RISK
FACTORS
Investing
in our ordinary shares involves a high degree of risk, and you should be able to bear the complete loss of your investment. You
should consider carefully the risks described below and those described under the section captioned “Risk Factors”
contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, any subsequent Annual Reports
on Form 20-F, any subsequent filings on Form 6-K, and all other information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying base prospectus before deciding whether to purchase any of the ordinary shares being offered under
this prospectus. If any of the risks actually occur, our business, consolidated financial condition or results of operations could
be adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of our ordinary shares could decline and you could lose all or part of
your investment. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements made throughout
this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus as
a result of different factors, including the risks we face described below.
Risks
Related To This Offering
Our
management will have broad discretion over the use of proceeds from this offering and may not use the proceeds effectively.
Our
management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as
part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. The net proceeds, if any, may be
used for corporate purposes that do not improve our operating results or enhance the value of our ordinary shares. The failure
of our management to use these funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, cause the market price
of our ordinary shares to decline and impair the commercialization of our products and/or delay the development of our product
candidates.
Our
need for future financing may result in the issuance of additional securities which will cause investors to experience dilution.
Our
cash requirements may vary from those now planned depending upon numerous factors, including the results of future research and
development activities. We expect our expenses to increase if and when we seek marketing approval for our product candidates.
Accordingly, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding in connection with our continuing operations. There are no
other commitments by any person for future financing. Our securities may be offered to other investors at a price lower than the
price per share offered to current shareholders, or upon terms which may be deemed more favorable than those offered to current
shareholders. In addition, the issuance of securities in any future financing may dilute an investor’s equity ownership
and have the effect of depressing the market price for our securities, including the ordinary shares. Moreover, we may issue derivative
securities, including options and/or warrants, from time to time, to procure qualified personnel or for other business reasons.
The issuance of any such derivative securities, which is at the discretion of our board of directors, may further dilute the equity
ownership of our shareholders.
We
may sell ordinary shares or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is less than the price per share
paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing ordinary shares or other securities in the future could have rights
superior to existing shareholders. The price per share at which we sell additional ordinary shares, or securities convertible
or exchangeable into ordinary shares, in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share paid by investors
in this offering. No assurance can be given as to our ability to procure additional financing, if required, and on terms deemed
favorable to us. To the extent additional capital is required and cannot be raised successfully, we may then have to limit our
then current operations and/or may have to curtail certain, if not all, of our business objectives and plans.
Our share price has fluctuated in
the past and may be volatile in the future, and as a result, investors in our ordinary shares could incur substantial losses.
Our
share price has fluctuated in the past, has recently been volatile and may be volatile in the future. The stock market in general
and the market for China-based companies in particular has experienced volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating
performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, investors may experience losses on their investment in our
ordinary shares. The market price for our ordinary shares may be influenced by many factors, including, but not limited to, the
following:
| ● | actual
or
anticipated
fluctuations
in
our
revenue
and
other
operating
results; |
| ● | the
financial
projections
we
may
provide
to
the
public,
any
changes
in
these
projections
or
our
failure
to
meet
these
projections; |
| ● | actions
of
securities
analysts
who
initiate
or
maintain
coverage
of
us,
changes
in
financial
estimates
by
any
securities
analysts
who
follow
our
company,
or
our
failure
to
meet
these
estimates
or
the
expectations
of
investors; |
| ● | announcements
by
us
or
our
competitors
of
significant
products
or
features,
technical
innovations,
acquisitions,
strategic
partnerships,
joint
ventures,
or
capital
commitments; |
| ● | price
and
volume
fluctuations
in
the
overall
stock
market,
including
as
a
result
of
trends
in
the
economy
as
a
whole; |
| ● | lawsuits
threatened
or
filed
against
us; |
| ● | changes
in
laws
and
regulations; |
| ● | our
ability
or
inability
to
raise
additional
capital
and
the
terms
on
which
we
raise
it; |
| ● | the
recruitment
or
departure
of
key
personnel; |
| ● | market
conditions
in
our
business
sectors; |
| ● | trading
volume
of
our
ordinary
shares; |
| ● | sales
of
our
ordinary
shares
by
us
or
our
shareholders; |
| ● | general
economic,
industry
and
market
conditions; |
| ● | other
events
or
factors,
including
those
resulting
from
such
events,
or
the
prospect
of
such
events,
including
war,
terrorism
and
other
international
conflicts,
public
health
issues
including
health
epidemics
or
pandemics
such
as
COVID-19,
and
natural
disasters
such
as
fire,
hurricanes,
earthquakes,
tornados
or
other
adverse
weather
and
climate
conditions,
whether
occurring
in
China
or
elsewhere,
could
disrupt
our
operations,
disrupt
the
operations
of
our
suppliers
or
result
in
political
or
economic
instability;
and |
| ● | other
risks
described
in
this
“Risk
Factors”
section
and
the
“Risk
Factors”
sections
included
in
the
documents
incorporated
by
reference
in
this
prospectus
supplement
and
the
accompanying
base
prospectus. |
These
broad market and industry factors may seriously harm the market price of our ordinary shares, regardless of our operating performance.
Since the price of our ordinary shares has fluctuated in the past, has been volatile from time to time, and may be volatile in
the future, investors in our ordinary shares could incur substantial losses. In the past, following periods of volatility in the
market, securities class-action ligation has often been instituted against companies. Such litigation, if instituted against us,
could result in substantial costs and diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could materially and adversely
affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We
have no plans to pay dividends on our ordinary shares, and you may not receive funds without selling the ordinary shares.
We
have not declared or paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares, nor do we expect to pay any cash dividends on our ordinary
shares for the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain any additional future earnings to finance our operations and
growth and, therefore, we have no plans to pay cash dividends on our ordinary shares at this time. Any future determination to
pay cash dividends on our ordinary shares will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent on our earnings,
financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, any contractual restrictions, and other factors that our board of
directors deems relevant. Accordingly, you may have to sell some or all of the ordinary shares in order to generate cash from
your investment. You may not receive a gain on your investment when you sell the ordinary shares and may lose the entire amount
of your investment.
Risks
Related to Our Business Operations and Doing Business in China
Changes
in China’s economic, political or legal system or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse
effect on our business and operations.
Our
business operations conducted through our PRC operating entities may be adversely affected by the current and future political
environment in the PRC. Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business
operations 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 variable interest entity structure, adopting new measures to extend
the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. The Chinese government exerts substantial
influence and control over the manner in which we must conduct our business activities. Our ability to operate in China may be
adversely affected by changes in Chinese laws and regulations. Under the current government leadership, the government of the
PRC has been pursuing reform policies which have adversely affected China-based operating companies whose securities are listed
in the United States, with significant policies changes being made from time to time without notice. There are substantial uncertainties
regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the laws and regulations
governing our business, or the enforcement and performance of our contractual arrangements with borrowers in the event of the
imposition of statutory liens, death, bankruptcy or criminal proceedings. The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on
written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions under the civil law system may be cited for reference but
have limited precedential value. Only after 1979 did the Chinese government begin to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws
that regulate economic affairs in general, deal with economic matters such as foreign investment, corporate organization and governance,
commerce, taxation and trade, as well as encourage foreign investment in China. The overall effect of legislation over the past
three decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China. However, China
has not developed a fully integrated legal system and recently enacted laws and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects
of economic activities in China. Also, because these laws and regulations are relatively new, and because of the limited volume
of published cases and their lack of force as precedents, interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations involve
significant uncertainties. New laws and regulations that affect existing and proposed future businesses may also be applied retroactively.
In addition, there have been constant changes and amendments of laws and regulations over the past 30 years in order to keep up
with the rapidly changing society and economy in China. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion
in interpreting and implementing statutory provisions and contractual terms, it may be difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative
and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy. These uncertainties may affect our judgment on the relevance
of legal requirements and our ability to enforce our contractual rights or tort claims. In addition, the regulatory uncertainties
may be exploited through unmerited or frivolous legal actions or threats in attempts to extract payments or benefits from us.
Consequently, we cannot predict the future direction of Chinese legislative activities with respect to either businesses with
foreign investment or the effectiveness on enforcement of laws and regulations in China. The uncertainties, including new laws
and regulations and changes of existing laws, as well as judicial interpretation by inexperienced officials in the agencies and
courts in certain areas, may cause possible problems to foreign investors. Although the PRC government has been pursuing economic
reform policies for more than two decades, the PRC government continues to exercise significant control over economic growth in
the PRC through the allocation of resources, controlling payments of foreign currency, setting monetary policy and imposing policies
that impact particular industries in different ways. We cannot assure you that the PRC government will continue to pursue policies
favoring a market oriented economy or that existing policies will not be significantly altered, especially in the event of a change
in leadership, social or political disruption, or other circumstances affecting political, economic and social life in the PRC.
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 a 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. In addition, any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted,
resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.
Accordingly, given the PRC government’s
significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our operating subsidiaries and VIEs’ business, it may intervene
or influence the operations of our PRC subsidiaries or our VIEs at any time and to exert control over an offering of securities
conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, which may cause us to make material changes to the operations
of our PRC subsidiaries or our VIEs and could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer
securities to investors and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
Compliance
with China’s new Data Security Law, Measures on Cybersecurity Review (revised draft for public consultation), Personal Information
Protection Law (second draft for consultation), regulations and guidelines relating to the multi-level protection scheme and any
other future laws and regulations may entail significant expenses and could materially affect our business.
China
has implemented or will implement rules and is considering a number of additional proposals relating to data protection. China’s
new Data Security Law promulgated by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China in June 2021, or
the Data Security Law, took effect in September 2021. The Data Security Law provides that the data processing activities must
be conducted based on “data classification and hierarchical protection system” for the purpose of data protection
and prohibits entities in China from transferring data stored in China to foreign law enforcement agencies or judicial authorities
without prior approval by the Chinese government. As the Data Security Law has not yet come into effect, we may need to make adjustments
to our data processing practices to comply with this law.
Additionally,
China’s Cyber Security Law, requires companies to take certain organizational, technical and administrative measures and
other necessary measures to ensure the security of their networks and data stored on their networks. Specifically, the Cyber Security
Law provides that China adopt a multi-level protection scheme (MLPS), under which network operators are required to perform obligations
of security protection to ensure that the network is free from interference, disruption or unauthorized access, and prevent network
data from being disclosed, stolen or tampered. Under the MLPS, entities operating information systems must have a thorough assessment
of the risks and the conditions of their information and network systems to determine the level to which the entity’s information
and network systems belong-from the lowest Level 1 to the highest Level 5 pursuant to the Measures for the Graded Protection and
the Guidelines for Grading of Classified Protection of Cyber Security. The grading result will determine the set of security protection
obligations that entities must comply with. Entities classified as Level 2 or above should report the grade to the relevant government
authority for examination and approval.
Recently,
the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”) has taken action against several Chinese internet companies in
connection with their initial public offerings on U.S. securities exchanges, for alleged national security risks and improper
collection and use of the personal information of Chinese data subjects. According to the official announcement, the action was
initiated based on the National Security Law, the Cyber Security Law and the Measures on Cybersecurity Review, which are aimed
at “preventing national data security risks, maintaining national security and safeguarding public interests.” On
July 10, 2021, the CAC published a revised draft of the Measures on Cybersecurity Review, expanding the cybersecurity review to
data processing operators in possession of personal information of over 1 million users if the operators intend to list their
securities in a foreign country.
We
do not believe we are among the “operator of critical information infrastructure” or “data processor”
as mentioned above. Based on the above and our understanding of the Chinese laws and regulations currently in effect as of the
date of this report, we will not be required to submit an application to the CSRC or the CAC for the approval of a future offering
and the listing and trading of our securities on the Nasdaq. However, the revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review
is in the process of being formulated and the Opinions remain unclear on how it will be interpreted, amended and implemented by
the relevant PRC governmental authorities. Thus, it is still uncertain how PRC governmental authorities will regulate overseas
listing in general and whether we are required to obtain any specific regulatory approvals.
Also,
on August 20, 2021, the National People’s Congress passed the Personal Information Protection Law, started to be implemented
on November 1, 2021. The law creates a comprehensive set of data privacy and protection requirements that apply to the processing
of personal information and expands data protection compliance obligations to cover the processing of personal information of
persons by organizations and individuals in China, and the processing of personal information of persons in China outside of China
if such processing is for purposes of providing products and services to, or analyzing and evaluating the behavior of, persons
in China. The law also proposes that critical information infrastructure operators and personal information processing entities
who process personal information meeting a volume threshold to-be-set by Chinese cyberspace regulators are also required to store
in China personal information generated or collected in China, and to pass a security assessment administered by Chinese cyberspace
regulators for any export of such personal information. Lastly, the draft contains proposals for significant fines for serious
violations of up to RMB 50 million or 5% of annual revenues from the prior year.
Interpretation,
application and enforcement of these laws, rules and regulations evolve from time to time and their scope may continually change,
through new legislation, amendments to existing legislation and changes in enforcement. Compliance with the Cyber Security Law
and the Data Security Law could significantly increase the cost to us of providing our service offerings, require significant
changes to our operations or even prevent us from providing certain service offerings in jurisdictions in which we currently operate
or in which we may operate in the future. Despite our efforts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and other obligations
relating to privacy, data protection and information security, and our belief that we are currently in compliance therewith, it
is possible that our practices, offerings or platform could fail to meet all of the requirements imposed on us by the Cyber Security
Law, the Data Security Law and/or related implementing regulations. Any failure on our part to comply with such law or regulations
or any other obligations relating to privacy, data protection or information security, or any compromise of security that results
in unauthorized access, use or release of personally identifiable information or other data, or the perception or allegation that
any of the foregoing types of failure or compromise has occurred, could damage our reputation, discourage new and existing counterparties
from contracting with us or result in investigations, fines, suspension or other penalties by Chinese government authorities and
private claims or litigation, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of
operations. Even if our practices are not subject to legal challenge, the perception of privacy concerns, whether or not valid,
may harm our reputation and brand and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover,
the legal uncertainty created by the Data Security Law and the recent Chinese government actions could materially adversely affect
our ability, on favorable terms, to raise capital, including engaging in follow-on offerings of our securities in the U.S. market
or the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. While we believe that our current operations are in compliance with the laws and regulations
of the Cyberspace Administration of China, our operations could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly, by existing or
future laws and regulations relating to its business or industry.
Recent
greater oversight by the CAC over data security, particularly for companies seeking to list on a foreign exchange, could adversely
impact our business and our offering.
On
December 28, 2021, the CAC and other relevant PRC governmental authorities jointly promulgated the Cybersecurity Review Measures,
which will take effect on February 15, 2022. The Cybersecurity Review Measures provide that, net platform operators engaging in
data processing activities that affect or may affect national security must be subject to cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity
Review Office of the PRC. According to the Cybersecurity Review Measures, a cybersecurity review assesses potential national security
risks that may be brought about by any procurement, data processing, or overseas listing. The Cybersecurity Review Measures require
that an online platform operator which possesses the personal information of at least one million users must apply for a cybersecurity
review by the CAC if it intends to be listed in foreign countries.
On
November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Security Administration Draft, which provides that data processing operators engaging
in data processing activities that affect or may affect national security must be subject to network data security review by the
relevant Cyberspace Administration of the PRC. According to the Security Administration Draft, data processing operators who possess
personal data of at least one million users or collect data that affects or may affect national security must be subject to network
data security review by the relevant Cyberspace Administration of the PRC. The deadline for public comments on the Security Administration
Draft was December 13, 2021.
As of the date of this report, we have
not received any notice from any authorities requiring our PRC subsidiaries, our VIEs, or the VIEs’ subsidiaries to go
through cybersecurity review or network data security review by the CAC. When the Cybersecurity Review Measures become
effective, and if the Security Administration Draft is enacted as proposed, we believe that the operations of our PRC
subsidiaries and the VIEs and our listing will not be affected and that we will not be subject to cybersecurity review by the
CAC for this offering, given that our PRC subsidiaries and the VIEs possess personal data of fewer than one million
individual clients and do not collect data that affects or may affect national security in their business operations as of
the date of this prospectus and do not anticipate that they will be collecting over one million users’ personal
information or data that affects or may affect national security in the near future. There remains uncertainty, however, as
to how the Cybersecurity Review Measures and the Security Administration Draft will be interpreted or implemented and whether
the PRC regulatory agencies, including the CAC, may adopt new laws, regulations, rules, or detailed implementation and
interpretation related to the Cybersecurity Review Measures and the Security Administration Draft. If any such new laws,
regulations, rules, or implementation and interpretation come into effect, we will take all reasonable measures and actions
to comply and to minimize the adverse effect of such laws on us. We cannot guarantee, however, that we will not be subject to
cybersecurity review and network data security review in the future. During such reviews, we may be required to suspend our
operation or experience other disruptions to our operations. Cybersecurity review and network data security review could also
result in negative publicity with respect to our Company and diversion of our managerial and financial resources, which could
materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions, and results of operations.
We
may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements
we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make payments to us could have a material and adverse
effect on our ability to conduct our business.
Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology
is a Cayman Islands holding company and we rely principally on dividends and other distributions on equity from our PRC subsidiaries
for our cash requirements, including for services of any debt we may incur. Our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends
is based upon its distributable earnings. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to its respective
shareholders only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations.
In addition, each of our PRC subsidiaries, our VIEs and their subsidiaries are required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax
profits each year, if any, to fund a statutory reserve until such reserve reaches 50% of its registered capital. Our PRC subsidiaries
as foreign investment entities, or FIEs are also required to further set aside a portion of its after-tax profits to fund the employee
welfare fund, although the amount to be set aside, if any, is determined at its discretion. These reserves are not distributable
as cash dividends. If our PRC subsidiaries incurs debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may
restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to
distribute dividends or other payments to their respective shareholders could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow,
make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our businesses, pay dividends or otherwise fund and conduct our business.
In
addition, the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax rate of up to 10% will be
applicable to dividends payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according
to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC
resident enterprises are incorporated.
Fluctuations
in exchange rates could have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.
The
value of the RMB against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in
political and economic conditions in China and by China’s foreign exchange policies. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government
changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of the RMB to the U.S. dollar, and the RMB appreciated more than 20% against
the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate
between the RMB and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, the RMB has fluctuated against the U.S. dollar,
at times significantly and unpredictably. On November 30, 2015, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed
the regular five-year review of the basket of currencies that make up the Special Drawing Right, or the SDR, and decided that
with effect from October 1, 2016, RMB is determined to be a freely usable currency and will be included in the SDR basket as a
fifth currency, along with the U.S. dollar, the Euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound. In the fourth quarter of 2016, the
RMB depreciated significantly in the backdrop of a surging U.S. dollar and persistent capital outflows of China. With the development
of the foreign exchange market and progress towards interest rate liberalization and RMB internationalization, the PRC government
may in the future announce further changes to the exchange rate system, and we cannot assure you that the RMB will not appreciate
or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the future. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC
or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar in the future.
Significant
revaluation of the RMB may have a material and adverse effect on your investment. For example, to the extent that we need to convert
U.S. dollars from our initial public offering into RMB for our operations, appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar would
have an adverse effect on the RMB amount we would receive from the conversion. Conversely, if we decide to convert our RMB into
U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our ordinary shares or for other business purposes, appreciation
of the U.S. dollar against the RMB would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to us. In addition, appreciation
or depreciation in the value of the RMB relative to U.S. dollars would affect our financial results reported in U.S. dollar terms
regardless of any underlying change in our business or results of operations.
Very
limited hedging options are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not entered
into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter
into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedges may be limited, and we may not be
able to adequately hedge our exposure, or at all. In addition, our currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control
regulations that restrict our ability to convert RMB into foreign currency.
Governmental
control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our net revenues effectively and affect the value of your investment.
The
PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance
of currency out of China. We receive substantially all of our revenues in RMB. Under our current corporate structure, our Cayman
Islands holding company primarily relies on dividend payments from our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements
we may have. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions,
interest payments and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior
approval of the SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. Specifically, under the existing exchange restrictions,
without prior approval of SAFE, cash generated from the operations of our PRC subsidiaries in China may be used to pay dividends
to our company. However, approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities is required where RMB is to be
converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in
foreign currencies. As a result, we need to obtain SAFE approval to use cash generated from the operations of our PRC subsidiaries
and VIEs to pay off their respective debt in a currency other than RMB owed to entities outside China, or to make other capital
expenditure payments outside China in a currency other than RMB. The PRC government may at its discretion restrict access to foreign
currencies for current account transactions in the future. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient
foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders.
PRC
regulations relating to the establishment of offshore special purpose companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident
beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries,
limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely
affect us.
In
July 2014, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control on Domestic Residents’ Offshore
Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment Through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, to replace the Notice
on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Residents’ Financing and Roundtrip Investment
Through Offshore Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 75, which ceased to be effective upon the promulgation of SAFE Circular
37. SAFE Circular 37 requires PRC residents (including PRC individuals and PRC corporate entities) to register with SAFE or its
local branches in connection with their direct or indirect offshore investment activities, for the purpose of overseas investment
and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets
or interests, referred to in Circular 37 as a “special purpose vehicle”, or SPV. The term “control” under
Circular 37 is broadly defined as the operation rights, beneficiary rights or decision-making rights acquired by the PRC residents
in the offshore SPVs by such means as acquisition, trust, proxy, voting rights, repurchase, convertible bonds or other arrangements.
Failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for
foreign exchange evasion. SAFE Circular 37 is applicable to our shareholders who are PRC residents and may be applicable to any
offshore acquisitions or share transfers that we make in the future if our shares are issued to PRC residents.
Under
SAFE Circular 37, PRC residents who make, or have prior to the implementation of SAFE Circular 37 made, direct or indirect investments
in offshore SPVs will be required to register such investments with the SAFE or its local branches. In addition, any PRC resident
who is a direct or indirect shareholder of a SPV is required to update its filed registration with the local branch of SAFE with
respect to that SPV, to reflect any material change. Moreover, any subsidiaries of such SPV in China is required to urge the PRC
resident shareholders to update their registration with the local branch of SAFE. If any PRC shareholder of such SPV fails to
make the required registration or to update the previously filed registration, the subsidiaries of such SPV in China may be prohibited
from distributing its profits or the proceeds from any capital reduction, share transfer or liquidation to the SPV, and the SPV
may also be prohibited from making additional capital contributions into its subsidiaries in China. On February 13, 2015, the
SAFE promulgated a Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving Foreign Exchange Administration Policy on Direct Investment, or
SAFE Notice 13, which became effective on June 1, 2015. Under SAFE Notice 13, applications for foreign exchange registration of
inbound foreign direct investments and outbound overseas direct investments, including those required under SAFE Circular 37,
will be filed with qualified banks instead of the SAFE. The qualified banks will directly examine the applications and accept
registrations under the supervision of the SAFE.
In
practice, different local SAFE branches may have different views and procedures on the application and implementation of SAFE
regulations, and there remains uncertainty with respect to its implementation. We cannot assure you that all of our shareholders
that may be subject to SAFE regulations have completed all necessary registrations with the local SAFE branch or qualified banks
as required by SAFE Circular 37, and we cannot assure you that these individuals may continue to make required filings or updates
in a timely manner, or at all. We can provide no assurance that we are or will in the future continue to be informed of identities
of all PRC residents holding direct or indirect interest in our company. Any failure or inability by such individuals to comply
with the SAFE regulations may subject us to fines or legal sanctions, such as restrictions on our cross-border investment activities
or our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to, or obtain foreign exchange-denominated loans from, our company
or prevent us from making distributions or paying dividends. As a result, our business operations and our ability to make distributions
to you could be materially and adversely affected.
Furthermore,
as these foreign exchange regulations are still relatively new and their interpretation and implementation has been constantly
evolving, it is unclear how these regulations, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-border transactions, will
be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant government authorities. For example, we may be subject to a more stringent
review and approval process with respect to our foreign exchange activities, such as remittance of dividends and foreign-currency-denominated
borrowings, which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, if we decide to acquire
a PRC domestic company, we cannot assure you that we or the owners of such company, as the case may be, will be able to obtain
the necessary approvals or complete the necessary filings and registrations required by the foreign exchange regulations. This
may restrict our ability to implement our acquisition strategy and could adversely affect our business and prospects.
PRC
regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency
conversion may delay us from using the proceeds of offerings in the U.S. to make loans or additional capital contributions to
our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Any
funds the Company transfer to our PRC subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in registered capital, are
subject to approval by or registration with relevant governmental authorities in China. According to the relevant PRC regulations
on foreign-invested enterprises, or FIEs, in China, capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries are subject to the approval
of or filing with the Ministry of Commerce, or MOFCOM or its local branches and registration with a local bank authorized by SAFE.
In addition, (i) a foreign loan of less one year duration procured by our PRC subsidiaries is required to be registered with SAFE
or its local branches and (ii) a foreign loan of one year duration or more procured by our PRC subsidiaries is required to be
applied to the NDRC in advance for undergoing recordation registration formalities. Any medium or long-term loan to be provided
by us to our PRC operating subsidiaries, must be registered with the NDRC and the SAFE or its local branches. The Company may
not be able to complete such registrations on a timely basis, with respect to future capital contributions or foreign loans by
us to our PRC Subsidiaries. If the Company fail to complete such registrations, our ability to use the proceeds of this offering
and to capitalize our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to
fund and expand our business.
On
March 30, 2015, the SAFE promulgated the Circular on Reforming the Management Approach Regarding the Foreign Exchange Capital
Settlement of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 19, which took effect as of June 1, 2015. SAFE Circular 19 launched
a nationwide reform of the administration of the settlement of the foreign exchange capitals of FIEs and allows FIEs to settle
their foreign exchange capital at their discretion, but continues to prohibit FIEs from using the RMB fund converted from their
foreign exchange capital for expenditure beyond their business scopes, providing entrusted loans or repaying loans between nonfinancial
enterprises. The SAFE issued the Circular on Reforming and Regulating Policies on the Control over Foreign Exchange Settlement
of Capital Accounts, or SAFE Circular 16, effective in June 2016. Pursuant to SAFE Circular 16, enterprises registered in China
may also convert their foreign debts from foreign currency to RMB on a self-discretionary basis. SAFE Circular 16 provides an
integrated standard for conversion of foreign exchange under capital account items (including but not limited to foreign currency
capital and foreign debts) on a self-discretionary basis which applies to all enterprises registered in China. SAFE Circular 16
reiterates the principle that RMB 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, while such converted RMB shall not be provided
as loans to its non-affiliated entities. As this circular is relatively new, there remains uncertainty as to its interpretation
and application and any other future foreign exchange related rules. Violations of these Circulars could result in severe monetary
or other penalties. SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 may significantly limit our ability to use RMB converted from the net
proceeds of this offering to fund our PRC operating subsidiaries, to invest in or acquire any other PRC companies through our
PRC Subsidiaries, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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 Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Several Issues Relating to Enterprise
Income Tax on Transfers of Assets between Non-resident Enterprises, or SAT Bulletin 7, which was partially abolished on December
29, 2017. SAT Bulletin 7 extends its tax jurisdiction to transactions involving transfer of taxable assets through the 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.
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 was partially revised. SAT Bulletin 37 came into effect
on December 1, 2017. The SAT Bulletin 37 further clarifies the practice and procedure of withholding of non-resident enterprise
income tax.
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 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 transfer of shares
in 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.
Our
use of third party manufacturers to produce our products presents risks to our business.
For
the foreseeable future, all of our products will be manufactured by third party manufacturers, the majority of which are, and
we expect will continue to be, located in China. For the year ended December 31, 2021, our two largest suppliers accounted for
27.78% and 20.95%, respectively, of our total purchases. If we were prevented or delayed in obtaining products or components for
a material portion of our product line due to political, civil, labor or other factors beyond our control, including natural disasters
or pandemics, our operations may be substantially disrupted, potentially for a significant period of time. This delay could significantly
reduce our revenues and profitability and harm our business while alternative sources of supply are secured. Additionally, the
suspension of operations of a third party manufacturer by government inspectors in China could result in delays to us in obtaining
products and may harm sales.
Our
auditor, Audit Alliance LLP is headquartered in Singapore, and is subject to inspection by the PCAOB on a regular basis. To the
extent that our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit documentation related to their audit reports for our
company become located in China, the PCAOB may not be able inspect such audit documentation and, as such, you may be deprived
of the benefits of such inspection and our ordinary shares could be delisted from the stock exchange pursuant to the Holding Foreign
Companies Accountable Act.
The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or
the HFCAA , was enacted on December 18, 2020. The HFCAA states if the SEC determines that
we have filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspection by the PCAOB for three
consecutive years beginning in 2021, the SEC shall prohibit our shares from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter
trading market in the United States.
As
auditors of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, our auditor is required
by the laws of the United States to undergo regular inspections by the PCAOB. However, to the extent that our auditor’s
work papers become located in China, such work papers will not be subject to inspection by the PCAOB because the PCAOB is currently
unable to conduct inspections without the approval of the Chinese authorities. Inspections of certain other firms that the PCAOB
has conducted outside of China have identified deficiencies in those firms’ audit procedures and quality control procedures,
which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. We are required by the HFCAA to have
an auditor that is subject to the inspection by the PCAOB. While our present auditor is located in the United States and the PCAOB
is able to conduct inspections on such auditor, to the extent this status changes in the future and our auditor’s audit
documentation related to their audit reports for our company becomes outside of the inspection by the PCAOB or if the PCAOB is
unable to inspect or investigate completely our auditor because of a position taken by an authority in a foreign jurisdiction,
trading in our ordinary shares could be prohibited under the HFCAA, and as a result our ordinary shares could be delisted from
Nasdaq.
On
May 13, 2021, the PCAOB proposed a new rule for implementing the HFCAA. Among other things, the proposed rule provides a framework
for the PCAOB to use when determining, under the HFCAA, whether it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public
accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction.
The proposed rule would also establish the manner of the PCAOB’s determinations; the factors the PCAOB will evaluate and
the documents and information it will consider when assessing whether a determination is warranted; the form, public availability,
effective date, and duration of such determinations; and the process by which the board of the PCAOB can modify or vacate its
determinations. The proposed rule was adopted by the PCAOB on September 22, 2021 and approved by the SEC on November 5, 2021.
On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed a
bill which, if passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law, would reduce the number of consecutive non-inspection
years required for triggering the prohibitions under the HFCA Act from three years to two, under this proposal, if the auditor
is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years, it will trigger the prohibition on trading, thus posing more risks
on potential delisting as well as the price of Company’s ordinary shares especially on foreign companies.
The
SEC is assessing how to implement other requirements of the HFCAA, including the listing and trading prohibition requirements
described above. The SEC may propose additional rules or guidance that could impact us if our auditor is not subject to the PCAOB
inspection. For example, on August 6, 2020, the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, or the PWG, issued the Report
on Protecting United States Investors from Significant Risks from Chinese Companies to the then President of the United States.
This report recommended the SEC implement five recommendations to address companies from jurisdictions that do not provide the
PCAOB with sufficient access to fulfill its statutory mandate. Some of the concepts of these recommendations were implemented
with the enactment of the HFCAA. However, some of the recommendations were more stringent than the HFCAA. For example, if a company
was not subject to the PCAOB inspection, the report recommended that the transition period before a company would be delisted
would end on January 1, 2022.
On
December 2, 2021, the SEC issued amendments to finalize the interim final rules previously adopted in March 2021, and established
procedures to identify issuers and prohibit the trading of the securities of certain registrants as required by the HFCAA.
While
the HFCAA is not currently applicable to the Company because the Company’s current auditors are subject to PCAOB review,
if this changes in the future for any reason, the Company may be subject to the HFCAA. The implications of this regulation if
the Company were to become subject to it are uncertain. Such uncertainty could cause the market price of our ordinary shares to
be materially and adversely affected, and our securities could be delisted or prohibited from being traded on Nasdaq earlier than
would be required by the HFCAA. If our ordinary shares are unable to be listed on another securities exchange by then, such a
delisting would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase the ordinary shares when you wish to do so, and the risk
and uncertainty associated with a potential delisting would have a negative impact on the price of the ordinary shares.
Risks
Related to Our Corporate Structure
We
depend upon the Contractual Arrangements in conducting our business in China, which may not be as effective as direct ownership.
Our affiliation with VIEs are managed through
contractual arrangements, or the Contractual Arrangements, which may not be as effective in providing us with control over VIEs
as direct ownership. The Contractual Arrangements are governed by and would be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the People’s
Republic of China, or the PRC. If our VIEs fail to perform the obligations under the Contractual Arrangements, we may have to rely
on legal remedies under the laws of the PRC, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief, and claiming damages.
There is a risk that we may be unable to obtain any of these remedies. The legal environment in the PRC is not as developed as
in other jurisdictions. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability to enforce the Contractual Arrangements,
or could affect the validity of the Contractual Arrangements.
We
may not be able to consolidate the financial results of some of our affiliated companies or such consolidation could materially
adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.
Most of our business are conducted through
Fujian Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology Ltd. (“Blue Hat Fujian”), and Fujian
Roar Game Technology Co., Ltd. (“Fujian Roar Game”), which are considered VIEs for accounting purposes, and
we, through Xiamen Duwei Consulting Management Co. Ltd. (“Blue Hat WFOE”), and Fresh Joy Entertainment Ltd. (“Fresh
Joy”), are considered the primary beneficiary, thus enabling us to consolidate our financial results in our consolidated
financial statements. In the event that in the future the companies we hold as VIEs no longer meet the definition of VIEs under
applicable accounting rules, or we are not deemed to be the primary beneficiary, we would not be able to consolidate line by line
those entities’ financial results in our consolidated financial statements for reporting purposes. Also, if in the future
other affiliate companies become VIEs and we become the primary beneficiary, we would be required to consolidate those entities’
financial results in our consolidated financial statements for accounting purposes. If such entities’ financial results were
negative, this would have a corresponding negative impact on our operating results for reporting purposes.
Contractual arrangements in relation
to our VIEs may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and they may determine that we or our VIEs owe additional taxes,
which could negatively affect our financial condition and the value of your investment.
Under applicable PRC laws and regulations,
arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to audit or challenge by the PRC tax authorities within ten
years after the taxable year when the transactions are conducted. We could face material and adverse tax consequences if the PRC
tax authorities determine that the VIEs contractual arrangements were not entered into on an arm’s-length basis in such a
way as to result in an impermissible reduction in taxes under applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, and adjust the income
of our VIEs in the form of a transfer pricing adjustment. A transfer pricing adjustment could, among other things, result in a
reduction of expense deductions recorded by our VIEs for PRC tax purposes, which could in turn increase its tax liabilities without
reducing our subsidiaries’ tax expenses. In addition, the PRC tax authorities may impose late payment fees and other penalties
on our VIEs for the adjusted but unpaid taxes according to the applicable regulations. Our financial position could be materially
and adversely affected if our VIEs’ tax liabilities increase or if it is required to pay late payment fees and other penalties.
Most
of our business is conducted by means of Contractual Arrangements. If the PRC courts or administrative authorities determine that
these contractual arrangements do not comply with applicable regulations, we could be subject to severe penalties and our business
could be adversely affected. In addition, changes in such PRC laws and regulations may materially and adversely affect our business.
We are a holding company and most of our
business operations are conducted via our VIEs through the Contractual Arrangements. There are uncertainties regarding the
interpretation and application of PRC laws, rules and regulations, including the laws, rules and regulations governing the
validity and enforcement of the contractual arrangements between Blue Hat WFOE and Blue Hat Fujian, between Fresh Joy and
Fujian Roar Game. based on management’s understanding of the current PRC laws, rules and regulations, that (i) the
structure for operating our business in China (including our corporate structure and contractual arrangements with VIEs and
their shareholders) will not result in any violation of PRC laws or regulations currently in effect; and (ii) the contractual
arrangements among Blue Hat WFOE, Blue Hat Fujian and its shareholders, among Fresh Joy, Fujian Roar Game and its
shareholders, governed by PRC law are valid, binding and enforceable, and will not result in any violation of PRC laws
or regulations currently in effect. While we are currently not aware of any event or reason that may cause the Contractual
Arrangements to terminate, we cannot assure you that such an event or reason will not occur in the future. There are
substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current or future PRC laws and regulations
concerning foreign investment in the PRC, and their application to and effect on the legality, binding effect and
enforceability of the contractual arrangements. In particular, we cannot rule out the possibility that PRC regulatory
authorities, courts or arbitral tribunals may in the future adopt a different or contrary interpretation or take a view that
is inconsistent with the opinion of our PRC legal counsel. In the event that the Contractual Arrangements are
terminated, this would have a severe and detrimental effect on our continuing business viability under our current corporate
structure, which, in turn, may affect the value of your investment.
If
any of our PRC entities or their ownership structure or the Contractual Arrangements are determined to be in violation of any
existing or future PRC laws, rules or regulations, or any of our PRC entities fail to obtain or maintain any of the required governmental
permits or approvals, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including:
| ● | revoking
the
business
and
operating
licenses; |
| ● | discontinuing
or
restricting
the
operations; |
| ● | imposing
conditions
or
requirements
with
which
the
PRC
entities
may
not
be
able
to
comply; |
| ● | requiring
us
and
our
PRC
entities
to
restructure
the
relevant
ownership
structure
or
operations; |
| ● | restricting
or
prohibiting
our
use
of
proceeds
from
our
initial
public
offering
to
finance
our
business
and
operations
in
China;
or |
The
imposition of any of these penalties would severely disrupt our ability to conduct business and have a material adverse effect
on our financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
The shareholders of our VIEs may
have actual or potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial
condition.
The shareholders of our VIEs may have actual
or potential conflicts of interest with us. These shareholders may refuse to sign or breach, or cause our VIEs to breach, or refuse
to renew, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and our VIEs, which would have a material and adverse effect
on our ability to effectively control our VIEs and receive economic benefits from it. For example, the shareholders may be able
to cause our agreements with our VIEs to be performed in a manner adverse to us by, among other things, failing to remit payments
due under the contractual arrangements to us on a timely basis. We cannot assure you that when conflicts of interest arise any
or all of these shareholders will act in the best interests of our company or such conflicts will be resolved in our favor. Currently,
we do not have any arrangements to address potential conflicts of interest between these shareholders and our company. If we cannot
resolve any conflict of interest or dispute between us and these shareholders, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which
could result in disruption of our business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.
Our
current corporate structure and business operations may be affected by the Foreign Investment Law.
On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress,
or the NPC, approved the Foreign Investment Law, which took effect on January 1, 2020. Since it is relatively new, uncertainties exist
in relation to its interpretation and its implementation rules that are yet to be issued. The Foreign Investment Law does not explicitly
classify whether variable interest entities that are controlled through contractual arrangements would be deemed as foreign-invested enterprises
if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors. However, it has a catch-all provision under 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. Therefore, there can be no assurance that our control
over our VIEs through contractual arrangements will not be deemed as foreign investment in the future.
On
December 28, 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce publicly released the Directory
of Industries to Encourage Foreign Investment (Encouraged Catalogue) (2020 Edition). On December 27, 2021, the National Development
and Reform Commission of China (“NDRC”) and the Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) jointly issued the Special
Administrative Measures for Foreign Investment Access (Negative List) (2021 Edition), and the Special Administrative Measures
for Foreign Investment Access in Pilot Free Trade Zones (Negative List) (2021 Edition), effective January 1, 2022. Industries
listed in the 2021 Negative List are subject to special management measures. For example, establishment of wholly foreign-owned
enterprises is generally allowed in industries outside of the 2021 Negative List. Also, foreign investors are not allowed to invest
in industries that are expressly prohibited in the 2021 Negative List. The industries that are not expressly prohibited in the
Negative List are still subject to government approvals and certain special requirements.
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. Currently our business does not fall in any of these categories. Currently
our business does not fall in any of these categories. However, if our control over our VIEs through contractual arrangements are
deemed as foreign investment in the future, and any business of our VIEs are “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 VIEs may be deemed as 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.
Risks
Related to COVID-19 and Other Pandemics
In
recent years, there have been outbreaks of epidemics in various countries, including China. Recently, there was an outbreak of
a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) in China, which has spread rapidly to many parts of the world. The outbreak resulted
in quarantines, travel restrictions, and the temporary closure of stores and facilities throughout the world. In March 2020, the
World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
Substantially
all of our revenues and our workforce are concentrated in China. Consequently, our results of operations will likely be adversely,
and may be materially, affected, to the extent that COVID-19 or any other epidemic harms the Chinese and global economy in general.
Any potential impact to our results will depend on, to a large extent, future developments and new information that may emerge
regarding the duration and severity of the COVID-19 outbreak and the actions taken by government authorities and other entities
to contain the COVID-19 outbreak or treat its impact, almost all of which are beyond our control. Potential impacts of COVID-19
or any other epidemic include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | temporary
closure
of
offices,
travel
restrictions
or
suspension
of
services
of
our
customers
and
suppliers
have
negatively
affected,
and
could
continue
to
negatively
affect,
the
demand
for
our
services; |
| ● | our
customers
may
require
additional
time
to
pay
us
or
fail
to
pay
us
at
all,
which
could
significantly
increase
the
amount
of
accounts
receivable
and
require
us
to
record
additional
allowances
for
doubtful
accounts; |
| ● | the
business
operations
of
our
distributors
have
been
and
could
continue
to
be
negatively
impacted
by
the
outbreak,
which
may
negatively
impact
our
distribution
channel,
or
result
in
loss
of
customers
or
disruption
of
our
services,
which
may
in
turn
materially
adversely
affect
our
financial
condition
and
operating
results;
and |
| ● | any
disruption
of
our
supply
chain,
logistics
providers
or
customers
could
adversely
impact
our
business
and
results
of
operations. |
With
the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic occurring at the beginning of 2020, our business was adversely impacted in late
2021 and the first few months of 2022. Our total revenue in 2021 and first few months of 2022 decreased, mainly due to the random
lockdown due to the frequent resurgence of COVID-19 in China.
In
general, our business could be adversely affected by the effects of epidemics, including, but not limited to, COVID-19, avian
influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the influenza A virus, Ebola virus, severe weather conditions such as a snowstorm,
flood or hazardous air pollution, or other outbreaks. In response to an epidemic, severe weather conditions, or other outbreaks,
government and other organizations may adopt regulations and policies that could lead to severe disruption to our daily operations,
including temporary closure of our offices and other facilities. These severe conditions may cause us and/or our partners to make
internal adjustments, including but not limited to, temporarily closing down business, limiting business hours, and setting restrictions
on travel and/or visits with clients and partners for a prolonged period of time. Various impacts arising from severe conditions
may cause business disruption, resulting in material, adverse impact to our financial condition and results of operations.