A trio of landmark decisions by Mr Justice Harris have altered and hugely improved the scheme of arrangement practice in Hong Kong. The new scheme practice points are in brief thus:
First, where an offshore incorporated company seeks to restructure its debts by means of a Hong Kong scheme of arrangement, it should not at the same time pursue a parallel offshore scheme just because it is incorporated offshore. Any such parallel scheme must be justified. Pursuing an unnecessary parallel scheme could entail the following consequences:
A trio of landmark decisions by Mr Justice Harris have altered and hugely improved the scheme of arrangement practice in Hong Kong. The new scheme practice points are in brief thus:
First, where an offshore incorporated company seeks to restructure its debts by means of a Hong Kong scheme of arrangement, it should not at the same time pursue a parallel offshore scheme just because it is incorporated offshore. Any such parallel scheme must be justified. Pursuing an unnecessary parallel scheme could entail the following consequences:
The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (the “CFA“) has clarified in a recent judgment the application of section 182 of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (“CWUMPO“) and when the court will grant a validation order.
On 14 May 2021, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Justice and the Vice-President of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) signed a record of meeting concerning mutual recognition of and assistance to insolvency proceedings between the courts of Mainland China and Hong Kong (Record of Meeting), which signifies the consensus on the mutual recognition of and assistance to insolvency proceedings between the two jurisdictions in accordance with the principle of reciprocity and with a view to promoting closer cross-border judicial cooperation on insolvency matters.
With the global economic downturn, businesses may begin to show signs of insolvency. Indeed, we have seen an increasing number of applications for compulsory winding-up processed by Hong Kong courts.
着全球经济陷入低迷，企业无力偿债的迹象开始浮现。事实上，我们看到香港法院处理的强制清盘申请数目正在增加。
若您是债权人一方，当您的债务人无法还款时，很自然地您会考虑应采取哪些行动。如果债务人是离岸公司，情况或会变得复杂。近期有数宗个案涉及在香港联交所上市的公司，其注册地位于其他司法管辖区，而资产和主要业务则位于中国內地。这些个案显示，债权人在处理拥有类似分层架构的公司时需要考虑一些重要问题。这份客户简报就这些问题和应考虑的事项进行讨论。
将一家公司清盘
如您的债务人无法还款，您会开始考虑各种选项，而选项之一可能是将该公司清盘。然而，在展开有关行动前，您应该先评估一些事项。
在香港进行清盘
债务人能否就债务提出有实质理由的争辩？
在对债务人公司进行清盘时，您会以债务人无力偿还债务作为理由1，而常见用以支持这个理由的依据是债务人在收到法定要求偿债书后三个星期内仍未能清偿债务。
On 14 May 2021, the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, and Vice-president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), Mr Yang Wanming, signed a record of meeting concerning mutual recognition of and assistance in relation to insolvency proceedings between the courts of the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Initial arrangements have been put in place for mutual recognition and assistance to be provided by courts in Mainland China and Hong Kong in respect of corporate insolvency proceedings. This is a significant and long awaited development which could substantially enhance the ability for cross border insolvencies and restructurings to be administered and implemented across the two jurisdictions.
On 14 May 2021, the Government of HKSAR and the Supreme People's Court signed the "Record of Meeting of the Supreme People's Court and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Mutual Recognition of and Assistance to Bankruptcy (Insolvency) Proceedings between the Courts of the Mainland and of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" which effects a cooperation mechanism for Hong Kong liquidators and Mainland administrators to seek mutual recognition and assistance.