AIRC Air China Ld

Pursuant to Rule 8.17 of the Listing Rules, a listed issuer must appoint a company secretary who meets the requirements under Rule 3.28 of the Listing Rules. Pursuant to Rule 3.28 of the Listing Rules, the company secretary must be an individual who, in the opinion of the Stock Exchange, is capable of discharging the functions of company secretary by virtue of his/her academic or professional qualifications or relevant experience.

Having considered Mr. Xiao's background and experience, the Board is of the view that Mr. Xiao is able to properly discharge his functions as a joint company secretary notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Xiao does not possess the qualifications of a company secretary as required under Rule 3.28 of the Listing Rules. The Company has applied to the Stock Exchange, and the Stock Exchange has granted a waiver (the "Waiver") to the Company from strict compliance with the relevant requirements of Rule 3.28 and Rule 8.17 of the Listing Rules for a period of three years commencing from the date of appointment of Mr. Xiao as a joint company secretary of the Company (i.e. the date of this announcement) (the "Waiver Period"), on the condition that (1) Mr. Huen Ho Yin ("Mr. Huen"), currently the other joint company secretary of the Company, shall assist Mr. Xiao to discharge the duty as a joint company secretary during the Waiver Period; and (2) the Waiver could be revoked if there are material breaches of the Listing Rules by the Company. Before the end of the Waiver Period, the Company must demonstrate and seek confirmation from the Stock Exchange that Mr. Xiao, having had the benefit of Mr. Huen's assistance during the Waiver Period, has attained the relevant experience and is capable of discharging the functions of company secretary under Rule 3.28 of the Listing Rules such that a further waiver will not be necessary.

The biographical details of Mr. Huen are as follows:

Mr. Huen Ho Yin, aged 62, holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) Degree from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom and a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the University of Hong Kong. Mr. Huen has been practicing as a solicitor of the High Court of Hong Kong. He is currently a partner of Huen & Partners Solicitors. From August 1994 to April 2003, he served as a partner of Richard Tai & Co., Solicitors. Since April 2003, he has been serving as a partner of Huen & Partners Solicitors. From June 2018 to February 2020, he served as an independent non-executive director of Grand Peace Group Holdings Limited. From April 2020 to August 2020, Mr. Huen served as a joint company secretary of the Company. Mr. Huen has been serving as the joint company secretary of the Company since September 2021.

The Company would like to express its gratitude to Mr. Huang for his outstanding contribution to the Company during the tenure of his service and also extend its welcome to Mr. Xiao.

Beijing, the PRC, 28 March 2024