kong, our securities could be delisted and prohibited from trading on a U.S. exchange” on page 66. |
Implications of Being a Holding Company - Transfers of Cash to and from Our Subsidiaries
As a holding company, we will rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries maintain cash management policies or procedures that dictate how funds are transferred. The Company is permitted under the laws of the State of Nevada and its articles of incorporation (as amended from time to time) to provide funding to its subsidiaries through loans or capital contributions. Our subsidiaries are permitted under the respective laws of China and Hong Kong to provide funding to us through dividends without restrictions on the amount of the funds, other than as limited by the amount of their distributable earnings. However, to the extent that cash is in our PRC or Hong Kong subsidiaries, there is a possibility that the funds may not be available to fund our operations or for other uses outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions or the imposition of restrictions and limitations by the PRC or the Hong Kong government on their ability to transfer cash. In addition, if any of our subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us.
As of the date of this Annual Report, our subsidiaries have not experienced any difficulties or limitations on their ability to transfer cash between each other nor do they maintain cash management policies or procedures dictating the amount of such funding or how funds are transferred. None of our subsidiaries has paid any dividends or other distributions or transferred assets to the Company as of the date of this Annual Report. In the future, cash proceeds raised from overseas financing activities may be transferred by the Company to its subsidiaries via capital contribution or shareholder loans, as the case may be. As of the date of this Annual Report, the Company has not made any transfers, paid any dividends, or made any distributions to U.S. investors. None of the Company, our subsidiaries, or our VIE has any plan to distribute earnings or settle amounts owed under the VIE Agreements in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain all available funds and future earnings, if any, for the operation of our VIE’s business.
See “Item 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Related to Doing Business in China - Restrictions under PRC law on our subsidiaries’ ability to make dividend payments and other distributions could materially and adversely affect our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could benefit our business, pay dividends to you, and otherwise fund and conduct our business” on page 68.
10 |
Corporate History and Structure
Kun Peng International Ltd. (formerly known as CX Network Group, Inc.)
The Company was incorporated in the State of Florida on September 3, 2010, under the name of “mLight Tech, Inc.” (“MLGT”). On July 11, 2017, MLGT merged with and into CX Network Group, Inc. (“CXKJ”), a company incorporated in Nevada on July 25, 2005, with CXKJ as the surviving corporation pursuant to an agreement and plan of merger (the “Merger Agreement”) dated July 3, 2017.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, immediately after the effective time of the Merger, the Company’s corporate existence is governed by the laws of the State of Nevada and the Articles of Incorporation and bylaws of the Company (the “Domicile Change”), its name was changed to CX Network Group, Inc. (the “Name Change”), and each outstanding share of MLGT’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, was converted into 0.0667 outstanding share of common stock of CXKJ, par value $0.0001 per share, at a one-for-fifteen reverse split ratio (the “Reverse Stock Split”) which resulted in reclassification of capital from par value to capital in excess of par value. Immediately prior to the effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split, we had 217,300,000 shares of common stock of MLGT issued and outstanding. Immediately upon the effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split, we had 14,486,670 shares of common stock of CXKJ issued and outstanding.
The Name Change, the Domicile Change, and the Reverse Stock Split were effective as of July 11, 2017. Subsequently, the Company’s trading symbol for its common stock was changed to “CXKJ.”
On March 20, 2018, CXKJ, Chuangxiang Holdings Inc., a company incorporated on February 4, 2016 under the laws of the Cayman Islands (“CX Cayman”), Continent Investment Management Limited, a British Virgin Islands company (“Continent”), and Golden Fish Capital Investment Limited, a British Virgin Islands company (“Golden Fish,” and, together with “Continent,” the “CX Cayman Stockholders”) entered into a share exchange agreement (the “Share Exchange Agreement”), pursuant to which CXKJ acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding equity securities of CX Cayman in exchange for 5,350,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of CXKJ (the “Share Exchange”). As a result of the Share Exchange, CX Cayman became the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary.
Immediately prior to the Share Exchange, we were a shell company with no significant assets or operations. As a result of the Share Exchange, we operated through our PRC affiliated entity, namely Chuangxiang Network Technology (Shenzhen) Limited, located in Shenzhen, China, (“CX Network”). CX Network’s business focused on the development and operation of online dating and mobile gaming products either developed and operated by it, developed by it but co-operated by third parties, or developed by third parties but co-operated by it.
On March 30, 2021, certain of our shareholders (the “Sellers”) and a certain investor (the “Purchaser”) entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”), pursuant to which the Purchaser acquired 16,683,334 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company for an aggregate purchase price of $255,000, subject to satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions set forth in the SPA.
In connection with the SPA, on the same day, we entered into a spin-off agreement (the “Spin-Off Agreement”) with CX Cayman (the “Spin-Off Subsidiary”) and Continent Investment Management Limited and Golden Fish Capital Investment Limited, (together, the “Spin-Off Subsidiary Buyers”). Pursuant to the Spin-Off Agreement, the Spin-Off Subsidiary Buyers received all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Spin-Off Subsidiary for an aggregate purchase price of $1. As a result, the Spin-Off Subsidiary Buyers became the sole equity owners of the Spin-Off Subsidiary and the Company has no further interest in the Spin-Off Subsidiary.
On May 17, 2021, we entered into a Share Cancellation Agreement with a stockholder, Wenhai Xia, to cancel an aggregate of 15,535,309 shares of the Company’s common stock owned by the stockholder.
11 |
On May 17, 2021, we entered into a Share Exchange Agreement with Kun Peng International Holding and the holders of all of the outstanding capital stock of KP International Holding. Pursuant to the Share Exchange Agreement, we acquired 100% of the outstanding capital stock of KP International Holding and, in exchange, we issued to the five former shareholders of KP International Holding an aggregate of 34,158,391 shares of the Company’s common stock. As a result of the share exchange (the “2021 Share Exchange”), on May 17, 2021, KP International Holding became our wholly owned subsidiary and the former shareholders of KP International Holding became the holders of approximately 85% of our issued and outstanding capital stock on a fully diluted basis. For accounting purposes, the transaction with KP International Holding was treated as a reverse acquisition, with KP International Holding as the acquirer and the Company as the acquired party. Unless the context suggests otherwise, when we refer in this report to business and financial information for periods prior to the consummation of the reverse acquisition, we are referring to the business and financial information of KP International Holding and its subsidiaries and consolidated entities. As a result of the reverse acquisition, the Company is engaged in the sale of health care products and services through its online platform in the PRC.
Effective October 12, 2022, we increased our authorized common stock from 200,000,000 shares, par value $0.0001, to 1,000,000,000 shares, par value $0.0001, and on October 18, 2022, we effected a 10:1 forward stock split after which we have 400,000,000 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.
On November 8, 2022, the Company changed its name from CX Network Group, Inc. to Kun Peng International Ltd. and its trading symbol was changed to “KPEA.”
On November 11, 2022, the Company received an electronic notice that OTC Markets had approved its application for uplisting from OTC Pink to the OTCQB Venture Market (OTCQB). The Company’s securities commenced trading on the OTCQB at the market open on November 14, 2022. The Company’s shares trade on the OTCQB under the current ticker symbol, “KPEA.”
Kun Peng International Holding Limited
KP International Holding was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on April 20, 2021. On May 3, 2021, KP International Holding purchased all of the issued and outstanding equity securities of Kun Peng (China) Industrial Development Company Limited, incorporated in Hong Kong on August 11, 2017, for an aggregate cash consideration of $0.129 (HK$1). After the ownership transfer, KP International Holding became the sole shareholder of KP (China). KP International Holding is a holding company.
Kun Peng (China) Industrial Development Company Limited
KP (China) was incorporated as a limited liability company in Hong Kong under the name of Jing Jin Ji Investment Group Co., Limited (“Jing Jin Ji”) on August 11, 2017. The share capital of the company is 10,000 ordinary shares at $1,292 (HK$10,000) and, prior to its acquisition by KP International Holding, it was wholly owned by an individual. On November 9, 2018, Jing Jin Ji changed its name to Kun Peng (China) Industrial Development Company Limited and it filed a Certificate of Change of Name with the Hong Kong Company Registry on the same day. Although it was incorporated in 2017, it did not commence operations until July 2020 as it focused on exploring business opportunities in its initial phase and on developing our online mobile application, King Eagle Mall, through its subsidiary, King Eagle (China) Co., Ltd. It became a wholly-owned subsidiary of KP International Holding on May 3, 2021.
On August 24, 2023, we filed an application with the Companies Registry of Hong Kong for deregistration and dissolution of KP (China). The application for deregistration was approved on February 2, 2024 by the Hong Kong Company Registry.
12 |
Kun Peng (Hong Kong) Industrial Development Limited
KP (Hong Kong) was incorporated as a limited liability company in Hong Kong on June 21, 2021 with a share capital of one ordinary share at approximately $0.13 (HK$1). KP (Hong Kong) is a holding company, is wholly owned by KP International Holding, and is the sole shareholder of Kun Peng Tian Yu Health Technology (Tianjin) Co. KP (Hong Kong) is a holding company, is wholly owned by Kun Peng International Holding, and is the sole shareholder of Kun Peng Tian Yu Health Technology (Tianjin) Co. , Ltd. It also owns 49% of King Eagle (China) Co., Ltd.
Kun Peng Tian Yu Health Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
KP Tian Yu was established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of KP (Hong Kong) on August 10, 2021 under the laws of the People’s Republic of China. with a registered capital of approximately $0.7 million (RMB5,000,000). As of March 3, 2023, it is the owner of 51% of the outstanding shares of King Eagle (China) Co., Ltd.
King Eagle (China) Co., Ltd.
King Eagle (China) was incorporated as a limited liability company in the People’s Republic of China on March 20, 2019, with a registered capital of approximately $15 million (RMB100 million). King Eagle (China) was a wholly owned subsidiary of KP (China) at the time of establishment. On November 2, 2020, KP (China) transferred a 15% interest, approximately $2.2 million (RMB 15 million), to Guoxin Ruilian Group Co., Ltd., a limited liability company incorporated in Beijing, PRC.
On March 26, 2021, Guoxin Ruilian Group Co., Ltd. entered into equity transfer agreements with KP (China) and Guoxin Zhengye. Both Guoxin Ruilian Group Co., Ltd. and Guoxin Zhengye are wholly owned by a common shareholder, Guoxin United Holdings Group Co., Ltd. Under the equity transfer agreements, Guoxin Ruilian Group Co., Ltd. agreed to transfer an 8% ownership interest in King Eagle (China) to Guoxin Zhengye and its remaining 7% ownership in King Eagle (China) to KP (China) on April 20, 2021. After the transfer, KP (China) and Guoxin Zhengye became the 92% and 8% shareholders of King Eagle (China), respectively. Guoxin Zhengye agreed to transfer its 8% ownership interest in King Eagle (China) to KP (China) on August 26, 2022. As a result of the transfer, KP (China) became the sole shareholder of King Eagle (China) and King Eagle (China) became a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE).
On November 1, 2022, KP (China) entered into ownership transfer agreements with KP (Hong Kong) and KP Tian Yu, pursuant to which KP (China) transferred 49% and 51% of its ownership in King Eagle (China) to KP (Hong Kong) and KP Tian Yu, respectively. The ownership transfer was completed on March 3, 2023, after which time King Eagle (China) is no longer a WFOE.
King Eagle (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd.
King Eagle VIE was incorporated as a limited liability company in Tianjin Pilot Free Trade Zone in the People’s Republic of China on September 2, 2020, with a registered capital of approximately $1.5 million (RMB 10 million). We do not own any of the equity of King Eagle VIE. It is owned by multiple individuals: Chengyuan Li (approximately 45.5%), Xiujin Wang (approximately 10.5%), Yuanyuan Zhang (approximately 10%), Jinjing Zhang, Wanfeng Hu, Cuilian Liu, and Zhizhong Wang (each of whom owns approximately 6%), Zhandong Fan, and Hui Teng (each of whom owns approximately 5%). Those shareholders also indirectly owned KP International Holding prior to its acquisition by the Company through two British Virgin Islands entities: Kunpeng Tech Limited and Kunpeng TJ Limited. Additionally, Chengyuan Li is a director and Yuanyuan Zhang is Chief Financial Officer of the Company.
13 |
Some of the business engaged in by King Eagle VIE is restricted or prohibited for foreign investment under PRC regulations. Therefore, King Eagle (China) entered into VIE Agreements with King Eagle VIE and its shareholders. Although we do not own any equity interests in King Eagle VIE, we control and receive the economic benefits of its business operations through the VIE Agreements. The VIE Agreements enable us to provide King Eagle VIE with consulting services on an exclusive basis, in exchange for all of its annual profits, if any. In addition, we are able to appoint its senior executives and approve all matters requiring approval of its shareholders. The VIE Agreements are comprised of a Consulting Service Agreement, Business Operation Agreement, Proxy Agreement, Equity Disposal Agreement, and Equity Pledge Agreement, which are described in further detail under “Contractual Arrangements,” below.
We believe that the VIE Agreements are not subject to any government approval under current Chinese laws and regulations. The shareholders of King Eagle VIE were required to register with SAFE when they established offshore vehicles to hold KP International Holding; such SAFE registration was effected on May 14, 2021. The shareholders of King Eagle VIE have registered their equity pledge arrangement as required under the Equity Pledge Agreement with King Eagle (China). Moreover, the binding rights over the VIE’s subsidiaries in the VIE Agreements between King Eagle (China) and King Eagle (Tianjin) are implicit and indirect and the company laws and regulations in the PRC governing the business operations of the VIE’s subsidiaries are uncertain. The Company faces uncertainty with respect to future actions by the PRC government that could significantly affect King Eagle VIE’s financial performance and the enforceability of the VIE Agreements. See “Contractual Arrangements,” below.
King Eagle VIE owns 100% of the outstanding shares of King Eagle (Huai’an), King Eagle (Beijing), Kun Zhi Jian (Huai’an), Kun Zhi Jian (Shangdong), Kun Pin Hui (Shandong), Chengdu Wenjiang and 95% of the outstanding shares of King Eagle (Hangzhou).
King Eagle (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd.
King Eagle (Beijing) was established under the laws of the People’s Republic of China on December 1, 2022 with a registered capital of approximately $0.7 million (RMB5 million). It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of King Eagle VIE. King Eagle (Beijing) commenced its operation of our new online platform called “Kun Zhi Jian” in January 2023. This platform became one of the components of the Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program in November 2023. Since then, King Eagle (Beijing) has focused on the retail sale of health care related products and dietary supplements.
Kun Zhi Jian (Huai’an) Technology Co., Ltd.
Kun Zhi Jian (Huai’an) was established on October 26, 2023 under the laws of the People’s Republic of China with a registered capital of approximately $0.14 million (RMB1 million). It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of King Eagle VIE. Kun Zhi Jian (Huai’an) commenced operations in November 2023 and primarily focuses on marketing and selling physiotherapy equipment products.
King Eagle (Huai’an) Health Management Co., Ltd.
King Eagle (Huai’an) was established on September 19, 2023 under the laws of the People’s Republic of China with a registered capital of approximately $0.69 million (RMB5 million). One July 19, 2024, King Eagle (Tianjin) acquired the remaining 5% registered capital of King Eagle (Huai’an) with $0 consideration paid to Hu’nan Ant Doctor Health Service Co., Ltd. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of King Eagle VIE for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024. King Eagle (Huai’an) became fully operational in October 2023 and focuses on coordinating with local health care service providers to offer health screening and monitoring to the Company’s customers and members.
Kun Zhi Jian (Shandong) Health Management Co., Ltd
Kun Zhi Jian (Shangdong) was established on January 30, 2024 under the laws of the People’s Republic of China with a registered capital of approximately $0.14 million (RMB 1 million). The entity is located in Shangdong province, PRC. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of King Eagle VIE. This entity commenced its operations in February 2024 and focuses on promoting and selling health screening devices.
14 |
Chengdu Wenjiang Pengrun Internet Healthcare Co., Ltd
Chengdu Wenjiang was established on February 1, 2024 under the laws of the People’s Republic of China with a registered capital of approximately $0.14 million (RMB 1 million). The entity is located in Sichuan province, PRC. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of King Eagle VIE. This entity has not commenced its operations as of the date of this Annual Report and is applying for online health care and medical services permits from the relevant authorities. There can be no assurance that such permits will be obtained.
Kun Pin Hui (Shandong) Trading Co. Ltd.
Kun Pin Hui (Shandong) was established on November 23, 2023 under the laws of the People’s Republic of China with a registered capital of approximately $0.4 million (RMB 3 million). The entity is located in Shandong province, PRC. It has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of King Eagle VIE since April 7, 2024, on which date King Eagle VIE acquired 95% of Kun Pin Hui (Shandong)’s outstanding shares from Zhandong Fan (5% shareholder of King Eagle (Tianjin) and 5% of its outstanding shares from Yuanyuan Zhang (10% shareholder of King Eagle (Tianjin)) at a purchase price of $0.14 (RMB 1 Yuan) per share. Kun Pin Hui (Shandong) provides online trading services and sells products online.
King Eagle (Hangzhou) Health Technology Co., Ltd
King Eagle (Hangzhou) was established on July 18, 2024 under the laws of the People’s Republic of China with a registered capital of approximately $0.1 million (RMB 1 million). The entity is located in Zhejiang province, PRC. It is owned 95% by King Eagle VIE and 5% by Hongxiaodou (Hangzhou) Health Technology Co. It is owned 95% by King Eagle VIE and 5% by Hu’nan Ant Doctor Health Service Co. , Ltd. This entity became fully operational in August 2024.
On August 8, 2024, King Eagle (Hangzhou) entered into certain agreements with Yunnan Linpingkang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, pursuant to which we subscribe for 40% of Shanxi Limei Aosikang Hospital Management Co., Ltd.
The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure as of the date of this Annual Report:
(1) | The contractual agreements between King Eagle (China) and King Eagle VIE consist of: |
15 |
(2) | King Eagle (Huai’an) was formed in September 2023 and commenced full operations in October 2023. It was 95% owned by King Eagle (Tianjin) and 5% owned by Hu’nan Ant Doctor Health Service Co., Ltd. On July 19, 2024, King Eagle (Tianjin) acquired Hu’nan Ant Doctor Health Service Co., Ltd.’s shares of King Eagle (Huai’an), making King Eagle (Huai’an) its wholly-owned subsidiary. |
(3) | Kun Zhi Jian (Huai’an) was formed in October 2023, but did not commence full operations until November 2023. |
Contractual Arrangements
While we do not have any equity interest in our consolidated affiliated entities, King Eagle VIE and its subsidiaries, we have been and are expected to continue to be dependent on them to operate our business as long as there is limitation or prohibition in the interpretation and application by local governments of regulations concerning foreign investments in companies such as our consolidated affiliated entities. We rely on our consolidated affiliated entities to maintain or renew their respective qualifications, licenses, or permits necessary for our business in China. We believe that under the VIE Agreements, we have substantial control over our consolidated affiliated entities and their respective shareholders to renew, revise, or enter into new contractual arrangements prior to the expiration of the current arrangements on terms that would enable us to continue to operate our business in China after the expiration of the current arrangements, or pursuant to certain amendments and changes of the current applicable PRC laws, regulations, and rules, on terms that would enable us to continue to operate our business in China legally. While we currently do not anticipate any changes to PRC laws in the near future that may impact our ability to carry out our business in China, no assurances can be made in this regard. See “Risk Factors-Risks Related to Doing Business in China-Changes in China’s economic, political, or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations” and “Risk Factors-Risks Related to Doing Business in China-Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could limit the legal protections available to you and us.” Moreover, the binding rights over the VIE’s subsidiaries in the contractual arrangements between King Eagle (China) and King Eagle (Tianjin) are implicit and indirect and the company laws and regulations in the PRC governing the business operations of the VIE’s subsidiaries are uncertain. For a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure and the contractual arrangements that support our corporate structure, see “Risk Factors-Risks Related to Our Commercial Relationship with our VIE.”
The Company is the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity (“VIE’), King Eagle (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd. Under U.S. GAAP, the Company is required to consolidate the assets and liabilities of the VIE on its consolidated financial statements. When we obtain a variable interest in another entity, we assess at the inception of the relationship and upon occurrence of certain significant events whether the entity is a VIE and, if so, whether we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE based on our power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and our obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.
16 |
To determine whether a variable interest that we hold could potentially be significant to the VIE, we consider both qualitative and quantitative factors regarding the nature, size and form of our involvement with the VIE. To assess whether we have the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance, we consider all the facts and circumstances, including our role in establishing the VIE and our ongoing rights and responsibilities. This assessment includes identifying the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and identifying which party, if any, has power over those activities. In general, the parties that make the most significant decisions affecting the VIE (management and members of the board of directors) and that have the right to unilaterally remove those decision-makers are deemed to have the power to direct the activities of a VIE. To assess whether we have the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE, we consider all of our economic interests that are deemed to be variable interests in the VIE. This assessment requires us to apply judgment in determining whether these interests, in the aggregate, are considered potentially significant to the VIE.
There are uncertainties associated with the VIE structure as the PRC has not yet ruled on its legality nor has the validity of VIE arrangements been tested in a court of law. Some of these uncertainties are as follows:
17 |
On May 15, 2021, King Eagle (China) and the shareholders of King Eagle VIE entered into a series of contractual agreements for King Eagle VIE to qualify as a variable interest entity or VIE (the “VIE Agreements”). The VIE Agreements are summarized as follows:
Consulting Service Agreement
Pursuant to the terms of an Exclusive Consulting Service Agreement dated May 15, 2021 between King Eagle (China) and King Eagle VIE (the “Consulting Service Agreement”), King Eagle (China) is the exclusive consulting service provider to King Eagle VIE to provide business-related software research and development services; design, installation, and testing services; network equipment support, upgrade, maintenance, monitoring, and problem-solving services; employee technical training services; technology development and sublicensing services; public relations services; market investigation, research, and consultation services; short to medium term marketing plan-making services; compliance consultation services; marketing events and membership related activities organizing services; intellectual property permits; equipment and rental services; and business-related management consulting services. Pursuant to the Consulting Service Agreement, the service fee is an amount equal to the excess of King Eagle VIE’s profit before tax in the corresponding year over King Eagle VIE’s losses, if any, in the previous year, necessary costs, expenses, taxes, and fees incurred in the corresponding year, and contributions to the statutory provident fund. King Eagle VIE agreed not to transfer its rights and obligations under the Consulting Service Agreement to any third party without the prior written consent of King Eagle (China). King Eagle (China) may transfer its rights and obligations under the Consulting Service Agreement to King Eagle (China)’s affiliates without King Eagle VIE’s consent, but King Eagle (China) must notify King Eagle VIE of such transfer. The Consulting Service Agreement is valid for a term of 10 years subject to any extension requested by King Eagle (China) unless terminated by King Eagle (China) unilaterally prior to expiration.
The foregoing summary of the Consulting Service Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the Consulting Service Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 10.1 to our Form 8-K dated May 17, 2021.
Business Operation Agreement
Pursuant to the terms of a Business Operation Agreement dated May 15, 2021 among King Eagle (China), King Eagle VIE and the shareholders of King Eagle VIE (the “Business Operation Agreement”), King Eagle VIE has agreed to subject the operations and management of its business to the control of King Eagle (China). According to the Business Operation Agreement, King Eagle VIE is not allowed to conduct any transaction that has a substantial impact upon its operations, assets, rights, obligations, or personnel without King Eagle (China)’s written approval. The shareholders of King Eagle VIE and King Eagle VIE will take King Eagle (China)’s advice on the appointment or dismissal of directors, employment of King Eagle VIE’s employees, and the regular operation and financial management of King Eagle VIE. The shareholders of King Eagle VIE have agreed to transfer any dividends, distributions, or any other profits that they receive as the shareholders of King Eagle VIE to King Eagle (China) without consideration. The Business Operation Agreement is valid for a term of 10 years or longer upon the request of King Eagle (China) prior to the expiration thereof. The Business Operation Agreement may be terminated earlier by King Eagle (China) with a 30-day written notice.
The foregoing summary of the Business Operation Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the Business Operation Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 10.2 to our Form 8-K filed dated May 17, 2021.
Proxy Agreement
Pursuant to the terms of a Proxy Agreement dated May 15, 2021 among King Eagle (China) and the shareholders of King Eagle VIE (the “Proxy Agreement”), the shareholders of King Eagle VIE have entrusted their voting rights as King Eagle VIE’s shareholders to King Eagle (China) for the longest duration permitted by PRC law. The Proxy Agreement can be terminated by mutual consent of the King Eagle VIE shareholders (100% of whom must approve) and King Eagle (China) or upon a 30-day notice of King Eagle (China).
The foregoing summary of the Proxy Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the Proxy Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 10.3 to our Form 8-K dated May 17, 2021.
18 |
Equity Disposal Agreement
Pursuant to the terms of an Equity Disposal Agreement dated May 15, 2021 among King Eagle (China), King Eagle VIE, and the shareholders of King Eagle VIE (the “Equity Disposal Agreement”), the shareholders of King Eagle VIE granted King Eagle (China) or its designees an irrevocable and exclusive purchase option (the “Option”) to purchase all or part of King Eagle VIE’s and its subsidiaries’ equity interests and/or assets at the lowest purchase price permitted by PRC laws and regulations. The Option is exercisable at any time at King Eagle (China)’s discretion in full or in part, to the extent permitted by PRC law. The shareholders of King Eagle VIE agreed to give King Eagle (China) the total amount of the exercise price as a gift, or other method, upon King Eagle (China)’s written consent to transfer the exercise price to King Eagle VIE. The Equity Disposal Agreement is valid for a term of 10 years or longer upon the request of King Eagle (China).
The foregoing summary of the Equity Disposal Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the Equity Disposal Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 10.4 to our Form 8-K dated May 17, 2021.
Equity Pledge Agreement
Pursuant to the terms of an Equity Pledge Agreement dated May 15, 2021 among King Eagle (China) and the shareholders of King Eagle VIE (the “Pledge Agreement”), the shareholders of King Eagle VIE pledged all of their equity interests in King Eagle VIE, including the proceeds thereof, to King Eagle (China) to guarantee King Eagle VIE’s performance of its obligations under the Business Operation Agreement, the Consulting Service Agreement and the Equity Disposal Agreement (each, an “Agreement,” and collectively, the “Agreements”). If King Eagle VIE or its shareholders breach their respective contractual obligations under any Agreement or cause to occur one of the events constituting an event of default under any Agreement, King Eagle (China), as pledgee, will be entitled to certain rights, including the right to dispose of the pledged equity interest in King Eagle VIE. During the term of the Pledge Agreement, the pledged equity interests cannot be transferred without King Eagle (China)’s prior written consent. The Pledge Agreement is valid until all the obligations due under the Agreements have been fulfilled.
The foregoing summary of the Equity Pledge Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the Equity Pledge Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 10.5 to our Form 8-K dated May 17, 2021.
Cash Flows
Our Company is a holding company, and we will rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our Hong Kong and China subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements. Any funds we may transfer to King Eagle (China), either as a loan or as an increase in registered capital, are subject to approval by or registration with relevant government authorities in China, regardless of the amount of the transfer. According to the relevant PRC regulations, capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary are subject to the submission of reports of changes through the enterprise registration system and registration with a local bank authorized by SAFE. In addition, any foreign loan procured by our PRC subsidiary is required to be registered with SAFE, and such loan is required to be registered with the NDRC. We may not be able to complete such registrations or obtain necessary approvals on a timely basis with respect to future capital contributions or foreign loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registration or other procedures, our ability to maintain our corporate structure while capitalizing our PRC subsidiaries’ operations may be negatively affected, which could adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
19 |
To date, substantially all of our sales have been earned by our PRC subsidiary, King Eagle (China), and King Eagle VIE. Neither we nor King Eagle (China) own any equity interest in King Eagle VIE. In accordance with the terms of the Consulting Service Agreement, King Eagle (China) is entitled to receive payments from King Eagle VIE in the form of a service fee which, in turn, may be distributed to us as dividends. As a holding company, we will rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our BVI, Hong Kong, and PRC subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements. Our Hong Kong and PRC subsidiaries are permitted under the respective laws of Hong Kong and China and to provide funding to us through dividends without restrictions on the amount of the funds, other than as limited by the amount of their distributable earnings. However, to the extent that cash is in our Hong Kong or PRC subsidiaries, there is a possibility that the funds may not be available to fund our operations or for other uses outside of Hong Kong or the PRC or due to interventions or the imposition of restrictions and limitations by the PRC or the Hong Kong government on the ability to transfer cash. In addition, if any of our subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us.
After investors’ funds enter the Company, the funds can be directly transferred to KP International in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, which will then directly transfer the funds to KP (Hong Kong). KP Hong Kong can then transfer the funds to KP Tian Yu, which can then transfer the funds to King Eagle (China). King Eagle (China) can subsequently transfer funds to King Eagle VIE in accordance with the VIE Agreements.
If the Company intends to distribute dividends, King Eagle (China) will transfer funds received as dividends from King Eagle VIE to KP Tian Yu in accordance with the laws and regulations of China. KP Tian Yu will then transfer the funds to KP Hong Kong in accordance with the laws of China, KP Hong Kong will transfer the funds to KP International in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong, and KP International will then transfer the funds to the Company in accordance with the laws of the BVI. The Company will then distribute the dividends to all of its shareholders respectively in proportion to the shares they hold in accordance with the laws and regulations of the State of Nevada, regardless of whether the shareholders are U.S. investors or investors in other countries or regions.
Under the Companies Ordinance of Hong Kong, dividends may only be paid out of distributable profits (that is, accumulated realized profits less accumulated realized losses) or other distributable reserves. Dividends cannot be paid out of share capital. There are no restrictions or limitation under the laws of Hong Kong imposed on the conversion of HK dollars into foreign currencies and the remittance of currencies out of Hong Kong, nor is there any restriction on foreign exchange to transfer cash between our Company and its subsidiaries, across borders and to U.S investors, nor on distributing earnings from our Hong Kong subsidiaries’ businesses to our Company and U.S. investors and amounts owed. Under the current practice of the Inland Revenue Department of Hong Kong, no tax is payable in Hong Kong in respect of dividends.
Under PRC laws, rules, and regulations, our PRC subsidiaries are allowed to pay dividends only out of their accumulated after-tax profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations, and only after setting aside at least 10% of their after-tax profits each year after making up for previous years’ accumulated losses, if any, to fund certain statutory reserves, until the aggregate amount of such fund reaches 50% of their registered capital. Allocations to these statutory reserve funds can only be used for specific purposes and are not transferable to us in the form of loans, advances, or cash dividends. However, there can be no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions on their ability to transfer or distribute cash within our organization or to foreign investors, which could result in an inability or prohibition on making transfers or distributions outside of China and may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
As of the date of this Annual Report, our subsidiaries have not experienced any difficulties or limitations on their ability to transfer cash between each other; nor do they maintain cash management policies or procedures dictating the amount of such funding or how funds are transferred. None of our subsidiaries have paid any dividends, other distributions or transferred assets to our holding company as of the date of this Annual Report. In the future, cash proceeds raised from overseas financing activities may be transferred by us to our Hong Kong or PRC subsidiaries via capital contribution or shareholder loans, as the case may be. As of the date of this Annual Report, we have not made any transfers, paid any dividends, or made any distributions to U.S. investors.
20 |
Neither the Company nor any of its Hong Kong subsidiaries or its PRC subsidiary has paid dividends or made distributions to U.S. investors. No funds have been transferred by the holding companies to the Hong Kong subsidiaries, the PRC subsidiary, or the VIE for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 or 2023 and through the date of this Annual Report, to fund their business operations. In the future, any cash proceeds raised from overseas financing activities may be transferred by us to our Hong Kong or PRC subsidiaries via capital contribution or shareholder loans, and to King Eagle VIE and its subsidiaries as loans.
See “Condensed Consolidating Schedule,” below and “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data - Consolidated Financial Statements and Footnotes” on page 95.
Condensed Consolidating Schedule
Set forth below is the condensed consolidated balance sheet information as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, and condensed consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, showing financial information for the parent company, Kun Peng International Limited, the non-VIE subsidiaries (as defined below) and the VIE (as defined below), eliminating entries and consolidated information (in dollars). In the tables below, the column headings correspond to the following entities in the organizational diagram on page 15.
For the purposes of this section:
“Parent Entity” refers to Kun Peng International Limited;
“Non-VIE Subsidiaries” refers to the following entities:
“VIE” refers to King Eagle (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd. (“King Eagle (Tianjin)”) and its subsidiaries.
“WFOE” refers to King Eagle (China) until March 3, 2023 and KP Tian Yu since March 3, 2023.
21 |
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
As of September 30, 2024
22 |
As of September 30, 2023
23 |
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations Data
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023
24 |
Condensed Consolidated Schedule of Cash Flows
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023
25 |
Our Business
Overview of Health Food Market in China
As reported by Gentleman Marketing Agency (“GMA”), a study from Statista states that, between 2020 and 2025, China’s health (functional) foods market is projected to expand by 30%, reaching an estimated RMB244 billion (US$34.3 billion) by 2025. This steady and impressive expansion can only be expected to continue as the demand for health food and dietary supplements is increasing.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (“HKTDC”) published an article on China’s Health Food Market in September 2022, which stated that changes in age demographics, domestic child policy and lifestyle has driven the growth of the health food market in the People’s Republic of China.
HKTDC determined that the average age of the population of China is increasing. It cited statistics from the PRC government that the number of people aged 65 or above in mainland China reached 200 million in 2021, or 14.2% of its total population. This age group is expected to increase to 25% of China’s total population by 2030. Currently, the average life expectancy in China is 77.3 years and it is expected to reach 81.9 years by 2040. HKTDC quoted a study from iiMedia Research which found that the main reason seniors purchase health food is to follow their doctor’s advice or to get sufficient essential nutrients to improve their overall health. The study shows that a majority of seniors concentrated on boosting their immunity through health food. Moreover, HKTDC quoted another source that found that nearly 50% of the middle-aged and senior populations in China are willing to spend 40% of their budgets on personal health.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies has pointed out that mainland China replaced its legacy one-child policy with a two-child policy in 2016 and then passed a three-child policy into law in July 2021. HKTDC speculates that the universal implementation of the three-child policy can be expected to increase demand in the maternal and baby health food markets. According to HKTDC, statistics show that 94.7% of pregnant women consume health food products, particularly folic acid, milk power and multi-vitamin tablets, during pregnancy. Further, HKTDC cited a study from iiMedia Research that the maternal and baby health food markets increased by 8.2% between 2020 and 2021 to over RMB70.41 billion (US$9.89 billion) in 2021 and represented 26% of the total market share of health food in mainland China.
According to the above-mentioned article published by Hong Kong Trade Development Council in September 2022, the government of the People’s Republic of China has progressively encouraged its civilians to lead healthy lifestyles and minimize diseases so as to lengthen life expectancy for its people and it introduced the “Healthy China Initiative 2019-2030” in 2019. Intelligence Research Group indicated that sales of health food in mainland China rose by 8.2% in 2021, and that the health food market in mainland China represented 17.8% of global sales in that year and was the second largest health food market in the world. It indicates that sales of health food in mainland China rose by 3.0% in 2022 to RMB394.7 billion. iiMedia Research projects that sales will reach RMB423.7 billion by 2027. (Source: https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MzA4NzQ3NzUw)
26 |
Since the global health issue and the COVID-19 pandemic, people have increased their health and nutrition consciousness. King Eagle (China) believes preventive care is the most effective investment in health. Based on the statistics compiled by Euromonitor, the market size of health care products in China was as follows:
Monteloeder S.L. analyzed that the demand for healthy food in the PRC has increased since the outbreak of COVID-19. It cited data announced by Suning that shows that 2020 Lunar New Year sales volume of health foods increased by 128% compared to 2019.
E-commerce has developed rapidly in the PRC. Management of the Company believes that we are in a new era of e-commerce and that additional characteristics of sharing economy, offline support and social interaction are evolving. We believe the rise of social e-commerce will positively impact the development of our health care business. GMA has stated “Chinese customers are highly active on social media platforms such as Weibo, Douyin, and WeChat. Creating accounts for [your] own brand and teaming up with influencers can be incredibly helpful in terms of increasing brand awareness among the target audience of health food. Additionally, it also allows companies to interact with their potential customers, build relationships and promote their products. Chinese consumers value personal relationships and often prioritize buying from people or companies that they know and bond with.”
To promote awareness of preventive care among the vast population of the PRC, we serve our customers through our mobile (King Eagle Mall) platform and through our new online platform, Kun Zhi Jian and Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program.
King Eagle Mall
We developed and launched a mobile social e-commerce platform, King Eagle Mall, which promotes preventive health care products and services as our core business. It adopts the S2B2C business model and integrates many major health care products and services. As of December 6, 2024, King Eagle Mall had approximately 15,855 members.
27 |
The three cores and five features that we are developing through the King Eagle Mall are:
Core 1: Integration of resources in the health care industry
Core 2: Personal health management
Feature 3 | Connecting to health and wellness experience, improving service height. | Ecological + elderly care + healthy lifestyle experience is an indispensable part of the health industry, and it is also a supply and demand gap that will inevitably appear in industrial development and economic development. For middle and high net worth groups, we provide different types of health and elderly lifestyle experience environments. |
Core 3: Wealth value
The products focus on health-related products and services. King Eagle Mall is designed to enable health-related products to be sold by us and by third parties. King Eagle Mall’s products are divided into two sectors: self-operated products and strictly selected products which promote preventive health care. Our team screens and examines products that are and will be offered both by us and by affiliated merchants. Our major products include health care products such as dietary supplements, nutritional health foods, beauty cosmeceuticals, health foods for supporting the cardiovascular system and bone joint health, and other categories (for instance, powdered milk, dried fruits). We offer collagen peptides, probiotics, and health foods for improving blood circulation and vein health, as well as household products which can promote and improve a healthier lifestyle of our members. We receive customer orders and may arrange fulfillment with our merchants who are responsible for delivery arrangement or fulfill customer orders through our outsourced networks.
28 |
In addition, we operate customer service centers through which our members can communicate directly for any assistance related to product purchases, suggestions for health care products and services, and delivery logistics.
Kun Zhi Jian Online Platform
In October 2022, King Eagle (Tianjin) introduced and implemented a new online platform, Kun Zhi Jian, which focuses on promoting and selling physiotherapy equipment and our own brand of preventive health care and health related household products to wholesalers and retailers. In the platform’s initial phase, we sold thermal therapy cabins to wholesalers. Equipped with infrared light and at a high temperature, approximately like that of a hot spring, this product helps enhance blood circulation and oxygen inhalation and improves insomnia. Currently, we promote and sell other physiotherapy equipment, our own brand, and other popular brands of health care related products on this new platform. As of December 6, 2024, Kun Zhi Jian had approximately 5,598 members. This online platform is operated at: http://api.kp-tj.com/roomapp/#/home.
Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program. In November 2023, we launched Kun Zhi Jian’s Mini Program, which is composed of three areas: physiotherapy equipment, a customer service center, and an online shopping mall (Kun Zhi Jian). The customer service center provides healthy diet and nutritional suggestions to our customers based on their health profile and a tongue examination that utilizes health care expertise and technology from local health care service providers performed at our customer service center. The shopping mall offers a variety of products ranging from health foods to small kitchen appliances.
Online interface program of Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program
29 |
Kun Zhi Jian Customer Service Center
Smart Kiosks
On March 31, 2021, King Eagle VIE entered into an oral agreement with Guoxin Star Network Co., Ltd. (“Guoxin”) under which King Eagle VIE was granted the right to operate 50 Smart Kiosks for five years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our application for construction permits for the Smart Kiosks was delayed by the local government agencies for more than two years. In the last quarter of fiscal year 2023, Guoxin determined that it was unable to obtain the permit and both parties agreed to abandon this construction project.
COVID-19
Businesses and markets in mainland China have reopened and mainland China relaxed its policies and controls relating to COVID-19 in early December 2022. In addition, in July 2023, the PRC government fully opened its border to foreigners without requirements of quarantine or application for a health code upon arrival in the PRC. Although respiratory illness, especially among children, surged in China and some parts of the world in November 2023, this is a treatable disease and is containable according to the medical experts in China.
The Company continues to focus its business on its online platform, King Eagle Mall, and to promote its own brand of consumer health care and health related household products on its new online platform, Kun Zhi Jian, which was introduced and implemented in October 2022 to mitigate the adverse impacts of COVID-19. In November 2023, the Company also launched Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program to expand its customer services and preventive health care products.
Strategic Relationships to Provide Comprehensive Health Services
Preventive health care focuses upon the relationship between genetics, environment, physiology, psychology, and lifestyle to assist in addressing health and disease. Physical examinations assist in providing personalized solutions to eliminate the cause of disease and to treat and regulate functional changes, so as to help patients overcome disease and lead healthier lives. Leveraged with health care expertise and technology from local health service providers, we explored potential strategic relations with health service providers to offer our members and customers integrated health conditioning, tracking management, high-level, personalized, and convenient health care, testing, consulting, and nutritional advisory services, based on customer profile data in the King Eagle Mall and the Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program.
30 |
Sales and Marketing
We will and do engage in a variety of marketing activities intended to drive user traffic to our mobile application and our new online platform and to give us the opportunity to introduce our products and services to prospective members. For our online mobile application, King Eagle Mall, we (i) pay various mobile app channels to broadcast our apps to raise awareness of our products and increase their ranking to attract new users; (ii) engage in self-promoting on social media; (iii) advertise our products via our cooperative public platforms; (iv) organize off-line experience events and activities; (v) enter into business alliances with various well-known regional and global health care product business partners and prestigious health organizations; (vi) intend to provide health education on our official website: www.kp-china.com; and (vii) engage agents to promote our products. Our marketing strategy focuses on seeking well known network and platform providers to broadcast our products and services, improving the products and services to raise our ranking in app stores, and display advertising to increase our exposure so as to attract new users.
We launched an additional online platform, Kun Zhi Jian, in October 2022, and in November 2023 we launched Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program, which is composed of three areas: a thermal therapy product, a customer service center, and an online shopping mall (Kun Zhi Jian). We market and promote our Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program through various types of outreach activities either by our marketing team or by service agents.
Our Customers
Our customers primarily consist of individual members. As of September 30, 2024 and 2023, King Eagle Mall had approximately 15,855 and 5,699 members, respectively.
Customer Service
Our call center and email support teams monitor our mobile applications as well as mobile applications developed by other companies for fraudulent activity, assist members with billing questions, help members complete personal profiles, and answer technical questions. Customer service representatives receive ongoing training in an effort to better personalize the experience for members and paying subscribers who call or email us and to capitalize on upselling opportunities.
Technology
Our internal product teams are focused on the development and maintenance of our online platforms in addition to building and managing our software and hardware infrastructure. We intend to continue investing in the development of new products, such as mobile applications, and enhancing the efficiency and functionality of our existing products and infrastructure.
Our network infrastructure and operations are designed to deliver high levels of availability, performance, security, and scalability in a cost-effective manner. We operate web and database servers co-located at a third-party data center facility in Beijing, PRC.
Our Competition
We operate in a highly competitive environment with minimal barriers to entry. We believe the primary competitive factors in creating a community on the Internet are functionality, brand recognition, reputation, critical mass of members, member affinity and loyalty, ease-of-use, quality of service, and reliability. We compete with a number of large and small companies, including vertically integrated Internet portals and specialty-focused media companies that provide online and offline products and services to the online market we serve.
According to HKTDC, a 2022 mainland health food sector report indicates that the market shares of e-commerce, direct selling, and pharmacies are 40%, 30%, and 20%, respectively. Accordingly, E-commerce has become a major sales channel in the health food industry in mainland China.
31 |
Our competitors mainly come from social e-commerce platforms, including Pinduoduo (based on the group buying model), Weimeng (providing services for micro-businesses), Taobao, JD, and others.
We believe our ability to compete depends upon many factors both within and beyond our control, including the following:
Competitive advantages
Experienced management
King Eagle (China) acquired talented personnel for developing its online and offline platforms, creating business models, marketing, and management primarily from multi-national corporations, public companies, and prestigious universities.
Diversity of product offerings
With the development of our new online platform, Kun Zhi Jian, and its Mini Program, we now offer a diverse array of products, including physiotherapy equipment, diet and nutritional advice, and health care related products. In addition, we target both wholesale and retail customers.
Value-added health care screening and monitoring services
Through the launch of the Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program, we coordinated with local health care service providers and leveraged their health care expertise and technology. Those local health care service providers offer health care screening and monitoring to our customers and members at our Kun Zhi Jian Customer Service Centers. By providing these value-added services to our customers and members, our customers and members can get a better understanding of their health. We are able to provide more concrete nutritional advice and refer them to our health care related products.
Our Intellectual Property
We rely on a combination of intellectual property rights, including trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks, and domain names, as well as contractual restrictions to protect intellectual property and proprietary technology owned or used by us.
All of our employees have entered into standard employment agreements requiring them to keep confidential all information relating to our customers, methods, business, and trade secrets during their terms of employment with us and thereafter and to assign to us any inventions, technologies, and designs they develop during their term of employment with us.
32 |
Copyrights
We own the copyright for our online platform “King Eagle Mall.” Such copyright will expire in July 2031. The software platform was placed in service in September 2020 and offers a variety of preventive health care products and services to our members. The platform provides an upstream supply chain of preventive health care products and downstream health care analysis and advice to our members.
Trademarks
We also developed our business trademarks. In order to protect our intellectual property rights, we have registered our trademarks in the PRC, including without limitation the following:
33 |
34 |
We regard our copyrights and our trademarks important to our success and our competitive position.
We purchase the consumer preventive health food and health related household products sold on our platforms from our suppliers; we did not develop, design, or manufacture those products. Moreover, although we have built our online platform and mobile commerce in-house, the compensation costs for our in-house technology team were not significant. Accordingly, instead of presenting the compensation costs of our in-house technology team as research and development expenses, we included these amounts in employee compensation and benefit expenses within general and administrative expenses for the years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
Environmental, Social, and Governance Standards
The concept of environmental, social, and corporate governance standards or metrics (“ESG”) is an emerging global trend. Management believes the PRC is at the forefront of this global trend, as evidenced by the PRC’s desire to reach peak carbon by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060. These goals require companies to start transitioning to a lower-carbon business model. Moreover, corporate reporting on a complete set of ESG metrics will assist regulators to timely adjust their policies and will enable investors and customers to make informed decisions. Our management is actively addressing environmental and social responsibility as part of its strategy and goals for the Company. The steps taken include identifying and setting goals in line with the Company’s environmental and social responsibility goals.
ESG represents the three main criteria for investors and customers to evaluate a company’s level of sustainability. Specifically, environmental criteria take into account a company’s performance in protecting the environment; social criteria examine how it manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and communities; and governance criteria deal with a company’s leadership, executive pay, audits, internal controls, and shareholder rights.
35 |
Our ESG mission includes working to advance the needs of a broad group of stakeholders, namely our employees and the community in which we live and operate while staying conscious of the environmental impact of our growing operations. Our management is actively addressing environmental and social responsibility as part of its strategy and goals for the Company.
Environment. As part of our Company’s environmental strategy, we work to mitigate our carbon footprint by carefully considering how we consume resources and integrating the best environmentally-focused technology into our business. Our Company has been implementing the concept of environmental protection by utilizing capital resources for enhancing product quality, reviewing the practices of manufacturers, including the sourcing and sustainability of packaging materials, such as single-use plastics, identifying a growing demand for natural or organic products and ingredients, understanding evolving consumer concerns regarding the effects of ingredients or substances present in products, attempting to change consumer sentiment toward non-local products or sources, and attempting to increase awareness of environmental impacts (including packaging, energy and water use, and waste management). Our Company has started utilizing a sustainable environmental protection packaging, the newly designed selene-rich egg packaging, which reduces environmental pollution.
Social. The value of a company is not only reflected in the profits and value it creates, but also in its contribution to society. We are striving as a business to give back to society in five areas: health, quality of life, environment, and public welfare. We are actively addressing social concerns, such as participating in rural revitalization tourism, supporting the development of our employees, promoting the standardized operation of the industry, and responding to our government’s call for low-carbon green development.
Recently, a number of online media, including Xinhua News Agency, Tencent, China Fortune, and Toutiao, praised our Company’s employees who were volunteers in caring for autistic teenagers. In December 2021, we coordinated with Beijing Zhuxiaoxing Special Group Integration and Entrepreneurship Center to support special group entrepreneurial projects through online live streaming. We are concerned about the difficulties faced by young people with autism in finding and maintaining employment and in starting a business. In order to allow older autistic teens to have their own jobs, develop skills, and integrate into society as soon as possible, King Eagle Mall utilizes the advantages of its own social e-commerce platform and uses traffic calls to actively support and motivate autistic teenagers with respect to their entrepreneurial projects.
Corporate. Since the Company was established, we have attempted to be a major participant in the digitalization of business and commercialization of digital businesses. From a series of operations, such as member use, purchase experience, and data viewing, King Eagle Mall provides functions, such as one-click operation, real time information feedback, and intelligent recommendations. In the process of deepening the digital strategy of King Eagle Mall, the overall strength of our Company has also significantly improved, and it can provide consumers with a new shopping experience in the future. In addition, King Eagle (China)’s instant messaging tool, K Messenger, officially launched in April 2023 as a private domain, traffic dynamic, instant messaging software, representing another advance in the field of wireless Internet by King Eagle (China) and enhancing communication among its stakeholders and customers.
K Messenger plays an important role in our development strategy. Since we commenced research and development in March, it has been closely watched by the market and the industry, and has attracted the interest of many users. K Messenger is an online product launched within the King Eagle (China) business line. In the short term, the goal of K Messenger is to provide a sustainable instant messaging platform for dealers that will improve the communication efficiency between dealers and enterprises. With the expansion of user scale and the continuous improvement of product reliability and functionality, we believe that K Messenger will bring more social benefits to users while also promoting the rapid development of King Eagle (China)’s business results.
As an international start-up company, we will be addressing, identifying, and setting our ESG goals. These will be further disclosed in future filings of our periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
36 |
Regulations
Because all of our operating entities are located in the PRC, we are regulated by the national and local laws of the PRC. This section summarizes the major PRC regulations relating to our business. See “Risk Factors - Risks Related to Doing Business in China.”
Other than for business licenses that have been obtained, we do not believe that we are required to obtain any permissions and approvals under the regulations discussed below. However, if we have inadvertently concluded that such permissions or approvals are not required or if applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, the Company or its VIE could be subject to, among other things, administrative penalties, rectification orders, fines, suspension of relevant business, or revocation of business permits or licenses, and the Company’s securities could become ineligible for listing on a US exchange.
As of the date of this Annual Report, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or it’s VIE have been denied any permissions or approvals.
Regulations Regarding Foreign Investment
The Catalogue of Industries for Encouraged Foreign Investment (2020 Edition) (the “Encouraging Catalogue”) was jointly promulgated by the National Development and Reform Commission (the “NDRC”) and the Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) on December 27, 2020, and it came into effect on January 27, 2021. The Special Administrative Measures for Access of Foreign Investment (Negative List) (2020 Edition) (the”2020 Negative List”) was jointly promulgated on June 23, 2020 and took effect on July 23, 2020. The Encouraging Catalogue and the 2020 Negative List categorize industries into three categories - “encouraged,” “restricted,” and “prohibited.” All industries that are not listed under one of “encouraged,” “restricted,” or “prohibited” categories are deemed to be “permitted.” The Encouraging Catalogue and the 2020 Negative List are subject to review and update by the Chinese government from time to time. Our business is classified under the category of “encouraged.”
Regulation Regarding Foreign Exchange Registration of Offshore Investment by PRC
The Circular on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control on Domestic Residents’ Offshore Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment Through Special Purpose Vehicles, or Circular 37, issued by SAFE and effective on July 4, 2014 regulates foreign exchange matters in relation to the use of special purpose vehicles, or SPVs, by PRC residents or entities to seek offshore investment and financing and conduct round trip investment in China.
Circular 37 and other SAFE rules require PRC residents, including both legal and natural persons, to register with local banks before making a capital contribution to any company outside of China (an “offshore SPV”) with onshore or offshore assets and equity interests legally owned by PRC residents. In addition, any PRC individual resident who is a stockholder of an offshore SPV is required to update his or her registration with the local banks with respect to that offshore SPV in connection with a change of basic information of the offshore SPV such as its company name, business term, the shareholding by the individual PRC resident, merger, division, and with respect to the individual PRC resident in case of any increase or decrease of capital in the offshore SPV, transfer of shares, or swap of shares by the individual PRC resident. Failure to comply with the required SAFE registration and updating requirements described above may result in restrictions being imposed on the foreign exchange activities of the PRC subsidiaries of such offshore SPV, including increasing the registered capital or payment of dividends and other distributions to, and receiving capital injections from, the offshore SPV. Failure to comply with Circular 37 may also subject the relevant PRC residents or the PRC subsidiaries of such offshore SPV to penalties under PRC foreign exchange administration regulations for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions.
37 |
Regulations Regarding Foreign Exchange
Under the Foreign Currency Administration Rules promulgated in 1996 and revised in 1997 and 2008 and various regulations issued by SAFE and other relevant PRC government authorities, RMB is convertible into other currencies without prior approval from SAFE only to the extent of current account items, such as trade related receipts and payments, interest, and dividends, and after complying with certain procedural requirements. The conversion of RMB into other currencies and remittance of the converted foreign currency outside the PRC for the purpose of capital account items, such as direct equity investments, loans, and repatriation of investment, requires prior approval from SAFE or its local office. Payments for transactions that take place within China must be made in RMB. Unless otherwise approved, PRC companies must repatriate foreign currency payments received from abroad. Foreign-invested enterprises may retain foreign exchange in accounts with designated foreign exchange banks subject to a cap set by SAFE or its local office. Unless otherwise approved, domestic enterprises must convert all of their foreign currency proceeds into RMB.
On August 29, 2008, SAFE promulgated Circular 142 which regulates the conversion by a foreign-funded enterprise of foreign currency into RMB by restricting how the converted RMB may be used. In addition, SAFE promulgated Circular 45 on November 9, 2011 in order to clarify the application of Circular 142. Under Circular 142 and Circular 45, the RMB capital converted from foreign currency registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise may only be used for purposes within the business scope approved by the applicable government authority and may not be used for equity investments within the PRC. In addition, SAFE strengthened its oversight of the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from foreign currency registered capital of foreign-invested enterprises. The use of such RMB capital may not be changed without SAFE’s approval, and such RMB capital may not in any case be used to repay RMB loans if the proceeds of such loans have not been used. Violations of Circular 142 and Circular 45 could result in severe penalties, such as heavy fines as set out in the relevant foreign exchange control regulations. On July 4, 2014, SAFE promulgated SAFE Circular 36, which launched a pilot reform of the administration of the settlement of the foreign exchange capitals of foreign-invested enterprises in certain designated areas from August 4, 2014. However, SAFE Circular 36 continues to prohibit foreign-invested enterprises from directly or indirectly using the Renminbi converted from their foreign exchange capital for purposes beyond their business scope. On March 30, 2015, SAFE promulgated Circular 19 to expand the reform nationwide. Circular 19 came into force and replaced both Circular 142 and Circular 36 on June 1, 2015. Circular 36 allowed enterprises established within the pilot areas to use their foreign exchange capital to make equity investments and removed certain other restrictions provided under Circular 142 for these enterprises. Circular 19 removed those restrictions for all foreign-invested enterprises established in the PRC. However, both Circular 36 and Circular 19 continue to prohibit foreign-invested enterprises from, among other things, using the Renminbi funds converted from their foreign exchange capital for expenditures beyond their business scope, providing entrusted loans, or repaying loans between non-financial enterprises.
On June 9, 2016, SAFE promulgated Circular 16, which provides an integrated standard for converting foreign exchange under capital account items (including but not limited to foreign exchange capital and foreign debts) on a discretionary basis which applies to all enterprises registered in the PRC. Circular 16 reiterates the principle that Renminbi converted from foreign currency-denominated capital of a company may not be directly or indirectly used for purposes beyond its business scope or prohibited by PRC laws or regulations, and such converted Renminbi shall not be provided as loans to its non-affiliated entities, except where it is expressly permitted in the company’s business license.
Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies
On February 17, 2023, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) released the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, which came into effect on March 31, 2023. On the same date of the issuance of the Trial Measures, the CSRC circulated No. 1 to No. 5 Supporting Guidance Rules, the Notes on the Trial Measures, the Notice on Administration Arrangements for the Filing of Overseas Listings by Domestic Enterprises and the relevant CSRC Answers to Reporter Questions on the official website of the CSRC, or collectively, the Guidance Rules and Notice. The Trial Measures, together with the Guidance Rules and Notice, reiterate the basic supervision principles as reflected in the Draft Overseas Listing Regulations by providing substantially the same requirements for filings of overseas offering and listing by domestic companies, yet made the following updates compared to the Draft Overseas Listing Regulations: (a) further clarification of the circumstances prohibiting overseas issuance and listing; (b) further clarification of the standard of indirect overseas listing under the principle of substance over form, and (c) adding more details of filing procedures and requirements by setting different filing requirements for different types of overseas offering and listing.
38 |
Pursuant to the Trial Measures, the Guidance Rules and Notice, domestic companies that seek to offer or list securities overseas, both directly and indirectly, should fulfill the filing procedure and report relevant information to the CSRC within three working days following their submission of initial public offerings or listing application. Companies that have already been listed on overseas stock exchanges or have obtained the approval from overseas supervision administrations or stock exchanges for their offering and listing and that will complete their overseas offering and listing prior to September 30, 2023 are not required to make immediate filings for their listing yet need to make filings for subsequent offerings in accordance with the Trial Measures. Companies that have already submitted an application for an initial public offering to overseas supervision administrations prior to the effective date of the Trial Measures but have not yet obtained the approval from overseas supervision administrations or stock exchanges for the offering and listing may arrange for the filing within a reasonable time period and should complete the filing procedure before such companies’ overseas issuance and listing.
According to the Notice on Administration Arrangements for the Filing of Overseas Listings by Domestic Enterprises, domestic companies that have already been listed overseas before the effective date of the Trial Measures, March 31, 2023, shall be deemed Existing Issuers, and Existing Issuers are not required to complete the filing procedures immediately, but they will be required to file with the CSRC for any subsequent offerings. If a domestic company fails to complete required filing procedures or conceals any material fact or falsifies any major content in its filing documents, such domestic company may be subject to administrative penalties, such as an order to rectify, warnings, and fines, and its controlling shareholders, actual controllers, the person directly in charge, and other directly liable persons may also be subject to administrative penalties, such as warnings and fines.
On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with the Ministry of Finance, the National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China, revised the Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration for Overseas Securities Offering and Listing, which were issued by the CSRC and National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China in 2009, or the Provisions. The revised Provisions were issued under the title the “Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies,” and came into effect on March 31, 2023, together with the Trial Measures.
One of the major revisions to the revised Provisions is expanding their application to cover indirect overseas offerings and listing, as is consistent with the Trial Measures. The revised Provisions require that, among other things, (a) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals or entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any documents and materials that contain state secrets or working secrets of government agencies, shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy administrative department at the same level; and (b) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals and entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any other documents and materials that, if leaked, will be detrimental to national security or public interest, shall strictly fulfill relevant procedures stipulated by applicable national regulations. Any failure or perceived failure by the Company and its subsidiaries to comply with the above confidentiality and archives administration requirements under the revised Provisions and other PRC laws and regulations may result in the relevant entities being held legally liable by competent authorities and referred to the judicial organ to be investigated for criminal liability if suspected of committing a crime.
As an Existing Issuer, the Company is not required to make any filings at this time pursuant to the Trial Measures and the revised Provisions; however, if we should seek to effect an overseas follow-on offering in the future, we would be required to file with the CSRC within three working days following our submission of an initial public offering or listing application. As of the date of this Annual Report, the Company is not considering any overseas public offerings of its securities. However, there are still uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of such regulatory guidance, and we cannot assure you that we have not inadvertently misinterpreted the filing requirements, that the requirements will not change in the future, or that we will be able to comply with all the new regulatory requirements of the Trial Measures, the revised Provisions, or any future implementing rules on a timely basis, or at all. Any failure by us to fully comply with the new regulatory requirements, including but not limited to the failure to complete the filing procedures with the CSRC, if required, may result in our securities being ineligible for listing on a US exchange, which would significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our common stock, cause significant disruption to our business operations, severely damage our reputation, and, in turn, materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause our securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
39 |
Opinions on Severely Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities According to Law
Recently, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the “Opinions on Severely Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities According to Law,” or “the Opinions,” which were made available to the public on July 6, 2021. The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the need to strengthen the supervision over overseas listings by Chinese companies.
Based on our understanding of currently applicable PRC laws and regulations, the Company and its PRC subsidiary and VIE: (i) are not currently required to obtain permissions from any PRC authorities to operate or to issue securities to foreign investors; (ii) are not subject to permission requirements from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”), the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”) or any other entity that is required to approve their operations; and (iii) have not been denied any permissions by any PRC authorities. In addition,
If we have erroneously concluded that these permission requirements do not apply to us, or if applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change, and it is determined in the future that the permission requirements become applicable to us, we may be subject to review, may face challenges in addressing these requirements and may incur substantial costs in complying with these requirements, which could result in material adverse changes in our business operations and financial position. In addition, if we are not able to fully comply with the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version), discussed below, or if the Opinions come into effect and are determined to be applicable to us, our ability to offer or to continue to offer securities to investors may be significantly limited or completely hindered, and our securities may significantly decline in value or become worthless.
Given the current PRC regulatory environment, it is uncertain whether the Company will be required to obtain permission from the PRC government to list on U.S. exchanges in the future, and if such permission is required, whether it will be denied or later rescinded. We have been closely monitoring regulatory developments in China regarding any necessary approvals from the CSRC or other PRC governmental authorities required for overseas listings. As of the date of this Annual Report, we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanctions, or regulatory objection to our prior securities offering from the CSRC or other PRC governmental authorities. However, there remains significant uncertainty as to the enactment, interpretation and, implementation of regulatory requirements related to overseas securities offerings and other capital markets activities.
According to the Administration Provision and the Measures, only new offerings and refinancing by existent overseas listed Chinese companies will be required to go through the filing process with PRC administrations; other existent overseas listed companies will be allowed a sufficient transition period to complete their filing procedure, which means that we will certainly go through the filing process in the future, perhaps because of a refinancing, or be given a sufficient transition period to complete the filing procedure as an existent overseas listed Chinese company.
Regulations regarding privacy and data protection
Regulatory authorities in China have implemented and are considering further legislative and regulatory proposals concerning data protection. New laws and regulations that govern new areas of data protection or impose more stringent requirements may be introduced in China. In addition, the interpretation and application of consumer and data protection laws in China are often uncertain, in flux, and complicated, including differentiated requirements for different groups of people or different types of data.
40 |
PRC Cybersecurity Law. The PRC regulatory and enforcement regime with regard to privacy and data security is evolving. The PRC Cybersecurity Law, which took effect in June 2017, created China’s first national-level data protection regime for “network operators,” which may include all organizations in China that provide services over the internet or another information network. It provides that personal information and important data collected and generated by operators of critical information infrastructure in the course of their operations in the PRC should be stored in the PRC, and the law imposes heightened regulation and additional security obligations on operators of critical information infrastructure. It also provides that network operators are required to implement security protection measures to ensure that the network is free from interference, disruption, or unauthorized access, and to prevent network data from being disclosed, stolen, or tampered.
Data Security Law. On June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China promulgated the Data Security Law which took effect on September 1, 2021.
The Data Security Law establishes a tiered system for data protection in terms of importance, in which data categorized as “important data,” which will be determined by governmental authorities in the form of catalogs, are required to be treated with a higher level of protection. Specifically, the Data Security Law provides that operators processing “important data” are required to appoint a “data security officer” and a “management department” to take charge of data security. In addition, such operator is required to evaluate the risk of its data activities periodically and file assessment reports with relevant regulatory authorities. In addition, the Data Security Law prohibits entities and individuals in China from providing any foreign judicial or law enforcement authority with any data stored in China without approval from competent PRC authority, and sets forth the legal liabilities of entities and individuals found to be in violation of their data protection obligations, including rectification order, warning, fines of up to RMB10 million, suspension of relevant business, and revocation of business permits or licenses.
There can be no assurance that we would be able to complete the applicable cybersecurity review procedures in a timely manner, or at all, if we are required to follow such procedures. This could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and business prospects. Moreover, the notion of “important data” is not clearly defined by the Cybersecurity Law or the Data Security Law. In order to comply with the statutory requirements, we will need to determine whether we possess important data, monitor the important data catalogs that are expected to be published by local governments and departments, perform risk assessments, and ensure that we are complying with reporting obligations to applicable regulators, if necessary. Furthermore, if judicial and law enforcement authorities outside China require us to provide data stored in China, and we are not able to pass any required government security review or obtain any required government approval to do so, we may not be able to meet the foreign authorities’ requirements. The potential conflicts in legal obligations could have an adverse impact on our operations in and outside China.
Cybersecurity Review Measures. In January 2022, the CAC and several other administrations jointly promulgated the amended Cybersecurity Review Measures, or the Cybersecurity Review Measures, which became effective on February 15, 2022, and which supersede and replace the cybersecurity review measures that became effective in June 2020. Pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures, a “critical information infrastructure operator,” or a CIIO, that purchases network products and services or conducts data processing activities that affect or may affect national security will be subject to cybersecurity review. The Cybersecurity Review Measures also expands the cybersecurity review to “internet platform operators” in possession of personal information of over one million users if such operators intend to list their securities in a foreign country. Alternatively, relevant governmental authorities in the PRC may initiate cybersecurity review if they determine an operator’s network products or services or data processing activities affect or may affect national security. We do not believe that our Company constitutes a critical information infrastructure operator and we have less than one million registered users on our digital platform.
On November 14, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China released the Regulations on Network Data Security (draft for public comments), the final version of which went into effect on January 1, 2025. The Regulations on Network Data Security provide that data processors refer to individuals or organizations that autonomously determine the purpose and the manner of processing data. If a data processor that processes personal data of more than one million users intends to list overseas, it shall apply for a cybersecurity review. In addition, data processors that process important data or are listed overseas shall carry out an annual data security assessment on their own or by engaging a data security services institution, and the data security assessment report for the prior year should be submitted to the local cyberspace affairs administration department before January 31 of each year.
41 |
Under the Data Security Law and the Cybersecurity Review Measures, as long as we are not deemed to be an operator or a data processor and we do not control more than one million users’ personal information, we would not be required to apply for a cybersecurity review by the CAC. However, if the CSRC, CAC, or other regulatory agency later promulgates new rules or explanations requiring that we obtain their approvals for a follow-on offering, we may be unable to obtain such approvals which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer additional securities to investors and our securities may substantially decline in value or be worthless.
We currently have less than one million registered users on our digital platform and only require and obtain user information after users register with it. Given that we sell and service products through our digital platform, we may constitute a “data processor,” but as the number of our online registered users is far less than one million, we do not believe that we are required to apply for a cybersecurity review under the Cybersecurity Review Measures or the Regulations on Network Data Security. Although we believe we currently are not required to obtain clearance from the CAC under the Cybersecurity Review Measures, the Regulations on Network Data Security, or the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, we face uncertainties as to the interpretation or implementation of such regulations or rules and we may in the future be required to perform a data security assessment annually either by ourselves or by retaining a third party data security service provider and submitting such data security assessment report to the local agency every year under the Regulations on Network Data Security. Although we believe we currently are not required to obtain clearance from the CAC under the Cybersecurity Review Measures, the Regulations on Network Data Security (draft for public comments), or the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, we face uncertainties as to the interpretation or implementation of such regulations or rules and we may in the future be required to perform a data security assessment annually either by ourselves or by retaining a third party data security service provider and submitting such data security assessment report to the local agency every year under the draft Regulations on Network Data Security.
Personal Information Protection Law. On August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China promulgated the Personal Information Protection Law (the “PIPL”), which took effect on November 1, 2021. In addition to other rules and principles of personal information processing, the Personal Information Protection Law specifically provides rules for processing sensitive personal information. Sensitive personal information refers to personal information that, once leaked or illegally used, could easily lead to the infringement of human dignity or harm to the personal or property safety of an individual, including biometric recognition, religious belief, specific identity, medical and health, financial account, personal whereabouts, and other information of an individual, as well as any personal information of a minor under the age of 14. Only where there is a specific purpose and sufficient necessity, and under circumstances where strict protection measures are taken, may personal information processors process sensitive personal information. A personal information processor shall inform the individual of the necessity of processing such sensitive personal information and the impact thereof on the individual’s rights and interests. As uncertainties remain regarding the interpretation and implementation of the Personal Information Protection Law, we cannot assure you that we will comply with the Personal Information Protection Law in all respects and regulatory authorities may order us to rectify or terminate our current practice of collecting and processing sensitive personal information.
Summary. Compliance with the PRC Cybersecurity Law, the Data Security Law, the Cybersecurity Review Measures, and the Personal Information Protection Law, as well as additional laws and regulations that PRC regulatory bodies may enact in the future, may result in additional expenses to us and subject us to negative publicity, which could harm our reputation among users and negatively affect the trading price of our common stock in the future. PRC regulators, including the Department of Public Security, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the CAC, have been increasingly focused on regulation in the areas of data security and data protection, and are enhancing the protection of privacy and data security by rulemaking and enforcement actions at central and local levels. We expect that these areas will receive greater and continued attention and scrutiny from regulators and the public going forward, which could increase our compliance costs and subject us to heightened risks and challenges associated with data security and protection. We cannot assure you that we will be compliant with these new laws and regulations described above in all respects, and we may become subject to penalties, including fines, suspension of business, prohibition against new user registration (even for a short period of time) and revocation of required licenses, and our reputation and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The PRC government has broad discretion in determining rectifiable or punitive measures for non-compliance with or violations of PRC laws and regulations. If the PRC government determines that we, our Hong Kong or PRC subsidiaries, or our VIE do not comply with applicable law, it could revoke the VIE’s and our PRC subsidiaries’ business and operating licenses, require the VIE to discontinue or restrict its operations, restrict the VIE’s right to collect revenues, require the VIE to restructure its operations, impose additional conditions or requirements with which the VIE may not be able to comply, impose restrictions on the VIE’s business operations or on its customers, or take other regulatory or enforcement actions against the VIE that could be harmful to its business, which could materially and adversely affect the VIE’s and the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.
42 |
In addition, any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with the above and other regulatory requirements or privacy protection-related laws, rules, and regulations could result in reputational damage or proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities, consumers, or others. These proceedings or actions could subject us to significant penalties and negative publicity, require us to change our data and other business practices, increase our costs, and severely disrupt our business, all of which could negatively affect the trading price of our common stock.
Laws and Regulations Relating to Intellectual Property Rights
Pursuant to the Trademark Law of the PRC (the “Trademark Law”), the right to exclusive use of a registered trademark shall be limited to trademarks which have been registered and to goods for which the use of trademark has been permitted. The period of validity of a registered trademark shall be ten years, counted from the day the registration is made. According to the Trademark Law, (i) using a trademark that is identical to a registered trademark on the same goods without the authorization of the owner of the registered trademark; (ii) using a trademark that is similar to a registered trademark on the same goods or (iii) using a trademark that is identical with or similar to a registered trademark on similar goods without the authorization of the owner of the registered trademark, which is likely to cause confusion, shall be deemed to constitute an infringement of the exclusive right to use a registered trademark. The infringer shall, in accordance with the regulations, undertake to cease the infringement, take remedial action, and pay damages.
Taxation
PRC Enterprise Income Tax
The PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, or EIT Law, and its implementation rules provide that from January 1, 2008, a uniform income tax rate of 25% is applied equally to domestic enterprises as well as foreign investment enterprises.
The EIT Law and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax at the rate of 10% is applicable to dividends and other distributions payable by a PRC resident enterprise to investors who are “non-resident enterprises” (that do not have an establishment or place of business in the PRC, or that have such establishment or place of business but the relevant dividend or other distribution is not effectively connected with the establishment or place of business). However, pursuant to the Arrangement between the Mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income effective on December 8, 2006, the withholding tax rate for dividends paid by a PRC resident enterprise is 5% if the Hong Kong enterprise is determined by the competent tax authority in the PRC to have satisfies the relevant conditions and requirements under the applicable laws ; otherwise, the dividend withholding tax rate is 10%. According to the Notice of the PRC State Administration of Taxation on Issues relating to the Administration of the Dividend Provision in Tax Treaties promulgated on February 20, 2009, and effective on the same day, the corporate recipient of dividends distributed by PRC enterprises must satisfy the direct ownership thresholds at all times during the 12 consecutive months preceding the receipt of the dividends. However, if a company is deemed to be a pass-through entity rather than a qualified owner of benefits, it cannot enjoy the favorable tax treatments provided in the tax arrangement. In addition, if transactions or arrangements are deemed by the relevant tax authorities to be entered into mainly for the purpose of enjoying favorable tax treatments under the tax arrangement, such favorable tax treatments may be subject to adjustment by the relevant tax authorities in the future.
Business Tax and Value-added Tax
Pursuant to the Temporary Regulations on Business Tax, which were promulgated by the State Council on December 13, 1993, and effective on January 1, 1994, as amended on November 10, 2008, and effective January 1, 2009, any entity or individual conducting business in a service industry is generally required to pay business tax at the rate of 5% on the revenues generated from providing such services.
43 |
In March 2016, the Ministry of Finance and SAT jointly issued the Pilot Program of Replacing Business Tax with Value-Added Tax (“VAT”) in an All-round Manner, or Circular 36, effective from May 2016, according to which PRC tax authorities have started imposing VAT on revenues from various service sectors, including real estate, construction, financial services and insurance, as well as other lifestyle service sectors, replacing the business tax replacing the business tax that co-existed with VAT for over 20 years. According to Provisional Regulations on VAT of the PRC and its detailed rules for the Implementation, organizations and individuals engaging in the sale of goods or processing, repair and assembly services, the sale of services, intangible assets, immovables, and importation of goods in the PRC shall be taxpayers of VAT and shall pay VAT pursuant to these regulations.
Business Licenses
Any company that conducts business in the PRC must have a business license that covers a particular type of work. Other than regular business licenses that we have already obtained, there is no special license or permit required for us to engage in the current businesses under PRC laws and regulations.
Any company that conducts business in the PRC must have a business license that covers the scope of the business in which such company is engaged. Following the 2021 Share Exchange, we conduct our business through our control of KP International Holding. Each of King Eagle (China), King Eagle VIE, King Eagle (Beijing), King Eagle (Huai’an) and Kun Zhi Jian (Huai’an) holds a business license that covers its present or planned business.
King Eagle (China)’s business license was issued on April 20, 2021. The scope of King Eagle (China)’s registered business includes, among numerous other things: (i) wholesale sale of daily necessities; (ii) import and export of goods; (iii) Internet sales (except sales of licensed goods); (iv) general merchandise sales; (v) pre-packaged food sales; (vi) pre-packaged health food sales; (vii) health consultation services (excluding diagnosis and treatment services); (viii) sales of agricultural and sideline products; (ix) retail sales of protective equipment for medical personnel; (x) wholesale sales of medical personnel protective equipment; (xi) wholesale sales of medical masks; and (xii) retail sales of medical masks.
King Eagle VIE’s business license was issued on April 16, 2021, and an amendment to the business license was filed on November 5, 2021. The business scope includes, among numerous other things: general items: technical services, technical development, technical consultation, technical exchange, technology transfer, technology promotion; Data processing services; Software development; Conference and exhibition services; Advertising production; Advertising design and agency; Advertising release; Information consulting services (excluding licensed information consulting services); Information technology consulting services; Marketing planning; Etiquette service; Professional design services; Video recording and video production services; Graphic design and production; Commodity sales; Retail of computer hardware, software and ancillary equipment; Stationery retail; Retail of arts and crafts and collectibles (other than ivory and its products); Sales of electronic products; Food sales (pre-packaged food only); The second type of medical device sales; Retail of edible agricultural products; Cosmetics retail; Apparel retail; Needle textile sales; Electric bicycle sales; Sales of household appliances; Jewelry retail; Daily necessities sales; Sales of plastic products; Automobile decoration supplies sales; Daily sales of wood products; Sales of personal hygiene products; Paper product sales; Sales of maternal and infant products; Marketing of sanitary and single-use medical supplies; Sales of hair accessories; General merchandise sales; Rubber products sales; Sales of needle textiles and raw materials; Sales of labor protection articles; Shoe and hat retail; Sanitary ware sales; Retail of kitchenware and household goods; Sales of daily chemical products; Sales of sanitary ceramic products; Sales of clocks and timekeeping instruments; Sales of glasses (excluding contact lenses); Metal tool sales; Sales of arts and crafts and ceremonial articles (except ivory and its products); Food detergent sales; Gift flower sales; Sales of daily masks (non-medical); Sales of household goods; Enamel products sales; Retail of household appliances; Sales of non-electric household appliances; Sales of bamboo products; Food with plastic packaging container tool products sales; Office supplies sales; Hardware retail; Home audio-visual equipment sales; Furniture sales; Sales of sex toys for adults (excluding drugs and medical devices). (Except for the items subject to approval according to law, independently carry out business activities according to law with the business license)
44 |
Approved items: Category I value-added telecommunications business; The second type of value-added telecommunications services; The third type of medical device business; Pharmaceutical retail. (For projects subject to approval according to law, business activities can only be carried out after the approval of the relevant departments, and the specific business projects shall be subject to the approval documents or license of the relevant departments).
King Eagle (Beijing)’s business license was issued on December 1, 2022. The business scope includes, among numerous other things: general items: technical services, technical development, technical consultation, technical exchange, technology transfer, technology promotion; Organizing cultural and artistic exchange activities; Non-residential real estate lease; Food and beverage management; Conference and exhibition services; Literary and artistic creation; Advertising release; Socio-economic advisory services; Enterprise management consulting; Corporate image planning; Photography expansion service; Etiquette service; Translation services; Professional design services; Graphic design and production; Wholesale of daily necessities; Software sales; Wholesale of computer hardware, software and auxiliary equipment; Stationery wholesale; Arts and crafts and ceremonial articles manufacturing (except ivory and its products); Single-purpose commercial prepaid card agent sales; Import and export of goods; Technology import and export; Art agent; Internet sales (except sales of licensed goods); General merchandise sales; Office supplies sales; Retail of household appliances; Food sales (pre-packaged food only); Health food (pre-packaged) sales; Health consultation services (excluding diagnosis and treatment services); Tourism development project planning and consulting; Marketing planning; Agricultural and sideline product sales. (Except for the items subject to approval according to law, independently carry out business activities according to law with the business license) Approved items: tourism business; Packaging and decoration printing; Art import and export. (For projects subject to approval according to law, business activities can only be carried out after approval by relevant departments, the specific business projects shall be subject to the approval documents or license of relevant departments.)(Business activities of projects prohibited or restricted by national and municipal industrial policies shall not be engaged.)
King Eagle (Huai ‘an)’s business license was issued on September 19, 2023. The business scope includes, among numerous other things: General items: tele-health management services; Sales of Category I medical devices; Marketing of sanitary and single-use medical supplies; TCM health care services (non-medical); The second category of medical device sales; Nursing facility services (excluding medical services); Hospital management; Human resource services (excluding job intermediary activities and labor dispatch services); Elderly care service; Network technology services; Information technology consulting services; Patient care services; Clinic services (except for items that need to be approved according to law, independently carry out business activities according to law with business license). Licensed items: the third type of medical device business; Internet hospital services relying on physical hospitals; Medical services; Medical device Internet information service; Internet live broadcast technical services; Internet information services; Electronic authentication services; Drug Internet information service; Information network dissemination of audiovisual programs; Call center (For projects subject to approval according to law, business activities can only be carried out after approval by relevant departments, and the specific business projects shall be subject to the approval results).
Kun Zhi Jian (Huai ‘an)’s business license was issued on October 26, 2023. The business scope includes a variety of items: General items: technical service, technology development, technology consultation, technology exchange, technology transfer, technology promotion; Information technology consulting services; Network technology services; Sales of Category I medical devices; Marketing of sanitary and single-use medical supplies; TCM health care services (non-medical); The second category of medical device sales; Nursing facility services (excluding medical services); Hospital management; Human resource services (excluding job intermediary activities and labor dispatch services); Elderly care service; Tele-health management services; Patient care services; Clinic services; Single-purpose commercial prepaid card agent sales (except for items subject to approval according to law, independently carry out business activities according to law with business license).
45 |
Licensed items: Internet hospital services based on physical hospitals; Medical services; The third type of medical device management; Medical device Internet information service; Internet live broadcast technical services; Internet information services; Electronic authentication services; Drug Internet information service; Information network dissemination of audiovisual programs; Call center (For projects subject to approval according to law, business activities can only be carried out after approval by relevant departments, and the specific business projects shall be subject to the approval results)
King Eagle (Hangzhou)’s business license was issued on July 18, 2024. The business scope includes general items: technical service, technology development, technology consultation, technology exchange, technology transfer, technology promotion; Information technology consulting services; Internet sales (except sales of goods that require a license); Sales of daily chemical products; Sales of electronic products; Network technology services; Disinfectant sales (without hazardous chemicals); Sales of agricultural and sideline products; Sales of personal hygiene products; Cosmetics wholesale; Cosmetics retail; Daily necessities sales; Daily necessities wholesale; Software sales; Health consultation services (excluding medical services); TCM health care services (non-medical); Remote health management services (except for the items that need to be approved according to law, independently carry out business activities according to law with the business license). Licensed items: life beauty service; Hairdressing services; The second type of value-added telecommunication services; Category I value-added telecommunications services (For projects subject to approval according to law, business activities can only be carried out after approval by relevant departments, and the specific business projects shall be subject to the approval results).
KP (Shandong)’s business license was issued on April 7, 2024. The business scope includes general items: health consulting services (excluding diagnosis and treatment services); Food sales (pre-packaged food only); Retail of edible agricultural products; General merchandise sales; Hardware products retail; Sales of daily necessities; Technical service, technology development, technology consultation, technology exchange, technology transfer, technology dissemination; Data processing services; Software development; Conference and exhibition services; Advertising production; Advertising design, agency; Advertising release; Information consulting services (excluding licensed information consulting services); Information technology consulting services; Marketing planning; Etiquette service; Professional design services; Camera and video production services; Graphic design and production; Daily necessities sales; Retail of computer hardware, software and auxiliary equipment; Stationery retail; Wholesale of arts and crafts and collectibles (except ivory and its products); Sales of electronic products; Health food (pre-packaged) sales; Sales of formula food for special medical purposes; The second category of medical device sales; Cosmetics retail; Apparel retail; Needle textile sales; Sales of household appliances; Jewelry retail; Sales of plastic products; Automobile decoration supplies sales; Daily sales of wood products; Sales of personal hygiene products; Paper products sales; Sales of maternal and infant products; Marketing of sanitary and single-use medical supplies; Sales of hair accessories; Rubber products sales; Sales of needle textiles and raw materials; Sales of labor protection products; Shoes and hats retail; Sanitary ware sales; Retail of kitchenware and household goods; Sales of daily chemical products; Sales of sanitary ceramic products; Sales of watches and timing instruments; Sales of glasses (excluding contact lenses); Metal tool sales; Sales of arts and crafts and ceremonial articles (except ivory and its products); Food detergent sales; Gift flower sales; Daily masks (non-medical) sales; Sales of household goods; Enamel products sales; Retail of household appliances; Sales of non-electric household appliances; Bamboo products sales; Food with plastic packaging container tool products sales; Office supplies sales; Home audio-visual equipment sales; Furniture sales; Sales of adult sex toys (excluding drugs and medical devices); Internet sales (except sales of goods that require a license); Organizing cultural and artistic exchange activities; Internet equipment sales; Internet data services; Single-use commercial prepaid card agent sales. (Except for the projects subject to approval according to law, independently carry out business activities according to law with the business license) Permitted projects: Category I value-added telecommunications business; The second type of value-added telecommunication services; The third type of medical device management; Pharmaceutical retail; Food Internet sales; Internet information services; Internet live broadcasting technology services. (In accordance with the law to be approved by the project, after the approval of the relevant departments can carry out business activities, specific business projects in the relevant departments of the approval documents or license shall prevail) Kun Zhijian (Shandong) Health Management Co., Ltd. has one branch office in Hangzhou.
46 |
Dividend Distributions
Under applicable PRC regulations, FIEs in China may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, a FIE in China is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profit based on PRC accounting standards each year to its general reserves until the accumulative amount of such reserves reach 50% of its registered capital. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. The Board of Directors of a FIE has the discretion to allocate a portion of its after-tax profits to staff welfare and bonus funds, which may not be distributed to equity owners except in the event of liquidation.
After-tax profits/losses with respect to the payment of dividends out of accumulated profits and the annual appropriation of after-tax profits as calculated pursuant to PRC accounting standards and regulations do not result in significant differences as compared to after-tax earnings as presented in our financial statements. However, there are certain differences between PRC accounting standards and regulations and U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, arising from different treatment of items such as amortization of intangible assets and change in fair value of contingent consideration rising from business combinations.
In addition, under the EIT Law, the Notice of the State Administration of Taxation on Negotiated Reduction of Dividends and Interest Rates, which was issued on January 29, 2008, the Arrangement between the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion, which became effective on December 8, 2006, and the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Relating to “Beneficial Owner” in Tax Treaties, which became effective on April 1, 2018, dividends from our PRC operating subsidiaries paid to us through our Hong Kong subsidiary may be subject to a withholding tax at a rate of 10%, or at a rate of 5% if our Hong Kong subsidiary is considered a “beneficial owner” that is generally engaged in substantial business activities and entitled to treaty benefits under the Arrangement between the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion.
Laws and Regulations Related to Employment and Labor Protection
On June 29, 2007, the National People’s Congress promulgated the Employment Contract Law of PRC (“Employment Contract Law”), which became effective as of January 1, 2008, and amended on December 28, 2012. The Employment Contract Law requires employers to provide written contracts to their employees, restricts the use of temporary workers and aims to give employees long-term job security.
Pursuant to the Employment Contract Law, employment contracts lawfully concluded prior to the implementation of the Employment Contract Law and continuing as of the date of its implementation shall continue to be performed. Where an employment relationship was established prior to the implementation of the Employment Contract Law but no written employment contract was concluded, a contract must be concluded within one month after its implementation.
On September 18, 2008, the State Council promulgated the Implementing Regulations for the PRC Employment Contract Law which came into effect immediately. These regulations interpret and supplement the provisions of the Employment Contract Law.
Our standard employment contract complies with the requirements of the Employment Contract Law and its implementing regulations. We have entered into written employment contracts with all of our employees.
Pursuant to the PRC Labor Law and the PRC Labor Contract Law, employers must execute written labor contracts with full-time employees. All employers must comply with local minimum wage standards. Violations of the PRC Labor Contract Law and the PRC Labor Law may result in the imposition of fines and other administrative and criminal liability in the case of serious violations.
47 |
In addition, according to the PRC Social Insurance Law and Administration Measures on Housing Fund, employers like our PRC subsidiaries in China must provide employees with welfare schemes covering pension insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance, work-related injury insurance, medical insurance, and housing funds. The various laws and regulations that govern employers’ obligation to contribute to the social security funds include the Social Insurance Laws of the PRC, the Interim Regulation on the Collection and Payment of Social Insurance Premiums, the Decision of the State Council on Establishing a Unified System of the Basic Pension Insurance for Enterprise Employees, the Circular on Relevant Issues concerning the Improvement of the Basic Pension Insurance Policy for Urban Employees, the Regulation on Work-related Injury Insurance, the Regulation on Unemployment Insurance, the Decision of the State Council on Establishing the Basic Medical Insurance System for Urban Employees, the Circular on the Issuance of Provisions on the Administration of Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Employees, and the Trial Measures on Maternity Insurance for Enterprise Employees.
Employees
Currently, we have a total of 34 full-time employees. The following table sets forth the number of our full-time employees by function.
None of our employees belong to a union or are a party to any collective bargaining or similar agreement. We consider our relationships with our employees to be good.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
As a smaller reporting company, we are not required to include risk factors in this report. However, below is a partial list of material risks, uncertainties and other factors that could have a material effect on the Company and its operations:
Risks Related to Our Business
The ability of the Company to continue as a going concern is dependent upon the Company’s ability to raise additional funds and implement its business plan.
The auditor’s report on the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company included in this Annual Report include a paragraph that indicates that they were prepared assuming that we would continue as a going concern. As of September 30, 2024, the Company incurred cash inflows from operating activities of $17,880, a net loss of $1,991,747 and negative working capital of $7,997,902; as of September 30, 2023, the Company incurred cash outflows from operating activities of $427,030, a net loss of $2,149,213, and negative working capital of $5,523,743These conditions raise substantial doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern. The ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon generating profitable operations in the future and/or obtaining the necessary financing to meet our obligations and repay our liabilities arising from normal business operations when they become due. In order to continue as a going concern for the next 12 months, the Company is focusing on promoting and selling its own brand of preventive health care products to wholesalers through Kun Zhi Jian, an online platform launched in October 2022, streamlining its overhead costs, and, as necessary, obtaining financing or capital funding from its stockholders or directors. In addition, in November 2023, the Company launched the Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program through which it offers health screening and monitoring at the Kun Zhi Jian customer service center and promotes and sells health care supplements and products to its customers and members. Management may seek additional funds, primarily through the issuance of equity securities for cash or through loans from our officers and controlling stockholders, to operate our business. Management estimates that additional capital will be necessary to support our operations and growth.
48 |
We may continue to incur losses in the future, and may not be able to return to profitability, which may cause the market price of our shares to decline.
The Company incurred a net loss of $1,991,747 and $2,149,213, for the years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. We have generated very limited revenue. Our current operations are small with a short history. We may be unable to achieve our performance targets, which will impact the Company’s operating results. Our ability to achieve profitability depends on the competitiveness of our products and services as well as our ability to control costs and to provide new products and services to meet the market demands and attract new customers. Due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development of our business, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to achieve profitability in the short-term or long-term. The Company focus on increasing its revenue through the sale of health care products and equipment service from card-operated health screening equipments on its new online platform, Kun Zhi Jian and Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program, and promoting its own brand of preventive health care related products to reduce its costs of goods sold, streamlining its overhead costs, or obtaining financing from its stockholders or directors. The Company continues to focus on increasing its revenue through the sale of health care products on its online platform, King Eagle Mall, and promoting its own brand of preventive health care related products on its new online platform to reduce its costs of goods sold, streamlining its overhead costs, or obtaining financing from its stockholders or directors. Management may seek additional funds, primarily through the issuance of equity securities for cash and loans from our officers and controlling stockholders, to operate our business and estimates that additional capital will be necessary to support our operations and growth.
We have a limited operating history and face many of the risks and difficulties frequently encountered by development stage companies.
Our operating entity and our VIE, King Eagle (China), Kun Peng Tian Yu, and King Eagle VIE, commenced their operations in June 2020, August 2021, and September 2020, respectively. As a result of our limited operating history, our ability to accurately forecast our future operating results is limited and subject to a number of uncertainties. We have encountered, and will continue to encounter, risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by growing companies in rapidly changing industries, such as the risks and uncertainties described herein. If our assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties (which we use to plan our business) are incorrect or changed due to changes in our markets, or if we do not address these risks and uncertainties successfully, our operating and financial results could differ materially from our expectations, and our business could suffer.
The market in which we participate is intensely competitive, and if we do not compete effectively, our operating results could be harmed.
The market for health care and household products and services is fragmented, rapidly evolving and highly competitive, with relatively low barriers to entry for certain applications and services. Some of our competitors may enjoy better competitive positions in certain geographic regions or user demographics that we currently serve or may serve in the future. We expect competition in the online personal products business to continue to increase because there are no substantial barriers to entry. We believe our ability to compete depends upon many factors both within and beyond our control, including the following:
49 |
We compete with traditional health care and household product retailers. We also compete with a number of large and small companies, including internet portals and specialty-focused media companies, that provide online and offline products and services to the markets we serve. Our principal mobile-based social e-commerce competitors include Pinduoduo (based on the group buying model), Weimeng (providing services for micro-businesses), Taobao, and JD. Many of our current and potential competitors have longer operating histories, significantly greater financial, technical, marketing, and other resources, and larger customer bases than we do. These factors may allow our competitors to respond more quickly than we can to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer preferences. These competitors may engage in more extensive research and development efforts, undertake more far-reaching marketing campaigns, and adopt more aggressive pricing policies that may allow them to build larger member and paying subscriber bases than ours. Our competitors may develop products or services that are equal or superior to our products and services or that achieve greater market acceptance than our products and services. These activities could attract members and paying subscribers away from our websites and reduce our market share.
In addition, current and potential competitors are making, and are expected to continue to make, strategic acquisitions or are establishing cooperatives and, in some cases, establishing exclusive relationships with significant companies or competitors to expand their businesses or to offer more comprehensive products and services. To the extent that these competitors or potential competitors establish exclusive relationships with major portals, search engines, and Internet Service Providers, or ISPs, our ability to reach potential members through online advertising may be restricted. Any of these competitors could cause us difficulty in attracting and retaining members and in converting members into paying subscribers and could jeopardize our existing affiliate program and relationships with portals, search engines, ISPs, and other online properties.
If we fail to stay current with new technologies and trends in social e-commerce platforms and preventive health care and household products and services, our applications could become obsolete.
We incur compensation costs for our internal technology support team not only for the creation of new applications, but also for ensuring that our current applications will be compatible with new technologies. If our technology support team fails to upgrade our applications to stay current with new technologies or to add new features that are popular for preventative healthcare and household uses, our applications could become obsolete, which could result in a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.
We depend heavily on key personnel, and turnover of key employees and senior management could harm our business.
Our future business and results of operations depend in significant part upon the continued contributions of our management, marketing, and technical personnel. They also depend in significant part upon our ability to attract and retain additional qualified management, technical, marketing, and sales and support personnel for our operations. As China is building its powerful technology industry and enhancing its market-oriented economic system, competition for talent becomes increasingly fierce. Many of our potential competitors have greater financial, personnel, technical, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and other resources than we do. If we lose a key employee or if a key employee fails to perform in his or her current position, or if we are not able to attract and retain skilled employees as needed, our business could suffer. We depend on the skills and abilities of these key employees in managing the technical, marketing, and sales aspects of our business, any part of which could be harmed by significant turnover.
We may not be able to manage the expansion of our operations effectively.
We are in the process of developing our business in order to meet the potentially increasing demand for our products, as well as to capture new market opportunities. Our current business operations are small with a short history. We may be unable to achieve our performance targets, which will impact our operating results. As we continue to grow, we must continue to improve our operational and financial systems, procedures, and controls, increase service capacity and output, and expand, train, and manage our growing employee base. In order to fund our ongoing operations and our future growth, we need to have sufficient internal sources of liquidity or access to additional financing from external sources. Furthermore, our management will be required to maintain and strengthen our relationships with our customers and other third parties. Currently, we only have 34 full time employees. As a result, our continued expansion has placed, and will continue to place, significant strains on our management personnel, systems, and resources. We also will need to further strengthen our internal control and compliance functions to ensure that we will be able to comply with our legal and contractual obligations and minimize our operational and compliance risks. Our current and planned operations, personnel, systems, internal procedures, and controls may not be adequate to support our future growth. If we are unable to manage our growth effectively, we may not be able to take advantage of market opportunities, execute our business strategies, or respond to competitive pressures.
50 |
A recurrence of COVID-19 may cause delays or limit our ability to expand our business.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in quarantines, travel restrictions, limitations on social or public gatherings, and the temporary closure of business venues and facilities around the world. Due to restrictions, quarantines, and closures in certain affected areas and government agencies in the PRC, the approval process of our applications for construction permits for Smart Kiosks was delayed by the local governmental agencies and our Smart Kiosk project has been abandoned, which impacts our plan of enhancing our face-to-face customer services and increasing our market share. The Company continues to focus its business on its online platform, King Eagle Mall, and to promote its own brand of consumer health care and health-related household products on its new online platform, Kun Zhi Jian, which was introduced and implemented in October 2022, to mitigate the adverse impacts of COVID-19. The Company has also launched the Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program, which consists of three components: physiotherapy equipment, a customer service center, and a shopping mall.
Therefore, we do not expect that the virus will have a material adverse effect on our business or financial results at this time. However, it is not possible to predict the unanticipated consequence of the pandemic on our future business performance and liquidity if it should arise again in Asia. The Company continues to monitor and assess the evolving situation closely and evaluate its potential exposure.
We will rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries to fund our cash and financing requirements, and any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.
Our Company is a holding company, and we will rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements. Within our direct holding structure, the cross-border transfer of funds within our corporate group is legal and compliant with the laws and regulations of the BVI, the PRC, Hong Kong, and the State of Nevada. Our subsidiaries in the PRC and Hong Kong are permitted under the respective laws of China and Hong Kong to provide funding to us through dividends without restrictions on the amount of the funds, other than as limited by the amount of their distributable earnings. However, to the extent cash is in our Hong Kong or China subsidiaries, there is a possibility that the funds may not be available to fund our operations or for other uses outside of either Hong Kong or China due to interventions or the imposition of restrictions and limitations by the Hong Kong or the PRC government on the ability to transfer cash. In addition, if any of our subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to their parent companies.
Moreover, to the extent that cash is in our PRC or Hong Kong subsidiaries, there is a possibility that the funds may not be available to fund our operations or for other uses outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions or the imposition of restrictions and limitations by the PRC or Hong Kong government on the ability to transfer cash. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC or Hong Kong subsidiaries or our VIE to pay dividends or make other distributions to us could materially and adversely affect our financial position and the value of our Ordinary Shares.
Risks Relating to our Commercial Relationship with our VIE
PRC laws and regulations governing our business and the validity of certain of our contractual arrangements are uncertain. If we are found to be in violation of such PRC laws and regulations, our business may be negatively affected, and we may be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.
PRC laws and regulations prohibit or restrict foreign ownership of companies that operate Internet information and content, value added telecommunications, and certain other businesses in which we are engaged or could be deemed to be engaged. Consequently, we conduct certain of our operations and businesses in the PRC through our VIE. Our VIE Agreements give us effective control over King Eagle VIE and enable us to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits arising from it as well as consolidate its financial results in our results of operations. Although the structure we have adopted is commonly adopted by comparable companies in China, the PRC government may not agree that these arrangements comply with PRC licensing, registration, or other regulatory requirements, with existing policies, or with requirements or policies that may be adopted in the future.
51 |
KPIL, KP International Holding, and KP (China) are considered foreign investors or foreign invested enterprises under PRC law. As a result, KPIL, KP International Holding, and KP (China) are subject to certain limitations under PRC law on foreign ownership of Chinese companies. These laws and regulations are relatively new and may be subject to change, and their official interpretation and enforcement may involve substantial uncertainty. The effectiveness of newly enacted laws, regulations, or amendments may be delayed, resulting in detrimental reliance by foreign investors. New laws and regulations that affect existing and proposed future businesses may also be applied retroactively.
We have been advised by our PRC counsel that the ownership structures of our PRC subsidiary and our VIE in China do not violate any applicable PRC law, regulation, or rule currently in effect; and that the contractual arrangements between King Eagle (China), King Eagle VIE, and its equity holders governed by PRC law are valid, binding, and enforceable in accordance with their terms and applicable PRC laws and regulations currently in effect. However, our PRC counsel has also advised us that there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current PRC laws, rules, and regulations. Moreover, the binding rights over the VIE’s subsidiaries in the contractual arrangements between King Eagle (China) and King Eagle (Tianjin) are implicit and indirect and the company laws and regulations in the PRC governing the business operations of the VIE’s subsidiaries are uncertain. Accordingly, the PRC regulatory authorities and PRC courts may in the future take a view that is contrary to the opinion of our PRC legal counsel.
The PRC government has broad discretion in dealing with violations of laws and regulations, including levying fines, revoking business and other licenses, and requiring actions necessary for compliance. In particular, licenses and permits issued or granted to us by relevant governmental bodies may be revoked at a later time by higher regulatory bodies. We cannot predict the effect of the interpretation of existing or new PRC laws or regulations on our business. We cannot assure you that our current ownership and operating structure would not be found in violation of any current or future PRC laws or regulations. As a result, we may be subject to sanctions, including fines, and could be required to restructure our operations or cease to provide certain services. In addition, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. If the imposition of any of these government actions causes us to lose our right to direct the activities of our VIE or to otherwise separate from them and if we are not able to restructure our ownership structure and operations in a satisfactory manner, we would no longer be able to consolidate the financial results of our VIE in our consolidated financial statements. Any of these or similar actions could significantly disrupt our business operations or restrict us from conducting a substantial portion of our business operations, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We conduct substantially all of our operations in China through our PRC subsidiary, King Eagle (China) and our VIE, with which King Eagle (China) maintains contractual arrangements. There are risks associated with this structure as the PRC has not yet ruled on its legality.
We are not a Chinese operating company but rather a Nevada holding company with substantially all of our operations in the PRC conducted by our PRC subsidiary, King Eagle (China), through contractual agreements with King Eagle (Tianjin), our VIE. Investors have not purchased an equity interest in the VIE but have purchased equity interests in a holding company incorporated in the State of Nevada, and will never directly hold equity interests in any of our subsidiaries or in our VIE in China.
A series of contractual agreements, including the Consulting Service Agreement, the Business Operation Agreement, the Proxy Agreement, the Equity Disposal Agreement, and the Equity Pledge Agreement, have been entered into with our VIE. We have been advised by our PRC counsel that the ownership structure of our VIE in China does not violate any applicable and explicit PRC laws and regulations currently in effect, and each of the contractual agreements governed by PRC law is valid, binding, and enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to enforceability to applicable laws and the discretion of relevant government authorities in exercising their authority in connection with the interpretation and implementation thereof. As a result of the contractual agreements, the Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes, and the Company has consolidated the results of operations, financial position, and cash flows of the VIE in its consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP. The contractual arrangements with the VIE provide us with a “controlling financial interest” in the VIE by granting us: (i) the power to direct activities of the VIE that most significantly affect its economic performance; and (ii) the right to receive economic benefits from the VIE.
52 |
However, there are risks associated with this structure as the PRC has not yet ruled on its legality. As such, the VIE structure involves unique risks to our investors in the Nevada holding company, including:
(i) Our contractual arrangements may not be as effective in providing us with operational control, and shareholders of the VIE may fail to perform their obligations under the contractual arrangements.
(ii) We may incur substantial costs to enforce the terms of the arrangements with the VIE.
(iii) The legality and enforceability of the contractual arrangements by and among our PRC subsidiaries and the VIE have not been tested in a court of law in China.
(iv) The equity holders, directors and executive officers of the VIE as well as our employees who execute other strategic initiatives may have potential conflicts of interest with our company
(v) There are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules regarding the status of our Nevada holding company with respect to the contractual arrangements with the VIE.
(vi) It is uncertain whether any new PRC laws or regulations relating to VIE structures will be adopted or, if adopted, what they would provide.
(vii) If we or our VIE is found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, or fail to obtain or maintain any of the required licenses, permits, registrations, or approvals, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities would have broad discretion to take action in dealing with such violations or failures.
(viii) If the PRC government finds that the agreements that establish the VIE structure for operating our business do not comply with PRC laws and regulations, or if these regulations or their interpretations change in the future, we would be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interest in those operations.
(ix) If the PRC government deems that our contractual arrangements with the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change or any interpreted differently in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in these operations.
(x) The Company, King Eagle (China), King Eagle VIE, and our investors face uncertainty with respect to potential future actions by the PRC government that could affect the enforceability of the contractual arrangements with the VIE and consequently significantly affect the financial performance of the VIE and our Company as a whole.
(xi) The PRC regulatory authorities could disallow the VIE structure, which would likely result in a material change in our operations and cause the value of our securities, including those we have or may in the future register for sale, to significantly decline or become worthless.
If the PRC government determines that our agreements with King Eagle (Tianjin) VIE or our VIE structure do not comply with PRC regulations, or if these regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, our securities may decline in value or become worthless if the determinations, changes, or interpretations result in our inability to assert contractual control over the assets of King Eagle VIE, as King Eagle VIE and its subsidiary conduct all or substantially all of our operations.
53 |
Our arrangements with our VIE and its shareholders may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities. Any adjustment of related party transaction pricing could lead to additional taxes, and therefore could have an adverse effect on our income and expenses.
The tax regime in China is rapidly evolving and there is significant uncertainty for taxpayers in China as PRC tax laws may be interpreted in significantly different ways. The PRC tax authorities may assert that we or our subsidiaries or VIE, or its equity holders, owe and/or are required to pay additional taxes on previous or future revenue or income. In particular, under applicable PRC laws, rules, and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties, such as the contractual arrangements with our VIE, may be subject to audit or challenge by the PRC tax authorities. We could face material and adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities determine that our agreements with our VIE and its shareholders were not entered into based on arm’s length negotiations. As a result, they may adjust our income and expenses for PRC tax purposes in the form of a transfer pricing adjustment. Such an adjustment may require that we pay additional PRC taxes plus applicable penalties and interest, if any.
Our current corporate structure and business operations may be substantially affected by the newly enacted Foreign Investment Law.
On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress promulgated the Foreign Investment Law, which took effect on January 1, 2020. Since it is relatively new, substantial uncertainties exist in relation to its interpretation and implementation. The Foreign Investment Law does not explicitly classify variable interest entities that are controlled through contractual arrangements as foreign invested enterprises even if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors. However, it has a catch-all provision under the definition of “foreign investment” that includes investments made by foreign investors in China through other means as provided by laws, administrative regulations, or the State Council. Therefore, it still leaves leeway for future laws, administrative regulations, or provisions of the State Council to provide for contractual arrangements as a form of foreign investment, at which time it will be uncertain whether our contractual arrangements will be deemed to be in violation of the market access requirements for foreign investment in the PRC, and if they are deemed to be in violation, how our contractual arrangements should be dealt with.
The Foreign Investment Law grants national treatment to foreign-invested entities, except for those foreign-invested entities that operate in industries specified as either “restricted” or “prohibited” from foreign investment in the Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Foreign Investment Access jointly promulgated by MOFCOM and the NDRC that took effect in July 2020. The Foreign Investment Law provides that foreign-invested entities operating in “restricted” or “prohibited” industries will require market entry clearance and other approvals from relevant PRC government authorities. If our control over our VIE through contractual arrangements is deemed to be foreign investment in the future, and if any business of our VIE is “restricted” or “prohibited” from foreign investment under the “negative list” effective at the time, we may be deemed to be in violation of the Foreign Investment Law, the contractual arrangements that allow us to have control over our VIE may be deemed to be invalid and illegal, and we may be required to unwind such contractual arrangements and/or restructure our business operations, any of which may have a material adverse effect on our business operations.
Furthermore, if future laws, administrative regulations, or provisions mandate further actions to be taken by companies with respect to existing contractual arrangements, we may face substantial uncertainties as to whether we can complete such actions in a timely manner, or at all. Failure to take timely and appropriate measures to cope with any of these or similar regulatory compliance challenges could materially and adversely affect our current corporate structure and business operations.
Our contractual arrangements may not be as effective in providing control over our variable interest entity as direct ownership.
We rely on contractual arrangements with our VIE to operate our electronic platform in China and other businesses in which foreign investment is restricted or prohibited. These contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over our VIE.
54 |
If we had direct ownership of the VIE, we would be able to exercise our rights as an equity holder directly to effect changes in the Board of Directors of the entity, which could effect changes at the management and operational level. Under our contractual arrangements, we would be able to change the members of the Board of Directors of the entity exclusively by influencing the equity holders’ votes, and we would have to rely on the variable interest entity and the variable interest entity equity holders to perform their obligations under the contractual arrangements in order to exercise our control over the variable interest entity. The variable interest entity equity holders may have conflicts of interest with us or our shareholders, and they may not act in the best interests of our Company or may not perform their obligations under these contracts. For example, our VIE, our VIE’s subsidiaries, and our VIE’s equity holders could breach their contractual arrangements with us by, among other things, failing to conduct their operations, including maintaining our website and using our domain names and trademarks, which the variable interest entity has the exclusive right to use, in an acceptable manner, or taking other actions that are detrimental to our interests. Pursuant to the call option, we may replace the equity holders of the VIE at any time pursuant to the contractual arrangements. However, if any equity holder is uncooperative and any dispute relating to these contracts or to the replacement of the equity holder were to remain unresolved, we would have to enforce our rights under the contractual arrangements through the operation of PRC law and arbitral or judicial agencies, which may be costly and time-consuming and would be subject to uncertainties in the PRC legal system.
Additionally, the binding rights over the VIE’s subsidiaries in the contractual arrangements between King Eagle (China) and King Eagle (Tianjin) are implicit and indirect and the company laws and regulations in the PRC governing the business operations of the VIE’s subsidiaries are uncertain. Consequently, the contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in ensuring our control over the relevant portion of our business operations.
Any failure by our VIE, our VIE’s subsidiaries, or our VIE’s equity holders to perform their obligations under the contractual arrangements would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
If our VIE, our VIE’s subsidiaries, or our VIE’s equity holders fail to perform their respective obligations under the contractual arrangements, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend additional resources to enforce such arrangements. Although we have entered into an option agreement in relation to our variable interest entity, which provides that we may exercise an option to acquire, or nominate a person to acquire, ownership of the equity in that entity or, in some cases, its assets, to the extent permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules, and regulations, the exercise of the option is subject to the review and approval of the relevant PRC governmental authorities. We have also entered into an equity interest pledge agreement with respect to the variable interest entity to secure certain obligations of such VIE or its equity holders to us under the contractual arrangements. However, the enforcement of such agreement through arbitral or judicial agencies may be costly and time-consuming and would be subject to uncertainties in the PRC legal system. Moreover, our remedies under the equity pledge agreement are primarily intended to help us collect debts owed to us by the variable interest entity equity holders under the contractual arrangements and may not help us in acquiring the assets or equity of the variable interest entity.
The contractual arrangements are governed by PRC law and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration or court proceedings in China. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC law and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with PRC legal procedures. The legal system in the PRC is not as developed as in some other jurisdictions, such as the United States. Moreover, there are very few precedents and little formal guidance as to how contractual arrangements in the context of a variable interest entity should be interpreted or enforced under PRC law, and as a result it may be difficult to predict how an arbitration panel or court would view such contractual arrangements. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability to enforce the contractual arrangements. Under PRC law, if the losing parties fail to carry out the arbitration awards or court judgments within a prescribed time limit, the prevailing parties may only enforce the arbitration awards or court judgments in PRC courts, which would require additional expense and delay. In the event we are unable to enforce the contractual arrangements, we may not be able to exert effective control over our variable interest entity, and our ability to conduct our business, as well as our financial condition and results of operations, may be materially and adversely affected.
55 |
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
Changes in international trade or investment policies and barriers to trade or investment and the ongoing geopolitical conflict may have an adverse effect on our business and expansion plans and could lead to the delisting of our securities from U.S. exchanges and/or other restrictions or prohibitions on investing in our securities.
In recent years, international market conditions and the international regulatory environment have been increasingly affected by competition among countries and geopolitical frictions. In particular, the U.S. administration has advocated for and taken steps toward restricting trade in certain goods, particularly from China. From 2018 to late 2019, the United States announced several tariff increases that applied to products imported from China, totaling over US$550 billion. By the end of 2019, the two countries had reached a phase one trade deal to roll back tariffs and suspend certain tariff increases by the United States that were scheduled to take effect from December 2019, and in January 2020, the two sides entered into a formal phase one agreement on trade. The progress of trade talks between China and the United States is subject to uncertainties, and there can be no assurance as to whether the United States will maintain or reduce tariffs or impose additional tariffs on Chinese products in the near future. Furthermore, in August 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department labeled China as a currency manipulator, which label was officially dropped by the U.S. Treasury Department in January 2020. However, it is uncertain whether the U.S. government may issue any similar announcements in the future. As a result of such announcement, the United States may take further actions to eliminate perceived unfair competitive advantages created by alleged manipulating actions. Changes to national trade or investment policies, treaties and tariffs, fluctuations in exchange rates, or the perception that these changes could occur could adversely affect the financial and economic conditions in China, as well as our future international and cross-border operations, our financial condition, and our results of operations.
Our business is dependent on King Eagle VIE and operations in China, and marketing and selling health-related products, and any inability to obtain products or market and sell such products could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
We focus on health-related products and services. Kun Zhi Jian and Kun Zhi Jian Mini Program are designed to enable health-related products to be sold by us and by third parties. Substantially all of our current and future operations are expected to be located in China.. This concentration exposes us to risks associated with doing business globally. The political, legal and cultural environment in China is rapidly evolving, and any change that impairs our ability to obtain products from manufacturers in that region, or to obtain products at marketable rates, could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
There are quotas and trade restrictions on certain categories of goods and apparel from China and countries that are not subject to the World Trade Organization Agreement, which could have a significant impact on our sourcing patterns in the future. In addition, political uncertainty, including the election of President Trump, in the United States may result in significant changes to U.S. trade policies, treaties and tariffs, potentially involving trade policies and tariffs regarding China, including the potential disallowance of tax deductions for imported merchandise or the imposition of unilateral tariffs on imported products.
These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets, and may significantly reduce global trade and, in particular, trade between these nations and the United States. Any of these factors could depress economic activity, restrict our sourcing from suppliers and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and affect our strategy in Asia and elsewhere around the world. We cannot predict whether any of our health related products will be subject to additional trade restrictions imposed by the United States and foreign governments, nor can we predict the likelihood, type or effect of any such restrictions. Future trade restrictions, including increased tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, or quotas, embargoes, safeguards and customs restrictions against apparel items could increase the cost, delay shipping or reduce the supply of apparel available to us or may require us to modify our current business practices, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Moreover, the potential for a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic breaking out in China, and the uncertainty in relation to same, could impair our ability to obtain our health-related products in that region or to obtain such products at marketable rates, particularly if additional quarantine and travel restrictions result in the closure of the businesses and/or factories in which our current health-related products are manufactured. Such events may result in the need for us to consider and establish relationships with other third parties in different countries from which to source our inventory of health related products and could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. As of the date of this Annual Report, our subsidiaries have not experienced any difficulties or limitations on their ability to transfer cash between each other; nor do they maintain cash management policies or procedures dictating the amount of such funding or how funds are transferred.
56 |
Political and economic problems in a single country are increasingly affecting other markets and economies, and a continuation of this trend could adversely affect global economic conditions and world markets. Uncertainty and volatility in the financial markets and political systems of the U.S. or any other country, including volatility as a result of the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas and the rapidly evolving measures in response, may have adverse spill-over effects into the global financial markets generally. International trade disruptions or disputes could adversely affect our business and operating results.
Significant portions of our business are conducted in Asia. Interruptions in international relationships or the rapidly evolving conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas and trade disputes such as the current trade negotiations between the U.S. and China, including the possibility of future tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, could result in changes to our commercial operations, or otherwise affect our ability to do business. Although these global problems transcend our company and afflict companies across industries and borders, these and similar events could adversely affect us, or our business partners or customers.
Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine have led to, and may lead to, additional sanctions being levied by the United States, European Union and other countries against Russia. Russia’s military incursion and the resulting sanctions could adversely affect global energy and financial markets. Although our business does not have any direct exposure to Russia or the adjoining geographic regions, the extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial. Any such disruptions caused by Russian military action or resulting sanctions may magnify the impact of other risks described in this section. We cannot predict the progress or outcome of the situation in Ukraine, as the conflict and governmental reactions are rapidly developing and beyond our control. Prolonged unrest intensified military activities or more extensive sanctions impacting the region could have a material adverse effect on the global economy, and such effect could in turn have a material adverse effect on the operations, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and business outlook of our business.
There has been volatility in financial markets as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, banking instability, global conflict, including the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, inflation, changes in interest rates, and volatile markets. There is a risk that as a result of these macroeconomic factors, we could experience declines in all, or in portions, of our business. Economic uncertainty may cause some of our current or potential customers to curtail spending in our marketplace and may ultimately result in cost challenges to our operations. Any resulting adverse effects to our customers’ liquidity or financial performance could reduce the demand for our products or affect our allowance for collectability of accounts receivable. These adverse conditions could result in reductions in revenue, increased operating expenses, longer sales cycles, slower adoption of new technologies, and increased competition. We cannot predict the timing, strength, or duration of any economic slowdown or any subsequent recovery generally. If general economic conditions significantly deviate from present levels, our business, financial condition, and operating results could be adversely affected.
In addition, the United States is considering ways to limit U.S. investment portfolio flows into China. Under pressure from U.S. administration officials, including the upcoming Trump administration,. China-based companies, including us, may become subject to executive orders or other regulatory actions that may, among other things, prohibit U.S. investors from investing in these companies and delist the securities of these companies from U.S. exchanges. As a result, U.S. and certain other persons may be prohibited from investing in the securities of our Company, whether or not they are listed on U.S. exchanges. For example, in November 2020, the U.S. administration issued U.S. Executive Order 13959, prohibiting investments by any U.S. person in publicly traded securities of certain Chinese companies that are deemed owned or controlled by the Chinese military. In May 2021, the American depositary shares of China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom were delisted from the NYSE to comply with this executive order. In June 2021, the U.S. administration expanded the scope of the executive order to Chinese defense and surveillance technology companies. Geopolitical tensions between China and the United States may intensify and the United States may adopt even more drastic measures in the future.
57 |
China and other countries have retaliated and may further retaliate in response to new trade policies, treaties and tariffs implemented by the United States. For instance, in response to the tariffs announced by the United States, in 2018 and 2019, China announced it would stop buying U.S. agricultural products and imposed tariffs on over US$185 billion worth of U.S. goods. Although China subsequently granted tariff exemptions for certain U.S. products as a result of trade talks and the phase one trade deal with the United States, it is uncertain whether there will be any further material changes to China’s tariff policies. Any further actions to increase existing tariffs or impose additional tariffs could result in an escalation of the trade conflict, which would have an adverse effect on manufacturing, trade, and a wide range of industries that rely on trade, including logistics, retail sales, and other businesses and services, which could adversely affect our business operations and financial results.
Additionally, China has issued regulations to give itself the ability to unilaterally nullify the effects of certain foreign restrictions that are deemed to be unjustified to Chinese individuals and entities. The Rules on Counteracting Unjustified Extra-territorial Application of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures promulgated by the Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) on January 9, 2021 with immediate effect, provide that, among other things, Chinese individuals or entities are required to report to the MOFCOM within 30 days if they are prohibited or restricted from engaging in normal business activities with third-party countries or their nationals or entities due to non-Chinese laws or measures; and the MOFCOM, following the decision of the relevant Chinese authorities, may issue prohibition orders contravening such non-Chinese laws or measures. Furthermore, on June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China promulgated the Anti-foreign Sanctions Law, which came into effect on the same day. The Anti-foreign Sanctions Law prohibits any organization or individual from implementing or providing assistance in implementation of discriminatory restrictive measures taken by any foreign state against the citizens or organizations of China. In addition, all organizations and individuals in China are required to implement the retaliatory measures taken by relevant departments of the State Council. Since the aforesaid laws and rules were newly promulgated, there exist high uncertainties as to how such regulations will be interpreted and implemented and how they would affect our business and results of operations or the trading prices of our Shares.
The institution of trade tariffs both globally and between the U.S. and China specifically carries the risk of negatively affecting China’s overall economic condition, which could have a negative impact on us.
Trade tensions and policy changes have also led to measures that could have adverse effects on China-based issuers, including proposed legislation in the United States that would require listed companies whose audit reports and/or auditors who are subject to review by PCAOB to be subject to enhanced disclosure obligations and be subject to delisting if they do not comply with the requirements.
The enactment of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the “Hong Kong National Security Law”) could impact our Hong Kong subsidiaries, and the market price for our shares could be adversely affected by increased tensions between the United States and China.
Recently there have been heightened tensions in the economic and political relations between the United States and China. On June 30, 2020, the Standing Committee of the PRC National People’s Congress issued the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). This law defines the duties and government bodies of the HKSAR for safeguarding national security and four categories of offences-secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security-and their corresponding penalties. On July 14, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, or HKAA, into law, authorizing the U.S. administration to impose blocking sanctions against individuals and entities who are determined to have materially contributed to the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy. On August 7, 2020, the U.S. government imposed HKAA-authorized sanctions on eleven individuals, including HKSAR chief executive Carrie Lam. On October 14, 2020, the U.S. State Department submitted to relevant committees of Congress the report required under the HKAA, identifying persons materially contributing to “the failure of the Government of China to meet its obligations under the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law.” The HKAA further authorizes secondary sanctions, including the imposition of blocking sanctions, against foreign financial institutions that knowingly conduct a significant transaction with foreign persons sanctioned under this authority. The imposition of sanctions such as those provided in the HKAA is in practice discretionary and highly political, especially in a relationship as extensive and complex as that between the United States and China. It is difficult to predict the full impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law and HKAA on Hong Kong and companies located in Hong Kong like our Hong Kong subsidiaries. If we or our Hong Kong or PRC subsidiaries are determined to be in violation of the Hong Kong National Security Law or the HKAA by competent authorities, our business operations, financial position, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, legislative or administrative actions in respect of Sino-U.S. relations could cause investor uncertainty for affected issuers, including us, and the market price of our shares could be adversely affected.
58 |
The Chinese government may choose to exercise significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our and our VIE’s business operations in China.
The Chinese government may choose to exercise significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our and our VIE’s business operations in China. Such governmental actions:
Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and new policies to regulate business operations in certain areas in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas using a VIE structure, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. Since these statements and regulatory actions are new, it is highly uncertain how soon the legislative or administrative regulation-making bodies will respond and what existing or new laws or regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations will be modified or promulgated, if any. It is also highly uncertain what the potential impact of any such modified or new laws and regulations will be on our daily business operations, our ability to accept foreign investments, and the continued listing of our shares in the U.S. markets. These actions could result in a material change in our operations and/could cause the value of our shares to significantly decline or become worthless.
The Chinese government has also exercised, and continues to exercise, substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership, including those relating to regulation of the health product industry, taxation, import and export tariffs, environmental regulations, land use rights, property ownership and other matters. We believe that the business operations of our VIE and its subsidiaries in China are in material compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. However, the central or local governments of the jurisdictions in which it operates may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our VIE’s part to ensure its compliance with such regulations or interpretations. Accordingly, government actions in the future could have a significant effect on our VIE and our VIE’s subsidiaries and on their businesses which, in turn, could have a negative effect on the value of our shares.
The new Overseas Listing Rules and other relevant rules promulgated by the CSRC may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.
On February 17, 2023, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) released the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, which came into effect on March 31, 2023. On the same date as the issuance of the Trial Measures, the CSRC circulated No. 1 to No. 5 Supporting Guidance Rules, the Notes on the Trial Measures, the Notice on Administration Arrangements for the Filing of Overseas Listings by Domestic Enterprises, and the relevant CSRC Answers to Reporter Questions on the official website of the CSRC, or collectively, the Guidance Rules and Notice. The Trial Measures, together with the Guidance Rules and Notice, reiterate the basic supervision principles as reflected in the Overseas Listing Regulations by providing substantially the same requirements for filings of overseas offering and listing by domestic companies, yet made the following updates compared to the Overseas Listing Regulations: (a) further clarification of the circumstances prohibiting overseas issuance and listing; (b) further clarification of the standard of indirect overseas listing under the principle of substance over form, and (c) adding more details on filing procedures and requirements by setting different filing requirements for different types of overseas offering and listing.
Pursuant to the Trial Measures and the Guidance Rules and Notice, a domestic company that seeks to offer or list securities overseas, either directly or indirectly, should fulfill the filing procedure and report relevant information to the CSRC within three working days following its submission of an initial public offering or listing application. Companies that have already been listed on overseas stock exchanges or that have obtained approval from overseas securities regulators or stock exchanges for their offering and listing and that complete their overseas offering and listing prior to September 30, 2023 are not required to make immediate filings for their listing, yet need to make filings for subsequent offerings in accordance with the Trial Measures. Companies that have already submitted an application for an initial public offering to overseas securities regulators prior to the effective date of the Trial Measures but have not yet obtained approval from overseas securities regulators or stock exchanges for the offering and listing may arrange for the filing within a reasonable time period and should complete the filing procedure before such companies’ overseas issuance and listing.
59 |
According to the Notice on Administration Arrangements for the Filing of Overseas Listings by Domestic Enterprises, domestic companies that have already been listed overseas before the effective date of the Trial Measures, March 31, 2023, shall be deemed Existing Issuers, and Existing Issuers are not required to complete the filing procedures immediately, but they will be required to file with the CSRC for any subsequent offerings. If a domestic company fails to complete required filing procedures or conceals any material fact or falsifies any major content in its filing documents, such domestic company may be subject to administrative penalties, such as an order to rectify, warnings, and fines, and its controlling shareholders, actual controllers, the person directly in charge, and other directly liable persons may also be subject to administrative penalties, such as warnings and fines.
On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with the Ministry of Finance, the National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China, revised the Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration for Overseas Securities Offering and Listing, which were issued by the CSRC and National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China in 2009, or the Provisions. The revised Provisions were issued under the title the “Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies,” and came into effect on March 31, 2023, together with the Trial Measures. One of the major revisions to the revised Provisions is expanding their application to cover indirect overseas offerings and listing, as is consistent with the Trial Measures. The revised Provisions require that, among other things, (a) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals or entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any documents and materials that contain state secrets or working secrets of government agencies, shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy administrative department at the same level; and (b) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals and entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any other documents and materials that, if leaked, will be detrimental to national security or public interest, shall strictly fulfill relevant procedures stipulated by applicable national regulations. Any failure or perceived failure by the Company and its subsidiaries to comply with the above confidentiality and archives administration requirements under the revised Provisions and other PRC laws and regulations may result in the relevant entities being held legally liable by competent authorities and referred to the judicial organ to be investigated for criminal liability if suspected of committing a crime.
Although, as of the date of this Annual Report, the Company is not considering any offerings of its securities, if we should seek to effect an overseas follow-on offering in the future, we may be required to comply with the Trial Measures and the revised Provisions, which would subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future. There are still uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of such regulatory guidance, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with all the new regulatory requirements of the Trial Measures, the revised Provisions, or any future implementing rules on a timely basis, or at all. Any failure by us to fully comply with the new regulatory requirements, including but not limited to the failure to complete the filing procedures with the CSRC, if required, may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our common stock on a US exchange, cause significant disruption to our business operations, and severely damage our reputation, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause our securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
60 |
Changes in the policies, regulations and rules, and the enforcement of laws of the PRC government may be implemented quickly with little advance notice and could have a significant impact upon our VIE’s and our VIE’s subsidiaries’ ability to operate profitably in the PRC. The PRC legal system also embodies uncertainties, which could limit law enforcement availability. Therefore, our assertions and beliefs of the risk imposed by the PRC legal and regulatory system cannot be certain.
The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike common law systems, decided legal cases have little precedence. In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past several decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investment in China. The Company’s PRC subsidiaries, its VIE, and its VIE’s subsidiary are subject to PRC laws and regulations. However, these laws and regulations change frequently, and the interpretation and enforcement thereof involve uncertainties. For instance, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce the legal protections to which we are entitled to by law or contract. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting statutory and contractual terms, it may be difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative court proceedings and the level of law enforcement that we would receive in more developed legal systems. Such uncertainties, including the inability of our PRC subsidiaries to enforce their contracts, could affect our business and operation. In addition, confidentiality protections in China may not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. Accordingly, we cannot predict the effect of future developments in the PRC legal system, particularly with regard to our business, including the promulgation of new laws. This may include changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, or the preemption of local regulations by national laws. These uncertainties could limit the availability of law enforcement.
The legal system in China, it laws and regulation changing frequently and the uncertainty in interpretation and enforcement of those laws could result in a material change in our operations, and further significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
Changes in China’s economic, political, or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
Substantially all of our operations are conducted in the PRC. Accordingly, our financial condition and results of operations are affected to a significant extent by economic, political, and legal developments in the PRC or changes in government relations between China and the United States or other governments. There is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and China with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs.
The PRC economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the extent of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Although the PRC government has implemented measures emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets, and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of productive assets in China is still owned by the government. In addition, the PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies.
The PRC government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth by allocating resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, regulating financial services and institutions, and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.
While the PRC economy has experienced significant growth in the past four decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. Since 2020 due to the global pandemic, growth of the Chinese economy has slowed down. The PRC government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall PRC economy but may also have a negative effect on us. Our financial condition and results of operation could be materially and adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations that are applicable to us. In addition, the PRC government has implemented in the past certain measures, including interest rate increases, to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity.
61 |
We cannot assure you that the PRC’s economy will continue to grow, or that if there is growth, such growth will be steady and uniform, or that if there is a slowdown, such slowdown will not have a negative effect on its business and results of operations.
In July 2021, the Chinese government provided new guidance on China-based companies raising capital outside of China, including through VIE arrangements. In light of such developments, the SEC has imposed enhanced disclosure requirements on China-based companies seeking to register securities with the SEC. As substantially all of our operations are based in China, any future Chinese, U.S., or other rules and regulations that place restrictions on capital raising or other activities by China based companies could adversely affect our business and results of operations. If the business environment in China deteriorates from the perspective of domestic or international investment, or if relations between China and the United States or other governments deteriorate, the Chinese government may intervene with our operations and our business in China and in the United States.
Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could limit the legal protections available to you and us.
We conduct substantially all of business through our operating subsidiary in the PRC. Our PRC subsidiary, the VIE, and the VIE’s subsidiaries are subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign investments in China and, in particular, laws applicable to FIEs as well as various PRC laws and regulations generally applicable to companies incorporated in China. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes, and prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. Since 1979, a series of new PRC laws and regulations have significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China. However, since these laws and regulations are relatively new and the PRC legal system continues to evolve rapidly, the interpretations of many laws, regulations, and rules are not always uniform, and enforcement of these laws, regulations, and rules involve uncertainties, which may limit legal protections available to you and us.
From time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory provisions and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. These uncertainties may impede our ability to enforce the contracts we have entered into and could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all and may have retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of any of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. Such unpredictability towards our contractual, property (including intellectual property) and procedural rights could adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations.
We may face obstacles from the communist system in the PRC.
Foreign companies conducting operations in the PRC face significant political, economic, and legal risks. The communist regime in the PRC may hinder Western investment in the Company.
We may have difficulty establishing adequate management, legal and financial controls in the PRC.
The PRC historically has been deficient in Western style management and financial reporting concepts and practices, as well as in modern banking, computer, and other control systems. We may have difficulty in hiring and retaining a sufficient number of qualified employees to work in the PRC. As a result of these factors, we may experience difficulty in establishing management, legal and financial controls, collecting financial data and preparing financial statements, books of account and corporate records and instituting business practices that meet Western standards.
62 |
Our business is subject to complex and evolving laws and regulations regarding privacy and data protection. These laws and regulations can be complex and stringent, and many are subject to change and uncertain interpretation, which could result in claims, changes to our data and other business practices, regulatory investigations, penalties, increased cost of operations, or declines in user growth or engagement, or otherwise affect our business. Although we believe we currently are not required to obtain clearance from the Cyberspace Administration of China under the recently enacted or proposed regulations or rules, we face uncertainties as to the interpretation or implementation of such regulations or rules, and if required, whether such clearance can be timely obtained, or at all.
Regulatory authorities in China have implemented and are considering further legislative and regulatory proposals concerning data protection. New laws and regulations that govern new areas of data protection or impose more stringent requirements may be introduced in China. In addition, the interpretation and application of consumer and data protection laws in China are often uncertain, in flux, and complicated, including differentiated requirements for different groups of people or different types of data.
The PRC regulatory and enforcement regime with regard to privacy and data security is evolving. The PRC government is increasingly focused on data security, recently launching cybersecurity review against a number of mobile apps operated by several US-listed Chinese companies and prohibiting these apps from registering new users during the review period. Although we believe that we are compliant with the regulations and policies that have been issued to date and we do not believe that we are required to obtain any permissions and approvals under the regulations discussed below, if we have inadvertently concluded that such permissions or approvals are not required or if applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, the Company or its VIE could be subject to increased compliance costs, as well as, among other things, administrative penalties, rectification orders, fines, suspension of relevant business, or revocation of business permits or licenses, and the Company’s securities could become ineligible for listing on a US exchange.
The PRC Cybersecurity Law, which took effect in June 2017, provides that personal information and important data collected and generated by operators of critical information infrastructure in the course of their operations in the PRC should be stored in the PRC, and the law imposes heightened regulation and additional security obligations on operators of critical information infrastructure.
In January 2022, the Cyberspace Administration of China and several other administrations jointly promulgated amended Cybersecurity Review Measures, which became effective on February 15, 2022. Pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures, a “critical information infrastructure operator,” or a CIIO, that purchases network products and services or conducts data processing activities that affect or may affect national security will be subject to cybersecurity review. The Cybersecurity Review Measures also expands the cybersecurity review to “internet platform operators” in possession of personal information of over one million users if such operators intend to list their securities in a foreign country. Alternatively, relevant governmental authorities in the PRC may initiate cybersecurity review if they determine an operator’s network products or services or data processing activities affect or may affect national security. We do not believe that our Company constitutes a critical information infrastructure operator and we have less than one million registered users on our digital platform. The PRC National Security Law defines various types of national security, including technology security and information security.
On November 14, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China released the Regulations on Network Data Security. The final version took effect on January 1, 2025. The Regulations on Network Data Security provide that data processors refers to individuals or organizations that autonomously determine the purpose and the manner of processing data. If a data processor that processes personal data of more than one million users intends to list overseas, it shall apply for a cybersecurity review. In addition, data processors that process important data or are listed overseas shall carry out an annual data security assessment on their own or by engaging a data security services institution, and the data security assessment report for the prior year should be submitted to the local cyberspace affairs administration department before January 31 of each year.
63 |
We currently have less than one million registered users on our digital platform and only require and obtain user information after users register with it. Given that we sell and service products through our digital platform, we may constitute a “data processor,” but the number of our online registered users is far less than one million. As a result, we would not be required to apply for a cybersecurity review under the Measures for Cybersecurity Review or the Regulations on Network Data Security. Nevertheless, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review or the Regulations on Network Data Security may be subject to further changes Although we believe we currently are not required to obtain clearance from the Cyberspace Administration of China under the Measures for Cybersecurity Review, the Regulations on Network Data Security, or the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, we face uncertainties as to the interpretation or implementation of such regulations or rules and we may in the future be required to perform a data security assessment annually either by ourselves or by retaining a third party data security service provider and submitting such data security assessment report to the local agency every year under the Regulations on Network Data Security
On June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China promulgated the Data Security Law which took effect on September 1, 2021. The Data Security Law provides for data security and privacy obligations of entities and individuals carrying out data activities, prohibits entities and individuals in China from providing any foreign judicial or law enforcement authority with any data stored in China without approval from a competent PRC authority, and sets forth the legal liabilities of entities and individuals found to be in violation of their data protection obligations, including rectification order, warning, fines of up to RMB10 million, suspension of relevant business, and revocation of business permits or licenses.
On August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China promulgated the Personal Information Protection Law which took effect on November 1, 2021. In addition to other rules and principles of personal information processing, the Personal Information Protection Law specifically provides rules for processing sensitive personal information. Sensitive personal information refers to personal information that, once leaked or illegally used, could easily lead to the infringement of human dignity or harm to the personal or property safety of an individual, including biometric recognition, religious belief, specific identity, medical and health, financial account, personal whereabouts, and other information of an individual, as well as any personal information of a minor under the age of 14. Only where there is a specific purpose and sufficient necessity, and under circumstances where strict protection measures are taken, may personal information processors process sensitive personal information. A personal information processor shall inform the individual of the necessity of processing such sensitive personal information and the impact thereof on the individual’s rights and interests. As uncertainties remain regarding the interpretation and implementation of the Personal Information Protection Law, we cannot assure you that we will comply with the Personal Information Protection Law in all respects and regulatory authorities may order us to rectify or terminate our current practice of collecting and processing sensitive personal information.
Compliance with the PRC Cybersecurity Law, the PRC National Security Law, the Data Security Law, the Cybersecurity Review Measures, and the Personal Information Protection Law, as well as additional laws and regulations that PRC regulatory bodies may enact in the future, may result in additional expenses to us and subject us to negative publicity, which could harm our reputation among users and negatively affect the trading price of our common stock in the future. PRC regulators, including the Department of Public Security, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the CAC, have been increasingly focused on regulation in the areas of data security and data protection, and are enhancing the protection of privacy and data security by rulemaking and enforcement actions at central and local levels. We expect that these areas will receive greater and continued attention and scrutiny from regulators and the public going forward, which could increase our compliance costs and subject us to heightened risks and challenges associated with data security and protection. If we are unable to manage these risks, we could become subject to penalties, including fines, suspension of business, prohibition against new user registration (even for a short period of time) and revocation of required licenses, and our reputation and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with the above and other regulatory requirements or privacy protection-related laws, rules and regulations could result in reputational damages or proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities, consumers, or others. These proceedings or actions could subject us to significant penalties and negative publicity, require us to change our data and other business practices, increase our costs and severely disrupt our business, or negatively affect the trading price of our common stock.
64 |
You may have difficulty enforcing judgments against us.
Most of our assets are located outside of the United States and most of our current operations are conducted in the PRC. In addition, all of our directors and officers are nationals and residents of countries other than the United States. A substantial portion of the assets of these persons is located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons. It may also be difficult for you to enforce in U.S. courts judgments on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors, most of whom are not residents in the United States and the substantial majority of whose assets are located outside of the United States. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the PRC would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts. Our counsel as to PRC law has advised us that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. Courts in China may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other arrangements that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments with the United States. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in the PRC will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security, or the public interest. So, it is uncertain whether a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the United States.
The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we must conduct our business activities.
The PRC government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate in China may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, import and export tariffs, environmental regulations, land use rights, property, and other matters. We believe that our operations in China are in material compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. However, the central or local governments of the jurisdictions in which we operate may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations.
Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional or local variations in the implementation of economic policies, could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular regions thereof and could require us to divest ourselves of any interest we then hold in Chinese properties or joint ventures.
The PRC legal system embodies uncertainties, which could limit law enforcement availability.
The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike common law systems, decided legal cases have little precedence. In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past several decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investment in China. Our PRC operating subsidiary and affiliate is subject to PRC laws and regulations. However, these laws and regulations change frequently, and the interpretation and enforcement involve uncertainties. For instance, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce the legal protection that we are entitled to by law or contract. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting statutory and contractual terms, it may be difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative court proceedings and the level of law enforcement that we would receive in more developed legal systems. Such uncertainties, including the inability to enforce our contracts, could affect our business and operations. In addition, confidentiality protections in China may not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. Accordingly, we cannot predict the effect of future developments in the PRC legal system, particularly with regard to our business, including the promulgation of new laws. This may include changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, or the preemption of local regulations by national laws. These uncertainties could limit the availability of law enforcement, including our ability to enforce our agreements.
65 |
To the extent that our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit documentation related to their audit reports for the Company may, in the future, be located in China or in Hong Kong, our securities could be delisted and prohibited from trading on a U.S. exchange.
The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “HFCAA”), as originally passed, prohibited foreign companies from listing their securities on U.S. exchanges if the company’s auditor has been unavailable for PCAOB inspection or investigation for three consecutive years beginning in 2021. On December 29, 2022, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, the time period for the delisting of foreign companies under the HFCAA was reduced from three consecutive years to two consecutive years.
On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued the Determination Report, which found that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in (i) mainland China of the People’s Republic of China because of a position taken by one or more authorities in mainland China; and (ii) Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region and dependency of the PRC, because of a position taken by one or more authorities in Hong Kong. In addition, the Determination Report identified specific registered public accounting firms subject to these determinations.
On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol with the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Finance of the PRC (the “SOP”). Pursuant to the SOP, the PCAOB has independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer information to the SEC. The determinations as to mainland China and Hong Kong were vacated by the PCAOB as of December 15, 2022 as a result of the PCAOB’s having been able to conduct extensive and thorough inspections and investigations of mainland China and Hong Kong firms in 2022 under the SOP; however, if the PCAOB encounters any impediment, in the future, to conducting an inspection or investigation of auditors in mainland China or Hong Kong as a result of a position taken by an authority in either jurisdiction, it may issue new determinations consistent with the HFCAA.
Because our independent registered public accounting firm, J&S Associate PLT (F.K.A: J&S Associate) (“J&S”), is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it would not be subject to any determinations that may be announced by the PCAOB in the future with respect to auditors located in China or Hong Kong. We believe that the PCAOB’s inspectors and investigators have consistent access to the audit work performed by J&S for us. Therefore, we do not expect to be affected by the HFCAA at this time.
However, to the extent that our auditor’s work papers may, in the future, become located in mainland China or in Hong Kong, such work papers may not be available for inspection by the PCAOB if authorities in the PRC or Hong Kong were to take a position at that time that would prevent the PCAOB from continuing to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong. If such lack of inspection were to extend for the requisite period of time under the HFCAA, and if the PCAOB were then to issue new determinations based on its inability to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong because of a position taken by an authority in those jurisdictions, our shares could be delisted and prohibited from trading on a U.S. exchange. In addition, if our auditor’s work papers were to become located in China or Hong Kong in the future, and thereby not be available for PCAOB inspection, our investors would be deprived of the benefits of the PCAOB’s oversight of our auditor through such inspections, and they may lose confidence in our reported financial information and procedures and the quality of our financial statements. Also, we cannot assure you that U.S. regulatory authorities will not apply additional or more stringent criteria to us. Such uncertainty could cause the market price of our shares to be materially and adversely affected.
The enforcement of the PRC labor contract law may materially increase our costs and decrease our net income.
China adopted a new Labor Contract Law, effective on January 1, 2008, and issued its implementation rules, effective on September 18, 2008. The Labor Contract Law and related rules and regulations impose more stringent requirements on employers with regard to, among others, minimum wages, severance payment and non-fixed-term employment contracts, time limits for probation periods, as well as the duration and the times that an employee can be placed on a fixed-term employment contract. Due to the limited period of effectiveness of the Labor Contract Law and its implementation rules and regulations, and the lack of clarity with respect to their implementation and potential penalties and fines, it is uncertain how they will impact our current employment policies and practices. In particular, compliance with the Labor Contract Law and its implementation rules and regulations may increase our operating expenses. In the event that we decide to terminate some of our employees or otherwise change our employment or labor practices, the Labor Contract Law and its implementation rules and regulations may also limit our ability to effect those changes in a manner that we believe to be cost-effective or desirable and could result in a material decrease in our profitability.
66 |
A downturn in the Chinese or global economy, or a change in economic and political policies of China, could materially and adversely affect our VIE’s business and financial condition.
Our VIE’s business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic, and social conditions in China generally. The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the amount of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. While the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. The Chinese government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall Chinese economy but may have a negative effect on our VIE.
Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions. Any prolonged slowdown in the global or Chinese economy may affect our current customers’ and potential customers’ businesses and have a negative impact on our VIE’s business, results of operations, and financial condition. Additionally, continued turbulence in the international markets may adversely affect our ability to access the capital markets to meet liquidity needs.
There are political risks associated with conducting business in China.
Any adverse economic, social, and/or political conditions, material social unrest, strike, riot, civil disturbance, or disobedience, as well as significant natural disasters, may affect the market and adversely affect our business operations as the operations of our VIE and its subsidiaries are based in China. Any negative event may pose an immediate threat to the stability of the economy in China, thereby directly and adversely affecting our VIE’s and our VIE’s subsidiaries’ results of operations and financial position. Furthermore, legislative or administrative actions in respect of China-U.S. relations could cause investor uncertainty for affected issuers, including us, and the market price of our shares could be adversely affected.
Future inflation in China may inhibit our ability to conduct business in China.
In recent years, the Chinese economy has experienced periods of rapid expansion and highly fluctuating rates of inflation. During the past ten years, the rate of inflation in China has been as high as 5.9% and as low as -0.8%. These factors have led to the adoption by the Chinese government, from time to time, of various corrective measures designed to restrict the availability of credit or regulate growth and contain inflation. High inflation may in the future cause the Chinese government to impose controls on credit and/or prices, or to take other action, which could inhibit economic activity in China, and thereby harm the market for our products and our company.
Restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to receive and use our sales effectively.
Currently, all of our revenues are settled in RMB, and any future restrictions on currency exchanges may limit our ability to use revenue generated in RMB to fund any future business activities outside China or to make dividend or other payments in U.S. dollars. Although the Chinese government introduced regulations in 1996 to allow greater convertibility of the RMB for current account transactions, significant restrictions still remain, including primarily the restriction that FIEs may only buy, sell or remit foreign currencies after providing valid commercial documents, at those banks in China authorized to conduct foreign exchange business. In addition, conversion of RMB for capital account items, including direct investment and loans, is subject to governmental approval in China, and companies are required to open and maintain separate foreign exchange accounts for capital account items. We cannot be certain that the Chinese regulatory authorities will not impose more stringent restrictions on the convertibility of the RMB.
67 |
Fluctuations in exchange rates could adversely affect our business and the value of our securities.
The value of our shares will be indirectly affected by the foreign exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and RMB and between those currencies and other currencies in which our sales may be denominated. Appreciation or depreciation in the value of the RMB relative to the U.S. dollar would affect our financial results reported in U.S. dollar terms without giving effect to any underlying change in our business or results of operations. Fluctuations in the exchange rate will also affect the relative value of any dividend we issue that will be exchanged into U.S. dollars, as well as earnings from, and the value of, any U.S. dollar-denominated investments we make in the future.
Since July 2005, the RMB has no longer been pegged to the U.S. dollar. Although the People’s Bank of China regularly intervenes in the foreign exchange market to prevent significant short-term fluctuations in the exchange rate, the RMB may appreciate or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the medium to long term. Moreover, it is possible that in the future PRC authorities may lift restrictions on fluctuations in the RMB exchange rate and lessen intervention in the foreign exchange market.
Very limited hedging transactions are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not entered into any hedging transactions. While we may enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these transactions may be limited, and we may not be able to successfully hedge our exposure at all. In addition, our foreign currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert RMB into foreign currencies.
Restrictions under PRC law on our subsidiaries’ ability to make dividend payments and other distributions could materially and adversely affect our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could benefit our business, pay dividends to you, and otherwise fund and conduct our business.
Substantially all of our sales are earned by our VIE, which makes payments to King Eagle (China), one of our PRC subsidiaries, pursuant to the Consulting Service Agreement. As a holding company, we rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements. However, to the extent that cash is in our Hong Kong or PRC subsidiaries, there is a possibility that the funds may not be available to fund our operations or for other uses outside of the PRC or Hong Kong due to interventions or the imposition of restrictions and limitations by the PRC or the Hong Kong government on the ability to transfer cash. In addition, if any of our subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends to us. As of the date of this Annual Report, our subsidiaries have not experienced any difficulties or limitations on their ability to transfer cash between each other; nor do they maintain cash management policies or procedures dictating the amount of such funding or how funds are transferred. None of our subsidiaries has paid any dividends, other distributions or transferred assets to the Company as of the date of this Annual Report. In the future, cash proceeds raised from overseas financing activities may be transferred by us to our subsidiaries via capital contribution or shareholder loans, as the case may be. As of the date of this Annual Report, we have not made any transfers, paid any dividends, or made any distributions to U.S. investors.
Moreover, PRC legal restrictions permit payments of dividends by our PRC subsidiaries only out of their accumulated after-tax profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Our PRC subsidiaries are also required under PRC laws and regulations to allocate at least 10% of their annual after-tax profits determined in accordance with PRC generally accepted accounting principles to a statutory general reserve fund until the amount in said fund reaches 50% of their registered capital. Allocations to these statutory reserve funds can only be used for specific purposes and are not transferable to us in the form of loans, advances, or cash dividends. Any limitations on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to transfer funds to their parent companies in Hong Kong could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, and otherwise fund and conduct our business.
The PRC government may issue further restrictive measures in the future.
We cannot assure you that the PRC’s government will not issue further restrictive measures in the future. The PRC government’s restrictive regulations and measures could increase our operating costs in adapting to these regulations and measures, limit our access to capital resources or even restrict our business operations, which could further adversely affect our business and prospects.
68 |
If our PRC subsidiary or consolidated affiliated entity are found incompliant with the employment and social security, taxation, marketing, telecommunication, or other rules of China, they may face penalties imposed by the PRC government.
Our PRC subsidiary and consolidated affiliated entity failed to strictly comply with PRC laws and regulations to contribute towards social insurance premium and housing fund on behalf of their employees, as required by the applicable laws and regulations. We may be required by relevant authorities to make up the shortfall of social insurance premium and housing fund. Although we have made efforts to settle tax payables and take compliance measures, if any PRC government authority takes the position that there is non-compliance with the taxation, marketing, telecommunication, or other rules by our PRC subsidiary or consolidated affiliated entity, they may be exposed to penalties from PRC government authorities, in which case the operation and financial conditions of our PRC subsidiary or consolidated affiliated entity may be adversely affected.
Under the Enterprise Income Tax Law, we may be classified as a “resident enterprise” of China. Such classification will likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC stockholders.
On March 16, 2007, the National People’s Congress of China passed the EIT Law, and on November 28, 2007, the State Council of China passed its implementing rules, which took effect on January 1, 2008. Under the EIT Law, an enterprise established outside of China with “de facto management bodies” within China is considered a “resident enterprise,” meaning that it can be treated in a manner similar to a Chinese enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes. The implementing rules of the EIT Law define de facto management as “substantial and overall management and control over the production and operations, personnel, accounting, and properties” of the enterprise.
On April 22, 2009, the State Administration of Taxation issued the Notice Concerning Relevant Issues Regarding Cognizance of Chinese Investment Controlled Enterprises Incorporated Offshore as Resident Enterprises pursuant to Criteria of de facto Management Bodies, or the Notice, further interpreting the application of the EIT Law and its implementation non-Chinese enterprise or group controlled offshore entities. Pursuant to the Notice, an enterprise incorporated in an offshore jurisdiction and controlled by a Chinese enterprise or group will be classified as a “non-domestically incorporated resident enterprise” if (i) its senior management in charge of daily operations reside or perform their duties mainly in China; (ii) its financial or personnel decisions are made or approved by bodies or persons in China; (iii) its substantial assets and properties, accounting books, corporate chops, board and shareholder minutes are kept in China; and (iv) at least half of its directors with voting rights or senior management often resident in China. A resident enterprise would be subject to an enterprise income tax rate of 25% on its worldwide income and must pay a withholding tax at a rate of 10% when paying dividends to its non-PRC shareholders. However, it remains unclear as to whether the Notice is applicable to an offshore enterprise incorporated by a Chinese natural person. Nor are detailed measures on imposition of tax from non-domestically incorporated resident enterprises are available. Therefore, it is unclear how tax authorities will determine tax residency based on the facts of each case.
We may be deemed to be a resident enterprise by Chinese tax authorities. If the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, a number of unfavorable PRC tax consequences could follow. First, we may be subject to the enterprise income tax at a rate of 25% on our worldwide taxable income as well as PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. In our case, this would mean that income such as interest on financing proceeds and non-China source income would be subject to PRC enterprise income tax at a rate of 25%. Second, although under the EIT Law and its implementing rules dividends paid to us from our PRC subsidiaries would qualify as “tax-exempt income,” we cannot guarantee that such dividends will not be subject to a 10% withholding tax, as the PRC foreign exchange control authorities, which enforce the withholding tax, have not yet issued guidance with respect to the processing of outbound remittances to entities that are treated as resident enterprises for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Finally, it is possible that future guidance issued with respect to the new “resident enterprise” classification could result in a situation in which a 10% withholding tax is imposed on dividends we pay to our non-PRC stockholders and with respect to gains derived by our non-PRC stockholders from transferring our shares.
If we were treated as a “resident enterprise” by PRC tax authorities, we would be subject to taxation in both the U.S. and China, and our PRC tax may not be creditable against our U.S. tax.
69 |
We face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.
On February 3, 2015, the SAT issued the Public Notice Regarding Certain Corporate Income Tax Matters on Indirect Transfer of Properties by Non-Tax Resident Enterprises, or SAT Bulletin 7, which came into effect on the same day, revised in October 2017 and December 2017. SAT Bulletin 7 extends its tax jurisdiction to transactions involving the transfer of taxable assets through offshore transfer of a foreign intermediate holding company. In addition, SAT Bulletin 7 has introduced safe harbors for internal group restructurings and the purchase and sale of equity through a public securities market. SAT Bulletin 7 also brings challenges to both foreign transferor and transferee (or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer) of taxable assets, as such persons need to determine whether their transactions are subject to these rules and whether any withholding obligation applies.
On October 17, 2017, the SAT issued the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Concerning the Withholding of Non-Resident Enterprise Income Tax at Source, or SAT Bulletin 37, which came into effect on December 1, 2017, and revised in June 2018. The SAT Bulletin 37 further clarifies the practice and procedure of the withholding of non-resident enterprise income tax.
Where a non-resident enterprise transfers taxable assets indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, which is an Indirect Transfer, the non-resident enterprise as either transferor or transferee, or the PRC entity that directly owns the taxable assets, may report such Indirect Transfer to the relevant tax authority. Using a “substance over form” principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding, or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains derived from such Indirect Transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax, and the transferee or other person who pays for the transfer is obligated to withhold the applicable taxes currently at a rate of 10% for the transfer of equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise. Both the transferor and the transferee may be subject to penalties under PRC tax laws if the transferee fails to withhold the taxes and the transferor fails to pay the taxes.
We face uncertainties as to the reporting and other implications of certain past and future transactions where PRC taxable assets are involved, such as offshore restructuring, sale of the shares in our offshore subsidiaries and investments. Our company may be subject to filing obligations or may be taxed if our company is transferor in such transactions and may be subject to withholding obligations if our company is transferee in such transactions, under SAT Bulletin 7 and/or SAT Bulletin 37. For transfers of shares of our company by investors who are non-PRC resident enterprises, our PRC subsidiaries may be requested to assist in the filing under SAT Bulletin 7 and/or SAT Bulletin 37. As a result, we may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with SAT Bulletin 7 and/or SAT Bulletin 37 or to request the relevant transferors from whom we purchase taxable assets to comply with these circulars, or to establish that our company should not be taxed under these circulars, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore special purpose companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident shareholders to penalties and limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries, limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute profits to us, or otherwise adversely affect us.
The SAFE promulgated the notice on relevant issues relating to domestic resident’s investment and financing and roundtrip investment through special purpose vehicles (“SPV(s)”), or Notice 37, in July 2014 that requires PRC residents or entities to register with SAFE or its local branch in connection with their establishment or control of an offshore entity established for the purpose of overseas investment or financing. In addition, such PRC residents or entities must update their SAFE registrations when the offshore SPV undergoes material events relating to material change of capitalization or structure of the PRC resident itself (such as capital increase, capital reduction, share transfer or exchange, merger or spin off).On February 28, 2015, SAFE issued a notice according to which the aforesaid PRC residents or entities are no longer required to register with SAFE or its local branch, instead the aforesaid PRC residents or entities need to register with local banks. We have notified substantial beneficial owners of our ordinary shares who we know are PRC residents of their filing obligation, and to the best of our knowledge, most of those shareholders whom we know are PRC residents have completed the registration. However, we may not be aware of the identities of all our beneficial owners who are PRC residents. In addition, we do not have control over our beneficial owners and cannot assure you that all of our PRC resident beneficial owners will comply with SAFE Circular 37. Failure by an individual to comply with the required SAFE registration and updating requirements described above may result in penalties up to RMB50, 000 imposed on such individual and restrictions being imposed on the foreign exchange activities of the PRC subsidiaries of such offshore SPV, including increasing the registered capital of payment of dividends and other distributions to, and receiving capital injections for the offshore SPV. Failure to comply with Notice 37 may also subject relevant PRC resident beneficial owners or the PRC subsidiaries of such offshore SPV to penalties under PRC foreign exchange administration regulations for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions.
70 |
Failure to comply with the individual foreign exchange rules relating to the overseas direct investment or the engagement in the issuance or trading of securities overseas by our PRC resident stockholders may subject such stockholders to fines or other liabilities.
Other than Notice 37, our ability to conduct foreign exchange activities in the PRC may be subject to the interpretation and enforcement of the implementation rules of the administrative measures for individual foreign exchange promulgated by SAFE in January 2007 (as amended and supplemented, the “Individual Foreign Exchange Rules”). Under the individual foreign exchange rules, any PRC individual seeking to make a direct investment overseas or engage in the issuance or trading of negotiable securities or derivatives overseas must make the appropriate registrations in accordance with SAFE provisions. PRC individuals who fail to make such registrations may be subject to warnings, fines or other liabilities.
We may not be fully informed of the identities of all our beneficial owners who are PRC residents. For example, because the investment in or trading of our shares will happen in an overseas public or secondary market where shares are often held with brokers in brokerage accounts, it is unlikely that we will know the identity of all of our beneficial owners who are PRC residents. Furthermore, we have no control over any of our future beneficial owners and we cannot assure you that such PRC residents will be able to complete the necessary approval and registration procedures required by the individual foreign exchange rules.
It is uncertain how the individual foreign exchange rules will be interpreted or enforced and whether such interpretation or enforcement will affect our ability to conduct foreign exchange transactions. Because of this uncertainty, we cannot be sure whether the failure by any of our PRC resident stockholders to make the required registration will subject our PRC subsidiaries to fines or legal sanctions on their operations, delay or restriction on repatriation of proceeds of this offering into the PRC, restriction on remittance of dividends or other punitive actions that would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We may be exposed to liabilities under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Chinese anti-corruption laws, and any determination that we violated these laws could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act, or FCPA, and other laws that prohibit improper payments or offers of payments to foreign governments and their officials and political parties by U.S. persons and issuers as defined by the statute, for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. We have operations, agreements with third parties, and make most of our sales in China. The PRC also strictly prohibits bribery of government officials. Our activities in China create the risk of unauthorized payments or offers of payments by the employees, consultants, sales agents, or distributors of our Company, even though they may not always be subject to our control. It is our policy to implement safeguards to discourage these practices by our employees. However, our existing safeguards and any future improvements may prove to be less than effective, and the employees, consultants, sales agents, or distributors of our Company may engage in conduct for which we might be held responsible. Violations of the FCPA or Chinese anti-corruption laws may result in severe criminal or civil sanctions, and we may be subject to other liabilities, which could negatively affect our business, operating results, and financial condition. In addition, the U.S. government may seek to hold our Company liable for successor liability FCPA violations committed by companies in which we invest or that we acquire.
71 |
If we become directly subject to the recent scrutiny, criticism and negative publicity involving U.S.-listed Chinese companies, we may have to expend significant resources to investigate and resolve the matter, which could harm our business operations, stock price, and reputation and could result in a loss of your investment in our stock, especially if such matter cannot be addressed and resolved favorably.
Recently, U.S. public companies that have substantially all of their operations in China, particularly companies like us which have completed so-called reverse merger transactions, have been the subject of intense scrutiny, criticism and negative publicity by investors, financial commentators and regulatory agencies, such as the SEC. Much of the scrutiny, criticism and negative publicity has centered around financial and accounting irregularities and mistakes, a lack of effective internal controls over financial accounting, inadequate corporate governance policies or a lack of adherence thereto and, in many cases, allegations of fraud. As a result of the scrutiny, criticism and negative publicity, the publicly traded stock of many U.S. listed Chinese companies has sharply decreased in value and, in some cases, has become virtually worthless. Many of these companies are now subject to shareholder lawsuits and SEC enforcement actions and are conducting internal and external investigations into the allegations. It is not clear what effect this sector-wide scrutiny, criticism and negative publicity will have on our Company, our business and our stock price. If we become the subject of any unfavorable allegations, whether such allegations are proven to be true or untrue, we will have to expend significant resources to investigate such allegations and/or defend our company. This situation will be costly and time consuming and distract our management from growing our Company.
The disclosures in our reports and other filings with the SEC and our other public pronouncements are not subject to the scrutiny of any regulatory bodies in the PRC. Accordingly, our public disclosure should be reviewed in light of the fact that no governmental agency that is located in China where substantially all of our operations and business are located have conducted any due diligence on our operations or reviewed or cleared any of our disclosure.
We are regulated by the SEC and our reports and other filings with the SEC are subject to SEC review in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. Unlike public reporting companies whose operations are located primarily in the United States, however, substantially all of our operations are located in China. Since substantially all of our operations and business takes place in China, it may be more difficult for the staff of the SEC to overcome the geographic and cultural obstacles that are present when reviewing our disclosure. These same obstacles are not present for similar companies whose operations or business take place entirely or primarily in the United States. Furthermore, our SEC reports and other disclosure and public pronouncements are not subject to the review or scrutiny of any PRC regulatory authority. For example, the disclosure in our SEC reports and other filings are not subject to the review of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, a PRC regulator that is tasked with oversight of the capital markets in China. Accordingly, you should review our SEC reports, filings and our other public pronouncements with the understanding that no local regulator has done any due diligence on our company and with the understanding that none of our SEC reports, other filings or any of our other public pronouncements has been reviewed or otherwise been scrutinized by any local regulator.
Risks Related to the Market for Our Securities
Our common stock is quoted on the OTC market, which may have an unfavorable impact on our stock price and liquidity.
Our common stock is quoted on the OTC market. The OTC market is a significantly more limited market than the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ. The quotation of our shares on the OTC market may result in a less liquid market available for existing and potential stockholders to trade shares of our common stock, could depress the trading price of our common stock and could have a long-term adverse impact on our ability to raise capital in the future. We plan to list our common stock as soon as practicable. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to meet the initial listing standards of any stock exchange, or that we will be able to maintain any such listing.
72 |
We are subject to penny stock regulations and restrictions, and you may have difficulty selling shares of our common stock.
The SEC has adopted regulations which generally define so-called “penny stocks” to be an equity security that has a market price less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exemptions. Our common stock is a “penny stock” and is subject to Rule 15g-9 under the Exchange Act, or the Penny Stock Rule. This rule imposes additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers that sell such securities to persons other than established customers and “accredited investors” (generally, individuals with a net worth in excess of $1,000,000 or annual incomes exceeding $200,000, or $300,000 together with their spouses). For transactions covered by Rule 15g-9, a broker-dealer must make a special suitability determination for the purchaser and have received the purchaser’s written consent to the transaction prior to sale. As a result, this rule may affect the ability of broker-dealers to sell our securities and may affect the ability of purchasers to sell any of our securities in the secondary market, thus possibly making it more difficult for us to raise additional capital.
For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, the rules require delivery, prior to any transaction in penny stock, of a disclosure schedule prepared by the SEC relating to the penny stock market. Disclosure is also required to be made about sales commissions payable to both the broker-dealer and the registered representative and current quotations for the securities. Finally, monthly statements are required to be sent disclosing recent price information for the penny stock held in the account and information on the limited market in penny stock.
There can be no assurance that our common stock will qualify for exemption from the Penny Stock Rule. In any event, even if our common stock were exempt from the Penny Stock Rule, we would remain subject to Section 15(b)(6) of the Exchange Act, which gives the SEC the authority to restrict any person from participating in a distribution of penny stock, if the SEC finds that such a restriction would be in the public interest.
We are an “emerging growth company,” and we cannot be certain if the reduced reporting requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” will make our common shares less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. For as long as we continue to be an “emerging growth company,” we may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies,” including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could be an “emerging growth company” until September 30, 2024, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if we become a large accelerated filer or if we have issued an aggregate of $1 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding 3 years. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and the price of our common stock may be more volatile.
We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.
For the foreseeable future, we intend to retain any earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock. Accordingly, investors must be prepared to rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation to earn an investment return, which may never occur. Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our common stock. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on our results of operations, financial condition, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our board deems relevant.
Fulfilling our obligations incident to being a public company, including with respect to the requirements of and related rules under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, is expensive and time-consuming, and any delays or difficulties in satisfying these obligations could have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations and our stock price.
As a public company, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the related rules and regulations of the SEC require us to implement various corporate governance practices and adhere to a variety of reporting requirements and complex accounting rules. Compliance with these public company obligations requires us to devote significant time and resources and places significant additional demands on our finance and accounting staff and on our financial accounting and information systems. Other expenses associated with being a public company include increased auditing, accounting and legal fees and expenses, investor relations expenses, increased directors’ fees and director and officer liability insurance costs, registrar and transfer agent fees and listing fees, as well as other expenses.
73 |
We are required under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to document and test the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, we are required under the Exchange Act to maintain disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. Any failure to maintain effective controls or implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm our operating results, or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. If we are unable to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting, investors could lose confidence in the reliability of our financial statements. This could result in a decrease in the value of our common stock. Failure to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 could potentially subject us to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
Compliance with changing regulation of corporate governance and public disclosure will result in additional expenses.
Changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and related SEC regulations, have created uncertainty for public companies and significantly increased the costs and risks associated with accessing the public markets and public reporting. Our management team will need to invest significant management time and financial resources to comply with both existing and evolving standards for public companies, which will lead to increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue generating activities to compliance activities.
Provisions in our charter documents and under Nevada law could discourage a takeover that stockholders may consider favorable.
Provisions in our articles of incorporation and bylaws may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our management. Our Board of Directors has the right to determine the authorized number of directors and to elect directors to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the Board of Directors or the resignation, death, or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from being able to control the size of or fill vacancies on our Board of Directors. In addition, we are authorized to issue up to 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, in one or more classes or series as may be determined by our Board of Directors. The issuance of shares of common stock, while providing desirable flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from acquiring, a majority of our outstanding voting stock.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
The Company is not required to provide the information required by this Item because the Company is a smaller reporting company.
ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
The Company has adopted a cybersecurity policy (the “Cybersecurity Policy”) governing the establishment and application of certain procedures and safeguards to identify potential cybersecurity risks and, in the event of a cybersecurity breach, the protocol for disclosing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including possible remedies. The members of the Board of Directors reviews cybersecurity risk as part of our overall risk-management program. This ensures that cybersecurity risk management remains a meaningful priority in our business strategy and operations. Our risk management strategy for cybersecurity generally includes:
1. | Identification: We aim to proactively identify the manners in which our business could be materially impacted by cybersecurity risks including: |
1. | Cybersecurity Incidents – an unauthorized occurrence on or conducted through its information system that jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of its information systems or any information residing therein | |
2. | Cybersecurity Threats – any potential occurrence that may result in an unauthorized effort to adversely affect the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of its information systems or any information residing therein. |
74 |
We presently do not engage third parties to assist with evaluating the effectiveness of our risk-management and cybersecurity practices. The Company did not have any material cybersecurity breaches during the year ended September 30, 2024.
As soon as the Board of Directors authorizes the creation of an audit committee comprised of our three independent non-executive directors, and adoption of an audit committee charter, the Audit Committee will be the governance body involved in, and ultimately responsible for, cybersecurity oversight. They will generally coordinate with our Chief Financial Officer in this regard. If needed, the full Board would be updated on cybersecurity risks and incidents. As of the date of this Annual Report, the members of the Board of Directors currently None of our directors on the Audit Committee nor our Chief Financial Officer have particular experience in cybersecurity matters. See “Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance – Committees of the Board of Directors.”
75 |
Recently Filed
Ticker * | File Date |
---|---|
OILCF | 10 hours ago |
CVGW | 10 hours ago |
STAL | 10 hours ago |
CYCA | 11 hours ago |
EMKR | 11 hours ago |
CXKJ | 11 hours ago |
EXDW | 12 hours ago |
FWFW | 12 hours ago |
MCLE | 13 hours ago |
DIGP | 1 day, 10 hours ago |
KSSH | 1 day, 10 hours ago |
CVM | 1 day, 11 hours ago |
ADBE | 1 day, 11 hours ago |
DFCO | 1 day, 12 hours ago |
PHCI | 1 day, 21 hours ago |
BBCP | 4 days, 19 hours ago |
GSHN | 1 week, 1 day ago |
BRRN | 1 week, 1 day ago |
BRRN | 1 week, 4 days ago |
NRT | 2 weeks ago |
EXPR | 2 weeks, 1 day ago |
DJCO | 2 weeks, 1 day ago |
ISSC | 2 weeks, 1 day ago |
CETX | 2 weeks, 1 day ago |
GIPL | 2 weeks, 1 day ago |
BLYQ | 2 weeks, 1 day ago |
BRRN | 2 weeks, 1 day ago |
FCEL | 2 weeks, 4 days ago |
OTLK | 2 weeks, 4 days ago |
IMKTA | 2 weeks, 4 days ago |
FORD | 2 weeks, 4 days ago |
BDL | 2 weeks, 4 days ago |
FUST | 2 weeks, 5 days ago |
VPLM | 2 weeks, 5 days ago |
SIF | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
BLIN | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
CLAY | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
EEGI | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
SMME | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
AVXL | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
LMNR | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
SNTW | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
TRCK | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
OCC | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
GEF | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
TBLT | 3 weeks, 4 days ago |
AVGO | 3 weeks, 4 days ago |
TOL | 3 weeks, 4 days ago |
CSPI | 3 weeks, 4 days ago |
CIEN | 3 weeks, 4 days ago |