|
Cayman Islands
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
|
| |
Not Applicable
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
|
|
| | |
Page
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| | | | 53 | | | |
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| | | | 55 | | | |
| | | | 56 | | | |
| | | | 57 | | | |
| | | | 59 | | | |
| | | | 60 | | |
| | |
For the Year Ended December 31,
|
| |||||||||||||||
| | |
2019
|
| |
2020
|
| |
2021
|
| |||||||||
| | |
(in US$ millions)
|
| |||||||||||||||
Cash received by Fangdd Network Group Ltd. as equity investment
|
| | | | 71.1 | | | | | | 80.2 | | | | | | — | | |
Cash paid by Fangdd Network Group Ltd. to Fangdd Network Holding Ltd.
(Hong Kong) to invest in WFOE, Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd(1) |
| | | | 10.5 | | | | | | 95.6 | | | | | | 21.5 | | |
Cash paid by Fangdd Network Holding Ltd. (Hong Kong) to contribute to the payment to WFOE as paid-in capital
|
| | | | 12.0 | | | | | | 113.2 | | | | | | 12.8 | | |
Cash paid by WFOE to VIE, Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., through bank entrusted loan(2)
|
| | | | 35.9 | | | | | | 118.5 | | | | | | 69.0 | | |
|
Hypothetical pre-tax earnings(1)
|
| | | | 100.00 | | |
|
Tax on earnings at statutory rate of 25% at Shenzhen Fangdd level
|
| | | | (25.00) | | |
|
Amount to be distributed as dividend from Shenzhen Fangdd to Hong Kong subsidiary(2)
|
| | | | 75.00 | | |
|
Withholding tax at tax treaty rate of 5%
|
| | | | (3.75) | | |
|
Amount to be distributed as dividend at Hong Kong subsidiary level and net distribution to Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
|
| | | | 71.25 | | |
|
Board Diversity Matrix (As of the date of this prospectus)
|
| |||
| Country of Principal Executive Offices: | | |
People’s Republic of China
|
|
| Foreign Private Issuer | | |
YES
|
|
| Disclosure Prohibited Under Home Country Law | | |
NO
|
|
| Total Number of Directors | | |
7
|
|
| | |
Female
|
| |
Male
|
| |
Non-Binary
|
| |
Did Not
Disclose Gender |
| ||||||||||||
Part I: Gender Identity | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Directors
|
| | | | 2 | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | 0 | | | | | | 0 | | |
Part II: Demographic Background | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Underrepresented Individual in Home Country Jurisdiction
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | | | | | | | |
LGBTQ+
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | | | | | | | |
Name
|
| |
Class A Ordinary
Shares underlying Options Awarded |
| |
Exercise Price
(US$/share) |
| |
Date of Grant
|
| |
Date of Expiration
|
| ||||||
Li Xiao
|
| | | | * | | | | | | 0.0000001 | | | |
December 21, 2018
|
| |
December 21, 2023
|
|
Jiaorong Pan
|
| | | | * | | | | | | 0.0000001 | | | |
December 21, 2018
|
| |
December 21, 2023
|
|
Shuiying Chen
|
| | | | * | | | | | | 0.0000001 | | | |
November 15, 2021
|
| |
November 14, 2026
|
|
Other grantees
|
| | | | 92,812,250 | | | | | | 0.0000001 | | | |
December 21, 2018
through November 15, 2021 |
| |
December 21, 2023
through November 15, 2026 |
|
| | |
Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned (As of the date of this prospectus)
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | |
Class A
Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned |
| |
Class B
Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned |
| |
Total
Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned |
| |
Percentage
of Total Ordinary Shares† |
| |
Percentage
of Aggregate Voting Power†† |
| |||||||||||||||
Directors and Executive Officers:** | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Xi Zeng(1)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | 161,396,567 | | | | | | 161,396,567 | | | | | | 7.8 | | | | | | 21.1 | | |
Jiaorong Pan(2)
|
| | | | 29,249,399 | | | | | | — | | | | | | 29,249,399 | | | | | | 1.4 | | | | | | 0.4 | | |
Li Xiao
|
| | | | * | | | | | | — | | | | | | * | | | | | | * | | | | | | * | | |
Yi Duan(3)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | 329,021,793 | | | | | | 329,021,793 | | | | | | 15.9 | | | | | | 43.0 | | |
Weiru Chen
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Yang Li
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Senlin Peng
|
| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Shuiying Chen
|
| | | | * | | | | | | — | | | | | | * | | | | | | * | | | | | | * | | |
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group
|
| | | | 48,412,680 | | | | | | 490,418,360 | | | | | | 538,831,040 | | | | | | 26.0 | | | | | | 64.7 | | |
Principal Shareholders: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
CC NETWORK INTERNATIONAL
LTD(3) |
| | | | — | | | | | | 329,021,793 | | | | | | 329,021,793 | | | | | | 15.9 | | | | | | 43.0 | | |
ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD(1)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | 161,396,567 | | | | | | 161,396,567 | | | | | | 7.8 | | | | | | 21.1 | | |
FANGDD DECENT INTERNATIONAL LTD. and its affiliate(4)
|
| | | | 138,698,218 | | | | | | — | | | | | | 138,698,218 | | | | | | 6.7 | | | | | | 1.8 | | |
TIANYU NETWORK INTERNATIONAL LTD(5)
|
| | | | — | | | | | | 129,519,698 | | | | | | 129,519,698 | | | | | | 6.3 | | | | | | 16.9 | | |
Greyhound Investment Ltd.(6)
|
| | | | 109,375,012 | | | | | | — | | | | | | 109,375,012 | | | | | | 5.3 | | | | | | 1.4 | | |
|
Exhibit
Number |
| |
Exhibit Description
|
|
|
23.3†
|
| | | |
|
24.1†
|
| | | |
|
107†
|
| | |
Signature
|
| |
Title
|
| |
Date
|
|
/s/ Xi Zeng
Xi Zeng
|
| |
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer) |
| |
September 13, 2022
|
|
/s/ Jiaorong Pan
Jiaorong Pan
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 13, 2022
|
|
/s/ Li Xiao
Li Xiao
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 13, 2022
|
|
/s/ Yi Duan
Yi Duan
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 13, 2022
|
|
/s/ Weiru Chen
Weiru Chen
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 13, 2022
|
|
/s/ Yang Li
Yang Li
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 13, 2022
|
|
/s/ Senlin Peng
Senlin Peng
|
| |
Director
|
| |
September 13, 2022
|
|
/s/ Shuiying Chen
Shuiying Chen
|
| |
Financial Controller
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
| |
September 13, 2022
|
|
Exhibit 5.1
Our ref | VSL/747458-000001/24584272v2 |
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
Room 602, Unit B4, Kexing Science Park
15 Keyuan Road, Technology Park
Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518057
People's Republic of China
13 September 2022
Dear Sirs
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
We have acted as Cayman Islands legal advisers to Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the "Company") in connection with the Company’s registration statement on Form F-3, including all amendments or supplements thereto (the "Registration Statement"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended to date relating to securities to be issued and sold by the Company from time to time. Such securities include:
a) | certain American depositary shares (the "ADSs") representing the Company's Class A ordinary shares of par value US$0.0000001 each (the "Shares"); |
b) | certain preferred shares of the Company with a par value of US$0.0000001 each (the "Preferred Shares"); |
c) | debt securities of the Company, which may include debt securities exchangeable for or convertible into Shares or Preferred Shares, and may be senior debt securities, senior subordinated debt securities or subordinated debt securities of the Company (collectively the "Debt Securities"), each series of Debt Securities to be issued under indentures to be entered into by the Company and the trustee for such Debt Securities (the "Indentures"); |
d) | warrants to subscribe for Shares in the Company (the "Warrants") to be issued under warrant agreements to be entered into between the Company and the warrant agent for such Warrants thereunder (the "Warrant Agreements"); |
e) | subscription rights to purchase Shares in the Company (the "Subscription Rights") to be issued under standby underwriting agreements to be entered into among the Company and one or more underwriters for such Subscription Rights thereunder (the "Subscription Rights Agreements"); and |
f) | units comprising of one or more of the ADSs, Preferred Shares, Warrants, or Subscription Rights in any combination (the "Units") to be issued under unit agreements to be entered into between the Company and the unitholder for such Units thereunder (the "Units Agreements"). |
We are furnishing this opinion as Exhibits 5.1, 8.1 and 23.2 to the Registration Statement.
1 | Documents Reviewed |
For the purposes of this opinion, we have reviewed only originals, copies or final drafts of the following documents:
1.1 | The certificate of incorporation of the Company dated 19 September 2013 and the certificate of incorporation on change of name of the Company dated 11 October 2019. |
1.2 | The fifth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company as conditionally adopted by a special resolution passed on 8 October 2019 and effective immediately prior to the completion of the Company’s initial public offering of ADSs representing the Shares (the "Memorandum and Articles"). |
1.3 | The written resolutions of the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") dated 29 July 2022 (the "Resolutions"). |
1.4 | A certificate from a director of the Company, a copy of which is attached hereto (the "Director's Certificate"). |
1.5 | A certificate of good standing dated 4 August 2022, issued by the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands (the "Certificate of Good Standing"). |
1.6 | The Registration Statement. |
2 | Assumptions |
The following opinions are given only as to, and based on, circumstances and matters of fact existing and known to us on the date of this opinion letter. These opinions only relate to the laws of the Cayman Islands which are in force on the date of this opinion letter. In giving the following opinions, we have relied (without further verification) upon the completeness and accuracy, as at the date of this opinion letter, of the Director's Certificate and the Certificate of Good Standing. We have also relied upon the following assumptions, which we have not independently verified:
2.1 | Copies of documents, conformed copies or drafts of documents provided to us are true and complete copies of, or in the final forms of, the originals. |
2.2 | All signatures, initials and seals are genuine. |
2.3 | There is no contractual or other prohibition or restriction (other than as arising under Cayman Islands law) binding on the Company prohibiting or restricting it from entering into and performing its obligations under the Registration Statement and duly authorised, executed and delivered Indentures, Warrant Agreements, Subscription Rights Agreements, and Units Agreements. |
2.4 | The Company will have sufficient authorised capital to effect the issue of the Shares at the time of issuance. |
2.5 | The Indentures and the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements and the Warrants, the Subscription Rights and the Subscription Rights Agreements, and the Units and the Units Agreements, will be, legal, valid, binding and enforceable against all relevant parties in accordance with their terms under the laws of the State of New York and all other relevant laws (other than, with respect to the Company, the laws of the Cayman Islands). |
2
2.6 | The choice of the laws of the State of New York as the governing law of the Indentures and the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements and the Warrants, the Subscription Rights and the Subscription Rights Agreements, and the Units and the Units Agreements, will be made in good faith and would be regarded as a valid and binding selection which will be upheld by the courts of the State of New York and any other relevant jurisdiction (other than the Cayman Islands) as a matter of the laws of the State of New York and all other relevant laws (other than the laws of the Cayman Islands). |
2.7 | The capacity, power, authority and legal right of all parties under all relevant laws and regulations (other than, with respect to the Company, the laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands) to enter into, execute, unconditionally deliver and perform their respective obligations under the Indentures and the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements and the Warrants, the Subscription Rights and the Subscription Rights Agreements, and the Units and the Units Agreements. |
2.8 | No monies paid to or for the account of the Company in respect of the Shares, the Preferred Shares, the Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Subscription Rights or the Units represent or will represent proceeds of criminal conduct or criminal property or terrorist property (as defined in the Proceeds of Crime Act (As Revised) and the Terrorism Act (As Revised) respectively). |
2.9 | There is nothing under any law (other than the law of the Cayman Islands), which would or might affect the opinions set out below. |
2.10 | The issue of (i) the Shares, (ii) the Preferred Shares, (iii) the Debt Securities under the Indentures, (iv) the Warrants under the Warrant Agreements, (v) the Subscription Rights under the Subscription Rights Agreements, and (vi) the Units under the Units Agreements will be of commercial benefit to the Company. |
2.11 | No invitation has been or will be made by or on behalf of the Company to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for any of the Shares, the Preferred Shares, the Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Subscription Rights or the Units. |
3 | Opinion |
Based upon, and subject to the foregoing assumptions and the qualifications set out below and having regard to such legal considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that:
3.1 | The Company has been duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability and is validly existing and in good standing with the Registrar of Companies under the laws of the Cayman Islands. |
3.2 | The authorised share capital of the Company is US$500 divided into 5,000,000,000 shares comprising of (i) 3,380,061,942 Class A Ordinary shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.0000001 each, (ii) 619,938,058 Class B Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.0000001 each, and (iii) 1,000,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.0000001 each of such class of classes (however designated) as the Board may determine in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles. |
3.3 | With respect to the Shares and the Preferred Shares, when (i) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) the issue of such Shares or Preferred Shares, as the case may be, has been recorded in the Company's register of members (shareholders); and (iii) the subscription price of such Shares or Preferred Shares, (being not less than the par value of the Shares or Preferred Shares, as the case may be) has been fully paid in cash or other consideration approved by the Board, the Shares or Preferred Shares, as the case may be, will be duly authorised, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
3
3.4 | With respect to each issue of the Debt Securities, when (i) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the creation and terms of the Debt Securities and to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) an Indenture relating to the Debt Securities and the Debt Securities shall have been authorised and duly executed and delivered by and on behalf of the Company and all the relevant parties thereunder in accordance with all relevant laws; and (iii) when such Debt Securities issued thereunder have been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company and authenticated in the manner set forth in the Indenture relating to such issue of Debt Securities and delivered against due payment therefor pursuant to, and in accordance with, the terms of the Registration Statement and any relevant prospectus supplement, such Debt Securities issued pursuant to the Indenture will have been duly executed, issued and delivered. |
3.5 | With respect to each issue of Warrants, when (i) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the creation and terms of the Warrants and to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) a Warrant Agreement relating to the Warrants shall have been duly authorised and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the warrant agent thereunder; and (iii) the certificates representing the Warrants have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered in accordance with the Warrant Agreement relating to the Warrants and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board upon payment of the consideration therefor provided therein, the Warrants will be duly authorised, legal and binding obligations of the Company. |
3.6 | With respect to each issue of the Subscription Rights, when (i) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the creation and terms of the Subscription Rights and to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) a Subscription Rights Agreement relating to the Subscription Rights and the Subscription Rights shall have been authorised and duly executed and delivered by and on behalf of the Company and all the relevant parties thereunder in accordance with all relevant laws; and (iii) when such Subscription Rights issued thereunder have been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company and authenticated in the manner set forth in the Subscription Rights Agreement relating to such issue of Subscription Rights and delivered against due payment therefor pursuant to, and in accordance with, the terms of the Registration Statement and any relevant prospectus supplement, such Subscription Rights issued pursuant to the Subscription Rights Agreement will have been duly executed, issued and delivered. |
3.7 | With respect to each issue of the Units, when (i) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the creation and terms of the Units and to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) a Unit Agreement relating to the Units and the Units shall have been authorised and duly executed and delivered by and on behalf of the Company and all the relevant parties thereunder in accordance with all relevant laws; and (iii) when such Units issued thereunder have been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company and authenticated in the manner set forth in the Unit Agreement relating to such issue of Units and delivered against due payment therefor pursuant to, and in accordance with, the terms of the Registration Statement and any relevant prospectus supplement, such Units issued pursuant to the Unit Agreement will have been duly executed, issued and delivered. |
4
3.8 | The statements under the caption "Taxation" in the prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement, to the extent that they constitute statements of Cayman Islands law, are accurate in all material respects and that such statements constitute our opinion. |
4 | Qualifications |
4.1 | To maintain the Company in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, annual filing fees must be paid and returns made to the Registrar of Companies within the time frame prescribed by law. |
4.2 | The obligations assumed by the Company under the Indentures, Warrant Agreements, the Subscription Rights Agreements and the Units Agreements will not necessarily be enforceable in all circumstances in accordance with their terms. In particular: |
(a) | enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, reorganisation, readjustment of debts or moratorium or other laws of general application relating to, protecting or affecting the rights of creditors and/or contributories; |
(b) | enforcement may be limited by general principles of equity. For example, equitable remedies such as specific performance may not be available, inter alia, where damages are considered to be an adequate remedy; |
(c) | some claims may become barred under relevant statutes of limitation or may be or become subject to defences of set off, counterclaim, estoppel and similar defences; |
(d) | where obligations are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands, they may not be enforceable in the Cayman Islands to the extent that performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction; |
(e) | the courts of the Cayman Islands have jurisdiction to give judgment in the currency of the relevant obligation and statutory rates of interest payable upon judgments will vary according to the currency of the judgment. If the Company becomes insolvent and is made subject to a liquidation proceeding, the courts of the Cayman Islands will require all debts to be proved in a common currency, which is likely to be the "functional currency" of the Company determined in accordance with applicable accounting principles. Currency indemnity provisions have not been tested, so far as we are aware, in the courts of the Cayman Islands; |
(f) | arrangements that constitute penalties will not be enforceable; |
(g) | enforcement may be prevented by reason of fraud, coercion, duress, undue influence, misrepresentation, public policy or mistake or limited by the doctrine of frustration of contracts; |
(h) | provisions imposing confidentiality obligations may be overridden by compulsion of applicable law or the requirements of legal and/or regulatory process; |
(i) | the courts of the Cayman Islands may decline to exercise jurisdiction in relation to substantive proceedings brought under or in relation to the Indentures, Warrant Agreements, the Subscription Rights Agreement and the Units Agreements in matters where they determine that such proceedings may be tried in a more appropriate forum; |
5
(j) | we reserve our opinion as to the enforceability of the relevant provisions of the Indentures, Warrant Agreements, the Subscription Rights Agreement and the Units Agreements to the extent that they purport to grant exclusive jurisdiction as there may be circumstances in which the courts of the Cayman Islands would accept jurisdiction notwithstanding such provisions; |
(k) | a company cannot, by agreement or in its articles of association, restrict the exercise of a statutory power and there is doubt as to the enforceability of any provision in the Warrant Agreements, the Purchase Contracts Agreement or the Purchase Unit Agreements whereby the Company covenants to restrict the exercise of powers specifically given to it under the Companies Act (As Revised) (the "Companies Act"), including, without limitation, the power to increase its authorised share capital, amend its memorandum and articles of association or present a petition to a Cayman Islands court for an order to wind up the Company; and |
(l) | if the Company becomes subject to Part XVIIA of the Companies Act, enforcement or performance of any provision in the Indentures, Warrant Agreements, the Subscription Rights Agreement and the Units Agreements which relates, directly or indirectly, to an interest in the Company constituting shares, voting rights or director appointment rights in the Company may be prohibited or restricted if any such relevant interest is or becomes subject to a restrictions notice issued under the Companies Act. |
4.3 | We express no opinion as to the meaning, validity or effect of any references to foreign (i.e. non-Cayman Islands) statutes, rules, regulations, codes, judicial authority or any other promulgations and any references to them in the Indentures or the Debt Securities, Warrant Agreements or the Warrants, the Subscription Rights Agreements or the Subscription Rights or the Units Agreements or the Units. |
4.4 | We have not reviewed any of the Indentures or the Debt Securities to be issued thereunder, the Warrant Agreements or the Warrants to be issued thereunder, the Subscription Rights Agreements or the Subscription Rights to be issued thereunder, or the Units Agreements or the Units to be issued thereunder and our opinions are qualified accordingly. |
4.5 | We reserve our opinion as to the extent to which the courts of the Cayman Islands would, in the event of any relevant illegality or invalidity, sever the relevant provisions of the Indentures or the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements or the Warrants, the Subscription Rights Agreements or the Subscription Rights or the Units Agreements or the Units and enforce the remainder of the Indentures or the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements or the Warrants, the Subscription Rights Agreements or the Subscription Rights or the Units Agreements or the Units or the transaction of which such provisions form a part, notwithstanding any express provisions in the Indentures or the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements or the Warrants, the Subscription Rights Agreements or the Subscription Rights or the Units Agreements or the Units in this regard. |
4.6 | Under the Companies Act, the register of members of a Cayman Islands company is by statute regarded as prima facie evidence of any matters which the Companies Act directs or authorises to be inserted therein. A third party interest in the shares in question would not appear. An entry in the register of members may yield to a court order for rectification (for example, in the event of fraud or manifest error). |
6
4.7 | In this opinion the phrase "non-assessable" means, with respect to shares in the Company, that a shareholder shall not, solely by virtue of its status as a shareholder and in absence of a contractual arrangement, or an obligation pursuant to the memorandum and articles of association, to the contrary, be liable for additional assessments or calls on the shares by the Company or its creditors (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil). |
Except as specifically stated herein, we make no comment with respect to any representations and warranties which may be made by or with respect to the Company in any of the documents or instruments cited in this opinion or otherwise with respect to the commercial terms of the transactions, which are the subject of this opinion.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our name under the headings "Enforceability of Civil Liabilities", "Taxation" and "Legal Matters" and elsewhere in the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Yours faithfully
/s/ Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP |
Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP
7
Director's Certificate
8
Exhibit 8.2
September 13, 2022
To: | Fangdd Network Group Ltd. Room 602, Unit B4, Kexing Science Park 15 Keyuan Road, Technology Park Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518057 People’s Republic of China |
Re: | the PRC Legal Opinion Regarding Certain PRC Legal Matters |
Dear Sir/Madam:
We are qualified lawyers of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”, which, for the sole purpose of this legal opinion, does not include the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan) and as such are qualified to issue this opinion on PRC Laws as defined below.
We have acted as the PRC legal counsel to Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”) in connection with the Company’s proposed offering (the “Offering”) of a certain number of Class A ordinary shares, including in the form of American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, preferred shares, debt securities, warrants to purchase Class A ordinary shares, including in the form of ADSs, subscription rights and a combination of such securities, separately or as units, as set forth in the Company’s registration statement on Form F-3, including all amendments or supplements thereto (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the Offering.
As used in this opinion, (i) “PRC Authorities” means any national, provincial or local governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, agency or commission in the PRC, or any court, tribunal or any other judicial or arbitral body in the PRC; (ii) “PRC Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, statutes, orders, decrees, notices, circulars, judicial interpretations and other legislations of the PRC effective and available to the public as of the date hereof; (iii) “Governmental Authorizations” means all approvals, consents, waivers, sanctions, certificates, authorizations, filings, registrations, exemptions, permissions, annual inspections, qualifications, permits and licenses required by any PRC Authorities pursuant to any PRC Laws; (iv) the “Variable Interest Entity” or the “VIE” means Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd.; (v) the “WFOE” means Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd.; (vi) “VIE Agreements” means the documents as set forth in Annex A hereto; and (vii) “M&A Rules” means the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, which was jointly promulgated by six PRC regulatory agencies, namely, the Ministry of Commerce, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the State Administration for Taxation, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, which has been merged into the State Administration for Market Regulation, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) and the State Administration for Foreign Exchange, on August 8, 2006 and became effective on September 8, 2006, as amended by the Ministry of Commerce on June 22, 2009.
In rendering this opinion, we have examined the originals or copies of the documents as we have considered necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion. Where certain facts were not independently established by us, we have relied upon certificates or statements issued or made by relevant PRC Authorities and appropriate representatives of the Company. In giving this opinion, we have made the following assumptions:
(a) | that the signatures, seals and chops on the documents submitted to us are genuine; |
(b) | that all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic, that all documents submitted to us as copies conform to their originals and that such originals are authentic; |
(c) | that all factual statements contained in the documents are truthful, accurate, complete and fair; |
(d) | that any document submitted to us remains in full force and effect up to the date of this opinion and has not been revoked, amended, varied, cancelled or superseded by some other document or agreement or action of which we are not aware after due inquiry; |
(e) | that all information (including factual statements) provided to us by the Company, the WFOE and the VIE in response to our enquiries for the purpose of this opinion is true, accurate, complete and not misleading, and that the Company, the WFOE and the VIE have not withheld anything that, if disclosed to us, would reasonably cause us to alter this opinion in whole or in part; |
(f) | that all documents have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by all of the parties thereto other than the PRC Group Companies and such parties to the documents have full legal right, power and authority to enter into, and have duly executed and delivered such documents; |
(g) | that all Governmental Authorizations and other official statement or documentation were obtained from competent PRC Authorities by lawful means; and |
(h) | that all the documents are legal, valid, binding and enforceable under all such laws as govern or relate to them, other than PRC Laws. |
Based on the foregoing and subject to the disclosures contained in the Registration Statement and the qualifications set out below, we are of the opinion that, as of the date hereof, so far as PRC Laws are concerned:
(1) | To the best of our knowledge after due inquiry, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, (i) the ownership structures of the VIE and the WFOE that have entered into VIE Agreements, both currently and immediately after giving effect to the Offering, do not and will not result in any violation of applicable PRC Laws; (ii) each of the VIE Agreements is valid, binding and enforceable under PRC Laws, and both currently and immediately after giving effect to the Offering, does not and will not result in any violation of applicable PRC Laws. However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of PRC Laws and future PRC laws, rules, regulations, statutes, orders, decrees, notices, circulars, judicial interpretations and other legislations, and there can be no assurance that the PRC Authorities will not take a view that is contrary to or otherwise different from our opinion stated above. |
(2) | The M&A Rules prescribe, among other things, the procedures and formalities of merger and acquisition of a domestic enterprise in China by foreign investors by either purchasing the equities or assets of, or stock swap with, a target PRC enterprise. Following the adoption of the M&A Rules on September 21, 2006, the CSRC published on its official website procedures regarding its approval of overseas listings by special purpose vehicles as defined under the M&A Rules. |
Based on our understanding of PRC Laws, we believe that CSRC approval is not required for the Offering because the ownership structures of the WFOE and the VIE were not established through acquisition of equity interests or assets of any PRC domestic company by foreign entities as defined under the M&A Rules. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that the CSRC or other relevant PRC Authorities might, from time to time, further clarify or interpret the M&A Rules in writing or orally and require their approvals to be obtained for the Offering.
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(3) | The recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law and other applicable laws, regulations and interpretations based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on principles of reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other forms of written arrangement with the United States or the Cayman Islands that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, the PRC courts will not enforce a foreign judgment against a company or its directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC Laws or national sovereignty, security or the public interest. As a result, it is uncertain whether and on what basis a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the United States or the Cayman Islands. |
(4) | The statements set forth in the Registration Statement under the heading “Taxation on Dividends or Distributions,” to the extent that the discussion states definitive legal conclusions under PRC tax laws and regulations, subject to the qualifications therein, constitute true and accurate descriptions of the matters described therein in all material respects and such statements constitute our opinion on such matters. |
The foregoing opinions are subject to the following qualifications:
(a) | This opinion is rendered only with respect to PRC Laws and we have made no investigations in any other jurisdiction and no opinion is expressed or implied as to the laws of any other jurisdiction. There is no guarantee that any of such PRC Laws will not be changed, amended or revoked in the immediate future or in the longer term with or without retrospective effect. |
(b) | This opinion is subject to the discretion of any competent PRC Authorities in exercising their authority in the PRC in connection with the interpretation, implementation and application of relevant PRC Laws. |
(c) | This opinion is, in so far as it relates to the validity, effectiveness and enforceability, subject to (i) any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) possible judicial or administrative actions or any laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (iii) certain equitable, legal or statutory principles affecting the enforceability of contractual rights generally under concepts of public interest, state interest, national security, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and applicable statutes of limitation; (iv) any circumstance in connection with formulation, execution or implementation of any legal documents that would be deemed materially mistaken, clearly unconscionable, unlawful, fraudulent, coercionary at the conclusions thereof; (v) judicial discretion with respect to the availability of indemnifications, remedies or defenses, the calculation of damages, the entitlement to attorney’s fees and other costs, the waiver of immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from legal process; and (vi) the discretion of any competent PRC legislative, administrative or judicial bodies in exercising their authority in connection with the interpretation, implementation and application of relevant laws and regulations in the PRC. |
(d) | This opinion is intended to be used in the context which is specially referred to herein and each section should be considered as a whole and no part should be extracted and referred to independently. |
This opinion is rendered to you and is intended to be used with the Registration Statement submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on the date of this opinion. This opinion may not be used for any other purpose without our prior written consent. We hereby consent to the use of this opinion in, and the filing hereof as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement, and to the use of our firm’s name in the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the regulations promulgated thereunder.
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Yours faithfully,
/s/ Global Law Office | |
Global Law Office |
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Annex A
List of VIE Agreements
1. | Restated Business Operation Agreement entered into by WFOE, VIE and its shareholders in June 2017; |
2. | Exclusive Option Agreements and their supplemental agreements entered into by WFOE, VIE and Yi Duan, Jiancheng Li, Li Zhou, Jiaorong Pan, Wentao Bai, Ying Lu respectively in March 2014 and in 2018; Exclusive Option Agreement entered into by WFOE, VIE and Xi Zeng, Wei Zhang, Jingjing Huang respectively in December 2017; |
3. | Equity Interest Pledge Agreements and their supplemental agreements entered into by WFOE, VIE and Yi Duan, Jiancheng Li, Li Zhou, Jiaorong Pan, Wentao Bai, Ying Lu respectively in March 2014 and in 2018; Equity Interest Pledge Agreements entered into by WFOE, VIE and Xi Zeng, Wei Zhang, Jingjing Huang respectively in December 2017; |
4. | Powers of Attorney issued by Yi Duan, Jiancheng Li, Li Zhou, Jiaorong Pan, Wentao Bai, Ying Lu, Xi Zeng, Wei Zhang and Jingjing Huang respectively in June 2017. |
Exhibit 16.1
September 13, 2022
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We were previously principal accountants for Fangdd Network Group Ltd (the “Company”) and, under the date of April 22, 2022, we reported on the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. On July 25, 2022, we were dismissed. We have read the section “Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant” of the Registration Statement on Form F-3 of Fangdd Network Group Ltd., the disclosure of which is required under Item 16F of Form 20-F and is expected to be filed on or around September 5, 2022, and we agree with such statements, except that we are not in a position to agree or disagree with the Company’s statements that:
(1) | on July 29, 2022, Audit Alliance LLP or Audit Alliance was engaged as principal accountants; |
(2) | the decision to change accountants was approved by the audit committee of the board of directors; |
(3) | neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf has consulted with Audit Alliance LLP on either (a) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company by Audit Alliance LLP that Audit Alliance LLP concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (b) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement, as that term is defined in Item 16F(a)(1)(iv) of Form 20-F (and the related instructions thereto) or a reportable event as set forth in Item 16F(a)(1)(v) of Form 20-F. |
Very truly yours,
/s/ KPMG Huazhen LLP
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the use of our report dated April 22, 2022, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”), incorporated herein by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.
/s/ KPMG Huazhen LLP
Shenzhen, the People’s Republic of China
September 13, 2022
Exhibit 107
CALCULATION OF FILING FEE TABLE
FORM F-3
(Form Type)
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Not Applicable
(Translation of Registrant’s Name into English)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
Security Type | Security Class Title(1) |
Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule |
Amount Registered |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit |
Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price |
Fee Rate | Amount
of Registration Fee |
Carry Forward Form Type |
Carry Forward File Number |
Carry Forward Initial effective date |
Filing
Fee Previously Paid In Connection with Unsold Securities to be Carried Forward | |
Newly Registered Securities | ||||||||||||
Fees to Be Paid | Equity security | Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0000001 per share | (2) | |||||||||
Equity security | Preferred shares | (2) | ||||||||||
Debt security | Debt Securities | (2) | ||||||||||
Equity security | Warrants | (2) | ||||||||||
Others | Subscription Rights | (2) | ||||||||||
Others | Units | (2) | ||||||||||
Unallocated (Universal) Shelf | — | Rule 457(o) | (2) | — | $300,000,000(3) | US$92.70 per US$1,000,000 | $27,810.00(3) | |||||
Fees Previously Paid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
Carry Forward Securities | ||||||||||||
Carry Forward Securities | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
Total Offering Amounts | $300,000,000(3) | $27,810.00(3) | ||||||||||
Total Fees Previously Paid | — | |||||||||||
Total Fee Offsets | — | |||||||||||
Net Fee Due | $27,810.00(3) |
(1) | Includes securities initially offered and sold outside the United States that may be resold from time to time in the United States either as part of their distribution or within 40 days after the later of the effective date of this registration statement and the date the securities are first bona fide offered to the public. These securities are not being registered for the purposes of sales outside of the United States. |
(2) | An indeterminate amount or number of the securities of each identified class described in this registration statement is being registered as may from time to time be issued by the registrant at indeterminate prices in U.S. dollars, and subject to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, in no event will the aggregate maximum offering price of all securities sold by the registrant pursuant to this registration statement exceed US$300,000,000 or the equivalent thereof in one or more foreign currencies, foreign currency units or composite currencies. |
(3) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act and reflects the maximum offering price of securities registered hereunder in the primary offering. The proposed maximum aggregate offering price of each class of securities offered by the registrant will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with the issuance by the registrant of the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of securities pursuant to the General Instruction II.C. of Form F-3 under the Securities Act. |
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