CN Law Firms Reportedly Revising IPO Prospectuses to Wash Down CN Risk
Reuters, citing sources, reported that Chinese law firms are rushing to comply with new mainland guidance by revising the wording of some listing prospectuses already filed and those yet to submit applications, downplaying negative descriptions of China-related business risks in companies' offshore listing documents.
The move followed rumours that China's regulator ordered mainland law firms at a closed-door meeting last month to refrain from mentioning negative descriptions of China's policies or its business and legal environment in their prospectuses, or else the listings would not be approved.
It is learnt that the law firms are changing their wording from "Covid Lockdown" in the prospectuses to just "Covid Pandemic", and avoiding references to travel and business restrictions during the pandemic.
Chinese lawyers are also suggesting to stop referring to "foreign exchange control" in some of the IPO applications, and instead use more neutral wording such as "foreign exchange management".
At least two IPO applications are now revising their descriptions of how China is changing its policies, the sources said.
HKEX (00388.HK) has also previously amended its listing rules to remove the requirement for a chapter on China risk factors, which came into effect on 1 August.
HKEX responded on Tuesday (15 Aug) that all listing applicants from all jurisdictions are required under the listing rules to disclose all material risks, including jurisdictional risks, and claimed that this requirement has not changed.
Source: AAStocks Financial News
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