The PwC Letter and the PwC ZT Letter
On January 21, 2025, the Audit Committee received a letter of the same date from PwC (the PwC Letter). In the letter, PwC stated that
it was orally notified of its removal as the Companys auditor on January 16, 2025. In the same letter, PwC also stated, among other matters, that (1) on October 25, 2024, it received information in the course of an oral
conversation (the Subject Conversation) with a then-current senior executive (the Executive) of the Company that raised concerns, in the view of PwC, about certain possible related party transactions of
the Company (the Subject Transactions); (2) on November 25, 2024, PwC orally reported the Subject Conversation to the Audit Committee; (3) on December 11, 2024, PwC issued a written letter to the Audit Committee
requesting an expert and independent investigation into the matter; and
(4) whilst PwC noted that the Audit Committee engaged forensic accountants
and independent investigation counsel to investigate the Subject Transactions and other related matters (the Independent Investigation), and that the Executive, in the interview with the team conducting the Independent
Investigation, denied the contents of the Subject Conversation as reported by PwC to the Audit Committee, PwC raised questions about the investigation, the independence of the Audit Committee, and the Companys remedial actions.
On January 21, 2025, the Audit Committee also received a letter of the same date from PwC ZT (the PwC ZT Letter), the Companys
U.S. PCAOB-registered auditor. In the letter, PwC ZT states that, due to the seriousness of the Subject Conversation as understood by PwC ZT, the Audit Committees decision not to share its Independent Investigation conclusions with PwC ZT, and
certain independence concerns, it cannot consent to the incorporation of its prior audit or review opinions in any current or future Company filings and further states that neither the Company nor any successor auditor can rely on any work that PwC
ZT performed for the Company with regard to 2024, and, as PwC ZT was no longer able to rely on representations provided by the Company and its management in connection with the Companys fiscal year 2022 and 2023 audits, its 2022 and 2023 audit
opinions on the Companys annual financial statements should no longer be relied upon.
The Companys Position
As of the date of the PwC Letter and the PwC ZT Letter, the Company had not removed or resolved to remove PwC and PwC ZT as the auditors of the Company.
Furthermore, the Independent Investigation into the Subject Transactions and related matters was and still is ongoing. The Company will disclose the key findings upon the substantial completion of the Independent Investigation as well as the
Companys further actions, if any, on matters relating to the Subject Transactions.
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