Mian Lu Zhao

Essence International Securities (Hong Kong) Ltd. (Essence International HK) is a broker/dealer headquartered in Hong Kong. The firm was founded in 1994 and is a subsidiary of Essence International Financial Holdings Ltd., ultimately held by SDIC Capital Co., Ltd. (SHA: 600061) in China. Essence International HK provides comprehensive and diversified securities sales and investment services to institutional clients, corporate clients and individual investors.

BOCOM International Securities Ltd. (BISL) is the wholly-owned brokerage subsidiary of BOCOM International Holdings Co. Ltd., itself a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. (PK: BCMXY) in China. The firm was created in 2007 when BCOM Securities Co. Ltd., restructured and became BOCOM International Holdings Co., Ltd., establishing BOCOM International-Asia, BOCOM International Securities Ltd., and BOCOM International Asset Management Ltd. as wholly-owned subsidiaries, each specifically designed to focus on their unique businesses. Based in Hong Kong, BISL specializes in providing platforms for securities, futures, contracts trading and margin financing business activities. Clients can place trading instructions directly to investment advisors via designated telephone lines, including a secured on-line trading platform for both securities and futures contracts. As a member of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the firm provides direct execution via the AMS/3 System to their clients for all Hong Kong listed shares.

Merrill Lynch Far East Ltd. is the stockbroking subsidiary of Merrill Lynch HK Services Ltd., ultimately owned by Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) in the US. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the firm was founded in 2003 and offers a broad range of brokerage services to institutional investors.

BofA Securities Japan Co., Ltd. (BofA Securities Japan) is the wholly-owned Japanese brokerage subsidiary of Merrill Lynch International, Inc., which is ultimately owned by Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC). Founded in 1998, the firm was formerly known as Merrill Lynch Japan Securities Co., Ltd. (MLJS) and changed their name to BofA Securities Co., Ltd. in line with grobal re-branding from BofA Merrill Lynch to BofA in 2020. They subsequently became BofA Securities Japan Co., Ltd. Headquartered in Tokyo, BofA Securities Japan provides stock and bond trading, capital markets, investment banking and other advisory services to corporate clients, financial institutions and government agencies.

CCB International Securities Ltd. provides brokerage services and is ultimately controlled by the Government of China. The company is based in Hong Kong, Hong Kong.