REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 10.5
This
Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is
made and entered into as of August 26, 2004, by and among China World Trade
Corporation (the “Company”), and
the investors signatory hereto (each a “Purchaser” and
collectively, the “Purchasers”).
This
Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the
date hereof among the Company and the Purchasers (the “Purchase
Agreement”).
The
Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the
Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase
Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
“Effectiveness
Period” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Escrow
Date” means
the date that funds are released by the Escrow Agent to the
Company.
“Filing
Date” means,
with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, forty
five (45) days following the Escrow Date.
“Holder” or
“Holders” means
the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable
Securities (including any permitted assignee).
“Indemnified
Party” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Indemnifying
Party” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Losses” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“Proceeding” means
an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without
limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition),
whether commenced or threatened.
“Prospectus” means
the prospectus included in the Registration Statement (including, without
limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a
prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon
Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented
by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any
portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and
all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective
amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
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“Registrable
Securities” means
the Firm Shares, Option Shares, Agent Shares and the Warrant Shares together
with any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon any stock split,
dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect
to the foregoing or in connection with any anti-dilution provisions in the
applicable Warrant.
“Registration
Statement” means
the registration statements required to be filed hereunder, including (in each
case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to the registration statement
or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits
thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated
by reference in the registration statement.
“Rule 415” means
Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as
such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar Rule or
regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same
effect as such Rule.
“Rule 424” means
Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as
such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar Rule or
regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same
effect as such Rule.
Warrants” means
the Common Stock purchase warrants issued to the Purchasers and the Agent
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
“Securities
Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2. Mandatory
Registration.
(a) On or
prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission
the Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable
Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to
Rule 415. The Registration Statement required hereunder shall be on Form
SB-2 (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the
Registrable Securities on Form SB-2, in which case the Registration shall be on
another appropriate form in accordance herewith). The Registration Statement
required hereunder shall contain (except if otherwise directed by the Holders)
the “Plan
of Distribution”
attached hereto as Annex
A. The
Company shall cause the Registration Statement to become effective and remain
effective as provided herein. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable
efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the
Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof and shall use
its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Registration Statement
continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date when all
Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement (a) have been sold
pursuant to the Registration Statement or an exemption from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act or (b) may be sold without volume
restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) as determined by the counsel to the
Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and
acceptable to the Company’s transfer agent and the affected Holders (the
“Effectiveness
Period”).
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(b) If a
Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to sixty (60) days from the
Escrow Date, then in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder
or under applicable law, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash
until the date a Registration Statement is filed, as liquidated damages and not
as a penalty, equal to (i) one (1%) percent of the aggregate purchase price paid
by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for the first thirty (30) days
or any part thereof, and each thirty (30) day period subsequent thereto, such
payment(s) to be made within seven (7) days after the initial date of each such
failure to file.
(c) If (1) a
Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to one hundred
twenty (120) days from the Escrow Date, or (2) a Registration Statement has been
declared effective and subsequent thereto is not effective (or does not permit
the resale of the Registrable Securities thereby) for a period of more than
thirty (30) days consecutively until the Shares may be sold pursuant to Rule
144(k) (an “Effectiveness
Default”), then
in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under
applicable law, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash until the
date a Registration Statement is declared effective and/or the Registrable
Securities may be sold pursuant to Rule 144(k) pursuant to subprovision (1)
above, or if previously declared effective then in the situation covered by
subprovision (2) above until the date the Registration Statement becomes
effective again or otherwise permits the resale of the Registrable Securities
covered thereby, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to one (1%)
percent of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement for the first thirty (30) days or any part thereof, and for
each thirty (30) day period subsequent thereto, such payment(s) to be made
within seven (7) days after the date of each such Effectiveness
Default.
3. Registration
Procedures. In
connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the Company
shall:
(a) Not less
than three (3) Trading Days, which shall not be included in the calculation of
time period for the purposes of the Company’s obligations under this Agreement
or under the Purchase Agreement, prior to the filing of the Registration
Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the
Company shall, (i) furnish to the Holders copies of all such documents proposed
to be filed (including documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by
reference to the extent requested by such Person) which documents will be
subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its officers and
directors, counsel and independent certified public accountants to respond to
such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective
counsel to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the
Securities Act.
(b) Prepare
and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective
amendments, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection
therewith as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously
effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness
Period; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any
required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed
pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible to
any comments received from the Commission with respect to the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto and, as promptly as reasonably possible, upon
request, provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from
and to the Commission relating to the Registration Statement; and (iv) comply in
all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the
intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the
Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so
supplemented.
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(c) Notify
the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold as promptly as reasonably
possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than two (2) Trading Days
prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice
in writing promptly following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed
to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be
a “review” of the Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in
writing on the Registration Statement (the Company shall upon request provide
true and complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of
the Holders); and (C) with respect to the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any
request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority
during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement for amendments
or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or
state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or
the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the
Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification
or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such
purpose; and (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes
the financial statements included in the Registration Statement ineligible for
inclusion therein or any statement made in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the
Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(d) Use its
commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain
the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from
qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(e) Furnish
to each Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of the Registration
Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference to the extent requested by such Person, and all exhibits to the extent
requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated
by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the
Commission.
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(f) Promptly
deliver to each Holder, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or
Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or
supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request in connection with
resales by the Holder of Registrable Securities. The Company hereby consents to
the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of
the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable
Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto,
except after the giving of any notice pursuant to
Section 3(c).
(g) Prior to
any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially
reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders
in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the
registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by
the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within
the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep such
registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the
Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably
necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable
Securities covered by the Registration Statement; provided, that
the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any
material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file a
general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
(h) If
requested by the Holders, cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to
be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which
certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement,
of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in
such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holders may
request.
(i) Upon the
occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(v), as promptly as
reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a
post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the
related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as
thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus
will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(j) Comply
with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission.
(k) The
Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified
statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such
Holder and, if required by the Commission, the person thereof that has voting
and dispositive control over the shares. Each Holder agrees to reasonably
cooperate with the Company in the preparation of the Registration Statement and
response by the Company to any comments by the Commission.
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4. Registration
Expenses. All
fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this
Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any
Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees
and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without
limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation,
fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with the
Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B) in
compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws), (ii) printing
expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for
Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the printing of
prospectuses is reasonably requested by the holders of a majority of the
Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger,
telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such
insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the
Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its
internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all
salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any
securities exchange as required hereunder.
5. Indemnification
(a) Indemnification
by the Company. The
Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and
hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents and employees of each
of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act)
and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling
Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any
and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without
limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees) and expenses (including the cost
(including without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses relating
to an Indemnified Party’s actions to enforce the provisions of this Section 5)
(collectively, “Losses”), as
incurred, to the extent arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission
or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form
of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent,
that (1) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information
regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of
such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information
relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of
Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by
such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or
such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being
understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose) or (2)
in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in
Section 3(c)(ii)-(v), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective
Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the
Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of
the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). The Company shall notify the
Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of
which the Company is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
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(b) Indemnification
by Holders. Each
Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls
the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and
Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or
employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent arising
out of or based upon: (x) such Holder's failure to comply with the prospectus
delivery requirements of the Securities Act or (y) any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any
Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission
or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (i) to the extent, but
only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any
information so furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Holder to the
Company specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or such
Prospectus or (ii) to the extent that (1) such untrue statements or omissions
are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to
the Company by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the
extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed
method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly
approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for
this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement thereto, or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type
specified in Section 3(c)(ii)-(v), the use by such Holder of an outdated or
defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that
the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder
of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). In no event shall the liability
of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of
the gross proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable
Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct
of Indemnification Proceedings. If any
Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity
hereunder (an “Indemnified
Party”), such
Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought
(the “Indemnifying
Party”) in
writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense
thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in
connection with defense thereof; provided, that
the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the
Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement,
except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court
of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or
further review) that such failure shall have materially prejudiced the
Indemnifying Party.
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An
Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses
of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties
unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and
expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the
defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such
Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party
and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised
by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel
were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which
case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that
it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party,
the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof
and the reasonable fees and expenses of one separate counsel for all Indemnified
Parties in any matters related on a factual basis shall be at the expense of the
Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any such Proceeding affected without its written consent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without
the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any
pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless
such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from
all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such
Proceeding.
All
reasonable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees
and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or
preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this
Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten (10)
Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that
the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that
portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such
Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder, determined based
upon the relative faults of the parties.
(d) Contribution. If a
claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an
Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each
Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result
of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the
actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying
Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact,
has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such
Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result
of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth
in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or
expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent
such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the
indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in
accordance with its terms.
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(e) The
parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by
any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable
considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be
required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by
which the proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the
Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any
damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, except in
the case of fraud by such Holder. The indemnity and contribution agreements
contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the
Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. In the
event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder, of any of their obligations
under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in
addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this
Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific
performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each Holder
agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any
losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this
Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for
specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that
a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No
Piggyback on Registrations. Except
as set forth on Schedule 6(b)(i), neither the Company nor any of its security
holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include
securities of the Company in a Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section
2 hereof other than the Registrable Securities. Except as set forth on Schedule
6(b)(ii) or as set forth in the SEC Reports, no Person has any right to cause
the Company to effect a registration under the Securities Act of any securities
of the Company. Other than a Registration Statement on Form S-8, the
Company shall not and will not file any other registration statement until after
the Effective Date.
(c) Compliance. Each
Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with sales
of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(d) Discontinued
Disposition. Each
Holder agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable Securities that, upon
receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind
described in Section 3(c), such Holder will forthwith discontinue
disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement
until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or
amended Registration Statement or until it is advised in writing (the
“Advice”) by the
Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either
case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or
Registration Statement. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to
enforce the provisions of this paragraph.
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(e) Piggyback
Registrations. If at
any time during the Effectiveness Period there is not an effective Registration
Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall
determine to prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement
relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the
Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form
S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then equivalents
relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any
acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in
connection with stock option or other employee benefit plans, then the Company
shall send to each Holder a written notice of such determination and, if within
fifteen (15) days after the date of such notice, any such Holder shall so
request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all
or any part of such Registrable Securities such Holder requests to be
registered, subject to customary underwriter cutbacks applicable to all holders
of “piggyback” registration rights; provided,
however, that
(i) if, at any time after giving written notice of its intention to register any
securities and prior to the effective date of the registration statement filed
in connection with such registration, the Company determines for any reason not
to proceed with such registration, the Company may, at its election, given
written notice of such determination to the Holders and, thereupon, will be
relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities in connection
with such registration, and (ii) in case of a determination by the Company to
delay registration of its securities, the Company will be permitted to delay the
registration of Registrable Securities for the same period as the delay in
registering such other securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in
this paragraph (e) shall permit the Company to file a registration statement in
contravention of the restrictions in Section 6(b)
(f) Amendments
and Waivers. The
provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not
be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and
signed by the Company and each Holder of the then outstanding Registrable
Securities.
(g) Notices. Any and
all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be
provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective
on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication
is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number provided for below prior to
5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (ii) the Trading Day after the
date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile
at the facsimile number provided for below later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City
time) on any date, (iii) the Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent
by nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt
by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such
notices and communications shall be delivered and addressed as set forth in the
Purchase Agreement
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(h) Successors
and Assigns. This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and
permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each
Holder. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner
and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase Agreement.
(i) Execution
and Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so
executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In the event that any signature is
delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding
obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is
executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature
were the original thereof.
(j) Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal
laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflicts of laws principles
thereof. The parties hereto hereby irrevocably agree that any suit or proceeding
arising directly and/or indirectly pursuant to or under this Agreement, shall be
brought solely in a federal or state court located in the City, County and State
of New York. By its execution hereof, the parties hereby covenant and
irrevocably submit to the in personam jurisdiction of the federal and state
courts located in the City, County and State of New York and agree that any
process in any such action may be served upon any of them personally, or by
certified mail or registered mail upon them or their agent, return receipt
requested, with the same full force and effect as if personally served upon them
in New York City. The parties hereto waive any claim that any such jurisdiction
is not a convenient forum for any such suit or proceeding and any defense or
lack of in personam jurisdiction with respect thereto. In the event of any such
action or proceeding, the party prevailing therein shall be entitled to payment
from the other party hereto of its reasonable counsel fees and disbursements in
an amount judicially determined.
(k) Cumulative
Remedies. The
remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies
provided by law.
(l) Severability. If any
term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein
shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable
efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or
substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision,
covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the
intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be
hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(m) Headings. The
headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not
limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(n) Independent
Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights. The
obligations of each Purchaser hereunder is several and not joint with the
obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder, and no Purchaser shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or
document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant
hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a
partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or
create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert with
respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Each Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including
without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be
necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any
proceeding for such purpose.
11
(o) Obligation
of Holders to Furnish Information. The
Company’s obligation to cause any Registration Statement to be filed and/or
become effective in connection with distribution of any Registrable Securities
pursuant to this Agreement is contingent upon each Holder, with reasonable
promptness, furnishing to the Company such information regarding itself, the
Registrable Securities held by it, and the intended method of disposition of
such securities, as is required pursuant to Regulation S-K or S-B, as the case
may be, promulgated under the Securities Act, to effect the registration of the
Registrable Securities. Each Holder agrees, by acquisition of the Registration
Securities, that it shall not be entitled to sell any of such Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or to receive a Prospectus
relating thereto, unless such Holder has furnished the Company with all
information required to be disclosed in order to make any information regarding
such Holder previously furnished to the Company by such Holder, and any other
information regarding such Holder and the distribution of such Holder’s
Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request,
not misleading in a material respect. Any sale of any Registrable Securities by
any Holder shall constitute a representation and warranty by such Holder that
the information relating to such Holder and its plan of distribution is as set
forth in the prospectus delivered by such Holder in connection with such
disposition, that such Prospectus does not as of the time of such sale contain
any untrue statement of a material fact relating to or provided by such Holder
or relating to its plan of distribution and that such Prospectus does not as of
the time of such sale omit to state any material fact relating to or provided by
such Holder or relating to its plan of distribution necessary to make the
statements in such Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
[Remainder
of page intentionally left blank]
12
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first
written above.
CHINA
WORLD TRADE CORPORATION
By:
/s/ Xxxx X.X. Xxx
Xxxx X.X.
Xxx
Chief
Executive Officer and Vice Chairman
13
(PURCHASERS
SIGNATURE PAGE TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT)
[ ]
By:
Name:
Title:
[ ]
By:
Name:
Title:
[ ]
By:
Name:
Title:
14
ANNEX
A
Plan of
Distribution
The
Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees and
successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares
of Common Stock on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the
shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or
negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may use any one or more of the
following methods when selling shares:
· |
ordinary
brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker/dealer
solicits purchasers; |
· |
block
trades in which the broker/dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent
but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to
facilitate the transaction; |
· |
purchases
by a broker/dealer as principal and resale by the broker/dealer for its
account; |
· |
an
exchange distribution in accordance with the Rules of the applicable
exchange; |
· |
privately
negotiated transactions; |
· |
settlement
of short sales; |
· |
broker/dealers
may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such
shares at a stipulated price per share; |
· |
a
combination of any such methods of sale;
and |
· |
any
other method permitted pursuant to applicable
law. |
The
Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the
Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker/dealers
engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other brokers/dealers to
participate in sales. Broker/dealers may receive commissions from the Selling
Stockholders (or, if any broker/dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of
shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated. The Selling
Stockholders do not expect these commissions to exceed what is customary in the
types of transactions involved.
The
Selling Stockholders may from time to time pledge or grant a security interest
in some or all of the shares of common stock owned by them and, if they default
in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties
may offer and sell the shares of common stock from time to time under this
prospectus, or under an amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3)
or other applicable provision of the Securities Act of 1933 amending the list of
Selling Stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in
interest as Selling Stockholders under this prospectus.
The
Selling Stockholders and any broker/dealers or agents that are involved in
selling the shares are deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the
Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions
received by such broker/dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the
shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions under the
Securities Act. The Selling Stockholders have informed the Company that it does
not have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person
to distribute the Common Stock.
The
Company is required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the registration of
the shares. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against
certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
15
Schedule
6(b)(ii)
Name
|
Shares
|
16