STANDBY EQUITY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

Exhibit 10.1

STANDBY EQUITY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

          THIS AGREEMENT dated as of the 20^th  day of March 2006 (the “Agreement”) between CORNELL CAPITAL PARTNERS, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Investor”), and CHINA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”).

          WHEREAS, the parties desire that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, the Company shall issue and sell to the Investor, from time to time as provided herein, and the Investor shall purchase from the Company up to Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”); and

          WHEREAS, such investments will be made in reliance upon the provisions of Regulation D (“Regulation D”) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act”), and or upon such other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as may be available with respect to any or all of the investments to be made hereunder.

          WHEREAS, the Company has engaged Newbridge Securities Corporation (the “Placement Agent”), to act as the Company’s exclusive placement agent in connection with the sale of the Company’s Common Stock to the Investor hereunder pursuant to the Placement Agent Agreement dated the date hereof by and among the Company, the Placement Agent and the Investor (the “Placement Agent Agreement”).

          NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.
Certain Definitions

          Section 1.1.   “Advance” shall mean the portion of the Commitment Amount requested by the Company in the Advance Notice.

          Section 1.2.   “Advance Date” shall mean the first (1^st) Trading Day after expiration of the applicable Pricing Period for each Advance.

          Section 1.3.   “Advance Notice” shall mean a written notice in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto to the Investor executed by an officer of the Company and setting forth the Advance amount that the Company requests from the Investor.

          Section 1.4.   “Advance Notice Date” shall mean each date the Company delivers (in accordance with Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement) to the Investor an Advance Notice requiring the Investor to advance funds to the Company, subject to the terms of this Agreement.  No Advance Notice Date shall be less than five (5) Trading Days after the prior Advance Notice Date.

 

          Section 1.5.   “Bid Price” shall mean, on any date, the closing bid price (as reported by Bloomberg L.P.) of the Common Stock on the Principal Market or if the Common Stock is not traded on a Principal Market, the highest reported bid price for the Common Stock, as furnished by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

          Section 1.6.   “Closing” shall mean one of the closings of a purchase and sale of Common Stock pursuant to Section 2.3.

          Section 1.7.   “Commitment Amount” shall mean the aggregate amount of up to Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000) which the Investor has agreed to provide to the Company in order to purchase the Company’s Common Stock pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement , provided that, the Company shall not effect any sale under this Agreement and the Investor shall not have the right or the obligation to purchase shares of Common Stock under this Agreement to the extent that after giving effect to such purchase and sale the aggregate number of shares issued under this Agreement and the shares acquired under the Securities Purchase Agreement dated the date hereof would exceed four million five hundred fourteen thousand nine hundred eight (4,514,907) shares of Common Stock (which is less than 20% of the _twenty two million five hundred seventy four thousand five hundred forty three (22,574,543) outstanding shares of Common  Stock as of the date of this  Agreement) unless or until the Company obtains any necessary shareholder approval or consent  in accordance with Nasdaq rules prior to such issuance.

          Section 1.8.   “Commitment Period” shall mean the period commencing on the earlier to occur of (i) the Effective Date, or (ii) such earlier date as the Company and the Investor may mutually agree in writing, and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on which the Investor shall have made payment of Advances pursuant to this Agreement in the aggregate amount of Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000), (y) the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 2.4, or (z) the date occurring twenty-four (24) months after the Effective Date.

          Section 1.9.   “Common Stock” shall mean the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

          Section 1.10.  “Condition Satisfaction Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2.

          Section 1.11.  “Damages” shall mean any loss, claim, damage, liability, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorney’s fees and disbursements and costs and expenses of expert witnesses and investigation).

          Section 1.12.  “Effective Date” shall mean the date on which the SEC first declares effective a Registration Statement registering the resale of the Registrable Securities as set forth in Section 7.2(a).

          Section 1.13.  “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

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          Section 1.14.  “Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any condition, circumstance, or situation that would prohibit or otherwise materially interfere with the ability of the Company to enter into and perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement in any material respect.

          Section 1.15.  “Market Price” shall mean the lowest daily VWAP of the Common Stock during the Pricing Period.

          Section 1.16.  “Maximum Advance Amount” shall be Five Million  Dollars ($5,000,000) per Advance Notice subject to the limitations set forth in Section 1.7 of this Agreement.

          Section 1.17.  “NASD” shall mean the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

          Section 1.18.  “Person” shall mean an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a trust or other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

          Section 1.19.  “Placement Agent” shall mean Newbridge Securities Corporation, a registered broker-dealer.

          Section 1.20.  “Pricing Period” shall mean the five (5) consecutive Trading Days after the Advance Notice Date.

          Section 1.21.  “Principal Market” shall mean the Nasdaq National Market, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the American Stock Exchange, the OTC Bulletin Board or the New York Stock Exchange, whichever is at the time the principal trading exchange or market for the Common Stock.

          Section 1.22.   “Purchase Price” shall be set at ninety eight and one half percent (98½ %) of the Market Price during the Pricing Period.

          Section 1.23.   “Registrable Securities” shall mean the shares of Common Stock to be issued hereunder (i) in respect of which the Registration Statement has not been declared effective by the SEC, (ii) which have not been sold under circumstances meeting all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in force) under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”) or (iii) which have not been otherwise transferred to a holder who may trade such shares without restriction under the Securities Act, and the Company has delivered a new certificate or other evidence of ownership for such securities not bearing a restrictive legend.

          Section 1.24.   “Registration Rights Agreement” shall mean the Registration Rights Agreement dated the date hereof, regarding the filing of the Registration Statement for the resale of the Registrable Securities, entered into between the Company and the Investor.

          Section 1.25.   “Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement on Form S-1, S-3 or SB-2 (if use of such form is then available to the Company pursuant to the rules of the SEC and, if not, on such other form promulgated by the SEC for which the Company then qualifies and which counsel for the Company shall deem appropriate, and which form shall be available for the resale of the Registrable Securities to be registered thereunder in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, and in accordance with the intended method of distribution of such securities), for the registration of the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities under the Securities Act.

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          Section 1.26.   “Regulation D” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

          Section 1.27.   “SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

          Section 1.28.   “Securities Act” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

          Section 1.29.   “SEC Documents” shall mean Annual Reports on Form 10-K or Form 10-KSB, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and Proxy Statements of the Company as supplemented to the date hereof, filed by the Company for a period of at least twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date hereof or the Advance Date, as the case may be, until such time as the Company no longer has an obligation to maintain the effectiveness of a Registration Statement as set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

          Section 1.30.   “Trading Day” shall mean any day during which the New York Stock Exchange shall be open for business.

          Section 1.31.   “VWAP” shall mean the volume weighted average price of the Company’s Common Stock as quoted by Bloomberg, LP.

ARTICLE II.
Advances

          Section 2.1.     Advances.

                      Upon the terms and conditions set forth herein (including, without limitation, the provisions of Article VII hereof), the Company may request an Advance by the Investor by the delivery of an Advance Notice.  The number of shares of Common Stock that the Investor shall purchase pursuant to each Advance shall be determined by dividing the amount of the Advance by the Purchase Price.  No fractional shares shall be issued. Fractional shares shall be rounded to the next higher whole number of shares.  The aggregate maximum amount of all Advances that the Investor shall be obligated to make under this Agreement shall not exceed the Commitment Amount.

          Section 2.2.     Mechanics.

                      (a)       Advance Notice.  At any time during the Commitment Period, the Company may deliver an Advance Notice to the Investor, subject to the conditions set forth in Section 7.2; provided, however, the amount for each Advance as designated by the Company in the applicable Advance Notice shall not be more than the Maximum Advance Amount.  The aggregate amount of the Advances pursuant to this Agreement shall not exceed the Commitment Amount.  The Company acknowledges that the Investor may sell shares of the Company’s Common Stock corresponding with a particular Advance Notice after the Advance Notice is received by the Investor.  There shall be a minimum of five (5) Trading Days between each Advance Notice Date.

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                      (b)       Date of Delivery of Advance Notice.  An Advance Notice shall be deemed delivered on (i) the Trading Day it is received by facsimile or otherwise by the Investor if such notice is received prior to 5:00 pm Eastern Time, or (ii) the immediately succeeding Trading Day if it is received by facsimile or otherwise after 5:00 pm Eastern Time on a Trading Day or at any time on a day which is not a Trading Day.  No Advance Notice may be deemed delivered on a day that is not a Trading Day.

                      (c)       Minimum Acceptable Price.     The minimum price (“Minimum Acceptable Price”), below which no purchase or sale of Common Stock shall occur, shall, in connection with each Advance Notice delivered by the Company, be equal to an amount not less than  ninety percent (90%) of the closing Bid Price of the Common Stock the Trading Day immediately preceding the Advance Notice Date for each Advance Notice.  Upon the issuance by the Company of an Advance Notice along with a Minimum Acceptable Price, (i) the amount of the Advance set forth in such Advance Notice shall automatically be reduced by twenty percent (20%) for each Trading Day during the Pricing Period the VWAP of the Common Stock is below the Minimum Acceptabl e Price (each such day, an “Excluded Day”) and (ii) the Market Price shall be the lowest daily VWAP of the Common Stock during the Pricing Period days which are not Excluded Days.  The number of shares of Common Stock to be delivered to the Investor at the Closing (in accordance with Section 2.3 of this Agreement) shall correspond with the reduced Advance Notice amount.  The Company, and only the Company, may waive the Minimum Acceptable Price with respect to any particular Advance Notice by providing the Investor with written notice of waiver on or prior to the Advance Notice Date.  

          Section 2.3.     Closings.  On each Advance Date (i) the Company shall deliver to the Investor shares of the Company’s Common Stock, representing the amount of the Advance specified in such Advance Notice pursuant to Section 2.1 herein, registered in the name of the Investor and (ii) upon receipt of such shares, the Investor shall deliver to the Company the amount of the Advance specified in the Advance Notice by wire transfer of immediately available funds.  In addition, on or prior to the Advance Date, each of the Company and the Investor shall deliver to the other all documents, instruments and writings required to be delivered by either of them pursuant to this Agreement in order to implement and effect the transactions contemplated herein.  To the extent the Company has not paid the fees, expenses, and disbursements of the Investor or the Company’s counsel in accordance with Section 12.4, the amount of such fees, expenses, and disbursements may be deducted by the Investor (and shall be paid to the relevant party) directly out of the proceeds of the Advance with no reduction in the amount of shares of the Company’s Common Stock to be delivered on such Advance Date.

          Section 2.4.     Termination of Investment.  The obligation of the Investor to make an Advance to the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall terminate permanently (including with respect to an Advance Date that has not yet occurred) in the event that (i) there shall occur any stop order or suspension of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for an aggregate of fifty (50) Trading Days, other than due to the acts of the Investor, during the Commitment Period, or (ii) the Company shall at any time fail materially to comply with the requirements of Article VI and such failure is not cured within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice from the Investor, provided, however, that this termination provision shall not apply to any period commencing upon the filing of a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement and ending upon the date on which such post effective amendment is declared effective by the SEC.

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          Section 2.5.     Agreement to Advance Funds.  The Investor agrees to advance the amount specified in the Advance Notice to the Company after the completion of each of the following conditions and the other conditions set forth in this Agreement:

                      (a)       the execution and delivery by the Company, and the Investor, of this Agreement and the Exhibits hereto;

                      (b)       The Investor shall have received the shares of Common Stock applicable to the Advance in accordance with Section 2.3.  Such shares shall be free of restrictive legends.

                      (c)       the Company’s Registration Statement with respect to the resale of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement shall have been declared effective by the SEC;

                      (d)       the Company shall have obtained all material permits and qualifications required by any applicable state for the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities, or shall have the availability of exemptions therefrom.  The sale and issuance of the Registrable Securities shall be legally permitted by all laws and regulations to which the Company is subject;

                      (e)       the Company shall have filed with the Commission in a timely manner all reports, notices and other documents required of a “reporting company” under the Exchange Act and applicable Commission regulations;

                      (f)       the fees as set forth in Section 12.4 below shall have been paid or can be withheld as provided in Section 2.3; and

                      (g)      the conditions set forth in Section 7.2 shall have been satisfied.

                      (h)      the Company shall have provided to the Investor an acknowledgement, from the Company’s independent certified public accountants as to its ability to provide all consents required in order to file a registration statement in connection with this transaction;

                      (i)       The Company’s transfer agent shall be DWAC eligible.

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          Section 2.6.     Hardship.  In the event the Investor sells shares of the Company’s Common Stock after receipt of an Advance Notice and the Company fails to perform its obligations as mandated in Section 2.3, and specifically the Company fails to deliver to the Investor on the Advance Date the shares of Common Stock corresponding to the applicable Advance, the Company acknowledges that the Investor shall suffer financial hardship and therefore shall be liable for any and all losses, commissions, fees, or financial hardship caused to the Investor.

ARTICLE III.
Representations and Warranties of Investor

          Investor hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company that the following are true and correct as of the date hereof and as of each Advance Date:

          Section 3.1.     Organization and Authorization.  The Investor is duly incorporated or organized and validly existing in the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has all requisite power and authority to purchase and hold the securities issuable hereunder.  The decision to invest and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by such Investor, the performance by such Investor of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by such Investor of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized and requires no other proceedings on the part of the Investor.  The undersigned has the right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and all other instruments (including, without limitations, the Registration Rights Agreement), on behalf of the Investor.  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Investor and, assuming the execution and delivery hereof and acceptance thereof by the Company, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Investor, enforceable against the Investor in accordance with its terms.

          Section 3.2.     Evaluation of Risks.  The Investor has such knowledge and experience in financial, tax and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of, and bearing the economic risks entailed by, an investment in the Company and of protecting its interests in connection with this transaction.  It recognizes that its investment in the Company involves a high degree of risk.

          Section 3.3.     No Legal Advice From the Company.  The Investor acknowledges that it had the opportunity to review this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement with its own legal counsel and investment and tax advisors.  The Investor is relying solely on such counsel and advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its representatives or agents for legal, tax or investment advice with respect to this investment, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the securities laws of any jurisdiction.

          Section 3.4.     Investment Purpose. The securities are being purchased by the Investor for its own account, and for investment purposes.  The Investor agrees not to assign or in any way transfer the Investor’s rights to the securities or any interest therein and acknowledges that the Company will not recognize any purported assignment or transfer except in accordance with applicable Federal and state securities laws.  No other person has or will have a direct or indirect beneficial interest in the securities.  The Investor agrees not to sell, hypothecate or otherwise transfer the Investor’s securities unless the securities are registered under Federal and applicable state securities laws and the applicable prospectus is delivered in connection with such sale, hypothecation or other transfer or unless, in the opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company, an exemption from such laws is available.

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          Section 3.5.     Accredited Investor.  The Investor is an “Accredited Investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D of the Securities Act.

          Section 3.6.     Information.  The Investor and its advisors (and its counsel), if any, have been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and information it deemed material to making an informed investment decision.  The Investor and its advisors, if any, have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Company and its management.  Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by such Investor or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Investor’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement.  The Investor understands that its investment involves a high degree of risk.  The Investor is in a position regarding the Company, which, based upon employment, family relationship or economic bargaining power, enabled and enables such Investor to obtain information from the Company in order to evaluate the merits and risks of this investment.  The Investor has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice, as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to this transaction.

          Section 3.7.     Receipt of Documents. The Investor and its counsel have received and read in their entirety:  (i) this Agreement and the Exhibits annexed hereto; (ii) all due diligence and other information necessary to verify the accuracy and completeness of such representations, warranties and covenants; (iii) the Company’s Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2004 and Forms 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2005, June 30, 2005 and September 30, 2005; and (iv) answers to all questions the Investor submitted to the Company regarding an investment in the Company; and the Investor has relied on the information contained therein and has not been furnished any other documents, literature, memorandum or prospectus. 

          Section 3.8.     Registration Rights Agreement.  The parties have entered into the Registration Rights Agreement dated the date hereof.

          Section 3.9.     No General Solicitation.  Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby.

          Section 3.10.   Not an Affiliate.  The Investor is not an officer, director or a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with the Company or any “Affiliate” of the Company (as that term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act).

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          Section 3.11.   Trading Activities.  The Investor’s trading activities with respect to the Company’s Common Stock shall be in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market on which the Company’s Common Stock is listed or traded. Neither the Investor nor its affiliates has an open short position in the Common Stock of the Company, the Investor agrees that it shall not, and that it will cause its affiliates not to, engage in any short sales of or hedging transactions with respect to the Common Stock, provided that the Company acknowledges and agrees that upon receipt of an Advance Notice the Investor has the right to sell the shares to be issued to the Investor pursuant to the Advance Notice during the applicable Pricing Period. 

ARTICLE IV.
Representations and Warranties of the Company

          Except as stated below, on the disclosure schedules attached hereto or in the SEC Documents (as defined herein), the Company hereby represents and warrants to, and covenants with, the Investor that the following are true and correct as of the date hereof:

          Section 4.1.     Organization and Qualification.  The Company is duly incorporated or organized and validly existing in the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has all requisite corporate power to own its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted.  Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

          Section 4.2.     Authorization, Enforcement, Compliance with Other Instruments.  (i) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement and any related agreements, in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement and any related agreements by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and no further consent or authorization is required by the Company, its Board of Directors or its stockholders, (iii) this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement and any related agreements have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, (iv) this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Placement Agent Agreement and assuming the execution and delivery thereof and acceptance by the Investor and any related agreements constitute the valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of creditors’ rights and remedies.

          Section 4.3.     Capitalization.  As of the date hereof the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 80,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 20,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”), of which 22,574,543 shares of Common Stock and no shares of Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding.  All of such outstanding shares have been validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.  Except as disclosed (or arising under plans disclosed in) in the SEC Documents, no shares of Common Stock are subject

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to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by the Company.  Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, as of the date hereof, (i) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) there are no outstanding debt securities, (iii) there are no outstanding registration statements other than on Form S-8, (iv) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the Securities Act (except pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement); and (v) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by this Agreement or any related agreement or the consummation of the transactions described herein or therein.  The Company has furnished to the Investor true and correct copies of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), and the Company’s By-laws, as in effect on the date hereof (the “By-laws”), and the terms of all securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.

          Section 4.4.     No Conflict.  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation, any certificate of designations of any outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or By-laws or (ii) conflict with or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market on which the Common Stock is quoted) applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or by which any material property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or affected and which would cause a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, neither the Company nor its subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or in default under its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or their organizational charter or by-laws, respectively, or any material contract, agreement, mortgage, indebtedness, indenture, instrument, judgment, decree or order or any statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries.  The business of the Company and its subsidiaries is not being conducted in violation of any material law, ordinance, regulation of any governmental entity.  Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement and as required under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws, the Company is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under or contemplated by this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof.  All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence have been obtained or effected on or prior to the date hereof.  The Company and its subsidiaries are unaware of any fact or circumstance which might give rise to any of the foregoing.

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          Section 4.5.     SEC Documents; Financial Statements.  Since January 1, 2003, the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC under the Exchange Act.  The Company has delivered to the Investor or its representatives, or made available through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov, true and complete copies of the SEC Documents.  As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company disclosed in the SEC Documents (the “Financial Statements”) complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto.  Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and, fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments).  No other information provided by or on behalf of the Company to the Investor which is not included in the SEC Documents contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

          Section 4.6.     10b-5.  The SEC Documents do not include any untrue statements of material fact, nor do they omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

          Section 4.7.     No Default.  Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company is not in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other material instrument or agreement to which it is a party or by which it is or its property is bound and neither the execution, nor the delivery by the Company, nor the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement or any of the exhibits or attachments hereto will conflict with or result in the breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default or result in the creation or imposition of any lien or charge on any assets or properties of the Company under its Certificate of Incorporation, By-Laws, any material indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other material agreement applicable to the Company or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, or any statute, or any decree, judgment, order, rules or regulation of any court or governmental agency or