INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT TRUST AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made as of ________ ____, 2004 by and
between Chardan China Acquisition Corp. (the "Company") and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company ("Trustee").
WHEREAS, the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1, No.
333-______ ("Registration Statement"), for its initial public offering of
securities ("IPO") has been declared effective as of the date hereof by the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("Effective Date"); and
WHEREAS, EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. ("EBC") is acting as the
representative of the underwriters in the IPO; and
WHEREAS, as described in the Company's Registration Statement,
and in accordance with the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, $15,300,000
of the gross proceeds of the IPO ($17,595,000 if the underwriters over-allotment
option is exercised in full) will be delivered to the Trustee to be deposited
and held in a trust account for the benefit of the Company and the holders of
the Company's common stock, par value $.0001 per share, issued in the IPO (the
amount to be delivered to the Trustee will be referred to herein as the
"Property"; the stockholders for whose benefit the Trustee shall hold the
Property will be referred to as the "Public Stockholders," and the Public
Stockholders and the Company will be referred to together as the
"Beneficiaries"); and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee desire to enter into this
Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which the Trustee
shall hold the Property;
IT IS AGREED:
1. Agreements and Covenants of Trustee. The Trustee hereby agrees and
covenants to:
(a) Hold the Property in trust for the Beneficiaries in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement in a segregated trust account
("Trust Account") established by the Trustee at a branch of _________________
[INSERT BANK] selected by the Trustee;
(b) Manage, supervise and administer the Trust Account
subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein;
(c) In a timely manner, upon the instruction of the Company,
to invest and reinvest the Property in any "Government Security." As used
herein, Government Security means any Treasury Xxxx issued by the United States,
having a maturity of one hundred and eighty days or less;
(d) Collect and receive, when due, all principal and income
arising from the Property, which shall become part of the "Property," as such
term is used herein;
(e) Notify the Company of all communications received by it
with respect to
any Property requiring action by the Company;
(f) Supply any necessary information or documents as may
be requested by the Company in connection with the Company's preparation of the
tax returns for the Trust Account;
(g) Participate in any plan or proceeding for protecting
or enforcing any right or interest arising from the Property if, as and when
instructed by the Company to do so;
(h) Render to the Company and to EBC, and to such other
person as the Company may instruct, monthly written statements of the activities
of and amounts in the Trust Account reflecting all receipts and disbursements of
the Trust Account; and
(i) Commence liquidation of the Trust Account only after
receipt of and only in accordance with the terms of a letter ("Termination
Letter"), in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as either
Exhibit A or Exhibit B, signed on behalf of the Company by its President or
Chairman of the Board and Secretary, and complete the liquidation of the Trust
Account and distribute the Property in the Trust Account only as directed in the
Termination Letter and the other documents referred to therein.
2. Agreements and Covenants of the Company. The Company hereby agrees and
covenants to:
(a) Give all instructions to the Trustee hereunder in
writing, signed by the Company's President or Chairman of the Board. In
addition, except with respect to its duties under paragraph 1(i) above, the
Trustee shall be entitled to rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, any
verbal or telephonic advice or instruction which it in good faith believes to be
given by any one of the persons authorized above to give written instructions,
provided that the Company shall promptly confirm such instructions in writing;
(b) Hold the Trustee harmless and indemnify the Trustee from
and against, any and all expenses, including reasonable counsel fees and
disbursements, or loss suffered by the Trustee in connection with any action,
suit or other proceeding brought against the Trustee involving any claim, or in
connection with any claim or demand which in any way arises out of or relates to
this Agreement, the services of the Trustee hereunder, or the Property or any
income earned from investment of the Property, except for expenses and losses
resulting from the Trustee's gross negligence or willful misconduct. Promptly
after the receipt by the Trustee of notice of demand or claim or the
commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, pursuant to which the Trustee
intends to seek indemnification under this paragraph, it shall notify the
Company in writing of such claim (hereinafter referred to as the "Indemnified
Claim"). The Trustee shall have the right to conduct and manage the defense
against such Indemnified Claim, provided, that the Trustee shall obtain the
consent of the Company with respect to the selection of counsel, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company may participate in such action
with its own counsel; and
(c) Pay the Trustee an initial acceptance fee of $1,000 and
an annual fee of
2
$3,000 (it being expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to pay
such fee). The Company shall pay the Trustee the initial acceptance fee and
first year's fee at the consummation of the IPO and thereafter on the
anniversary of the Effective Date. The Trustee shall refund to the Company the
fee (on a pro rata basis) with respect to any period after the liquidation of
the Trust Fund. The Company shall not be responsible for any other fees or
charges of the Trustee except as may be provided in paragraph 2(b) hereof (it
being expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to make any
payments to the Trustee under such paragraph).
3. Limitations of Liability. The Trustee shall have no responsibility or
liability to:
(a) Take any action with respect to the Property, other than
as directed in paragraph 1 hereof and the Trustee shall have no liability to any
party except for liability arising out of its own gross negligence or willful
misconduct;
(b) Institute any proceeding for the collection of any
principal and income arising from, or institute, appear in or defend any
proceeding of any kind with respect to, any of the Property unless and until it
shall have received instructions from the Company given as provided herein to do
so and the Company shall have advanced or guaranteed to it funds sufficient to
pay any expenses incident thereto;
(c) Change the investment of any Property, other than in
compliance with paragraph 1(c);
(d) Refund any depreciation in principal of any Property;
(e) Assume that the authority of any person designated by
the Company to give instructions hereunder shall not be continuing unless
provided otherwise in such designation, or unless the Company shall have
delivered a written revocation of such authority to the Trustee;
(f) The other parties hereto or to anyone else for any
action taken or omitted by it, or any action suffered by it to be taken or
omitted, in good faith and in the exercise of its own best judgment, except for
its gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Trustee may rely conclusively
and shall be protected in acting upon any order, notice, demand, certificate,
opinion or advice of counsel (including counsel chosen by the Trustee),
statement, instrument, report or other paper or document (not only as to its due
execution and the validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to
the truth and acceptability of any information therein contained) which is
believed by the Trustee, in good faith, to be genuine and to be signed or
presented by the proper person or persons. The Trustee shall not be bound by any
notice or demand, or any waiver, modification, termination or rescission of this
agreement or any of the terms hereof, unless evidenced by a written instrument
delivered to the Trustee signed by the proper party or parties and, if the
duties or rights of the Trustee are affected, unless it shall give its prior
written consent thereto;
(g) Verify the correctness of the information set forth in
the Registration Statement or to confirm or assure that any acquisition made by
the Company or any other action taken by it is as contemplated by the
Registration Statement; and
3
(h) Pay any taxes on behalf of the Trust Account (it being
expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to pay any such taxes
and that such taxes, if any, shall be paid by the Company from funds not held in
the Trust Account).
4. Termination. This Agreement shall terminate as follows:
(a) If the Trustee gives written notice to the Company that
it desires to resign under this Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable
efforts to locate a successor trustee. At such time that the Company notifies
the Trustee that a successor trustee has been appointed by the Company and has
agreed to become subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Trustee shall
transfer the management of the Trust Account to the successor trustee, including
but not limited to the transfer of copies of the reports and statements relating
to the Trust Account, whereupon this Agreement shall terminate; provided,
however, that, in the event that the Company does not locate a successor trustee
within ninety days of receipt of the resignation notice from the Trustee, the
Trustee may submit an application to have the Property deposited with the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York and upon such
deposit, the Trustee shall be immune from any liability whatsoever;
(b) At such time that the Trustee has completed the
liquidation of the Trust Account in accordance with the provisions of paragraph
1(i) hereof, and distributed the Property in accordance with the provisions of
the Termination Letter, this Agreement shall terminate except with respect to
Paragraph 2(b); or
(c) On such date after ________ __, 2006 when the Trustee
deposits the Property with the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York in the event that, prior to such date, the Trustee has not
received a Termination Letter from the Company pursuant to paragraph 1(i).
5. Miscellaneous.
(a) The Company and the Trustee each acknowledge that the
Trustee will follow the security procedures set forth below with respect to
funds transferred from the Trust Account. Upon receipt of written instructions,
the Trustee will confirm such instructions with an Authorized Individual at an
Authorized Telephone Number listed on the attached Exhibit C. The Company and
the Trustee will each restrict access to confidential information relating to
such security procedures to authorized persons. Each party must notify the other
party immediately if it has reason to believe unauthorized persons may have
obtained access to such information, or of any change in its authorized
personnel. In executing funds transfers, the Trustee will rely upon account
numbers or other identifying numbers of a beneficiary, beneficiary's bank or
intermediary bank, rather than names. The Trustee shall not be liable for any
loss, liability or expense resulting from any error in an account number or
other identifying number, provided it has accurately transmitted the numbers
provided.
(b) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and
enforced in
4
accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to
conflict of laws. It may be executed in several counterparts, each one of which
shall constitute an original, and together shall constitute but one instrument.
(c) This Agreement contains the entire agreement and
understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
This Agreement or any provision hereof may only be changed, amended or modified
by a writing signed by each of the parties hereto; provided, however, that no
such change, amendment or modification may be made without the prior written
consent of EBC. As to any claim, cross-claim or counterclaim in any way relating
to this Agreement, each party waives the right to trial by jury.
(d) The parties hereto consent to the jurisdiction and venue
of any state or federal court located in the City of New York for purposes of
resolving any disputes hereunder.
(e) Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection
with any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and
shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified
mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or by facsimile transmission:
if to the Trustee, to:
American Stock Transfer
& Trust Company
00 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn:
Fax No.:
if to the Company, to:
Chardan China Acquisition Corp.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx 000
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xx. Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Chairman
Fax No.:
in either case with a copy to:
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Chairman
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000
5
(f) This Agreement may not be assigned by the Trustee
without the prior consent of the Company.
(g) Each of the Trustee and the Company hereby represents
that it has the full right and power and has been duly authorized to enter into
this Agreement and to perform its respective obligations as contemplated
hereunder. The Trustee acknowledges and agrees that it shall not make any claims
or proceed against the Trust Account, including by way of set-off, and shall not
be entitled to any funds in the Trust Account under any circumstance.
6
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this
Investment Management Trust Agreement as of the date first written above.
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
COMPANY, as Trustee
By: ____________________________
Name:
Title:
CHARDAN CHINA ACQUISITION CORP.
By: ____________________________
Name: Xx. Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Chairman
7
EXHIBIT A
[LETTERHEAD OF COMPANY]
[INSERT DATE]
American Stock Transfer
& Trust Company
00 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn:
Re: Trust Account No. [ ] Termination Letter
-----------------------------------------------
Gentlemen:
Pursuant to paragraph 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust
Agreement between Chardan China Acquisition Corp. ("Company") and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company ("Trustee"), dated as of _____________, 2004 ("Trust
Agreement"), this is to advise you that the Company has entered into an
agreement ("Business Agreement") with __________________ ("Target Business") to
consummate a business combination with Target Business ("Business Combination")
on or about [INSERT DATE]. The Company shall notify you at least 48 hours in
advance of the actual date of the consummation of the Business Combination
("Consummation Date").
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby
authorize you to commence liquidation of the Trust Account to the effect that,
on the Consummation Date, all of funds held in the Trust Account will be
immediately available for transfer to the account or accounts that the Company
shall direct on the Consummation Date.
On the Consummation Date (i) counsel for the Company shall
deliver to you written notification that the Business Combination has been
consummated, and (ii) the Company shall deliver to you written instructions with
respect to the transfer of the funds held in the Trust Account ("Instruction
Letter"). You are hereby directed and authorized to transfer the funds held in
the Trust Account immediately upon your receipt of the counsel's letter and the
Instruction Letter, in accordance with the terms of the Instruction Letter. In
the event that certain deposits held in the Trust Account may not be liquidated
by the Consummation Date without penalty, you will notify the Company of the
same and the Company shall direct you as to whether such funds should remain in
the Trust Account and distributed after the Consummation Date to the Company.
Upon the distribution of all the funds in the Trust Account pursuant to the
terms hereof, the Trust Agreement shall be terminated.
In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated
on the Consummation Date described in the notice thereof and we have not
notified you on or before the original Consummation Date of a new Consummation
Date, then the funds held in the Trust Account shall be reinvested as provided
in the Trust Agreement on the business day immediately following the
Consummation Date as set forth in the notice.
Very truly yours,
CHARDAN CHINA ACQUISITION CORP.
8
By:
------------------------------------
Xx. Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Chairman
By:
------------------------------------
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Secretary
9
EXHIBIT B
[LETTERHEAD OF COMPANY]
[INSERT DATE]
American Stock Transfer
& Trust Company
00 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn:
Re: Trust Account No. [ ] Termination Letter
----------------------------------------------------
Gentlemen:
Pursuant to paragraph 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust
Agreement between Chardan China Acquisition Corp. ("Company") and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company ("Trustee"), dated as of _____________, 2004 ("Trust
Agreement"), this is to advise you that the Board of Directors of the Company
has voted to dissolve and liquidate the Company. Attached hereto is a copy of
the minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company relating
thereto, certified by the Secretary of the Company as true and correct and in
full force and effect.
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby
authorize you, to commence liquidation of the Trust Account. You will notify the
Company and ___________ ("Designated Paying Agent") in writing as to when all of
the funds in the Trust Account will be available for immediate transfer
("Transfer Date"). The Designated Paying Agent shall thereafter notify you as to
the account or accounts of the Designated Paying Agent that the funds in the
Trust Account should be transferred to on the Transfer Date so that the
Designated Paying Agent may commence distribution of such funds in accordance
with the Company's instructions. You shall have no obligation to oversee the
Designated Paying Agent's distribution of the funds. Upon the payment to the
Designated Paying Agent of all the funds in the Trust Account, the Trust
Agreement shall be terminated.
Very truly yours,
CHARDAN CHINA ACQUISITION CORP.
By:
-----------------------------------
Xx. Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Chairman
By:
-----------------------------------
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Secretary
10
EXHIBIT C
AUTHORIZED INDIVIDUAL(S) AUTHORIZED
FOR TELEPHONE CALL BACK TELEPHONE NUMBER(S)
----------------------- ------------------
COMPANY:
Chardan Acquisition Corp.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx 000
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xx. Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Chairman
TRUSTEE:
American Stock Transfer
& Trust Company
00 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn:
11
