Huya (HUYA) Risk Analysis

The internet industry in China is highly regulated. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Internet Information Services,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Internet Publication and Cultural Products,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Online Music and Entertainment” and “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Online Transmission of Audio—Visual Programs.” For example, an internet information service provider shall obtain an operating license, or the ICP License, from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or MIIT, or its local counterparts before engaging in any commercial internet information services. Our PRC variable interest entity, Guangzhou Huya Information Technology Co., Ltd., or Guangzhou Huya, has obtained a valid ICP License for provision of internet information services, a radio and television program production and operating permit, a commercial performance license and an internet culture operation license for music products. Under the Administrative Provisions for the Internet Audio-Video Program Service, or the Audio-Visual Provisions, promulgated by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, or SARFT, and the MIIT, providers of internet audio-visual program services are required to obtain a license for online transmission of audio-visual programs, or the Audio-Visual License, issued by SARFT, or complete certain registration procedures with SARFT. In August 2018, the National Office of Anti-Pornography and Illegal Publication, or the NOAPIP, the MIIT, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Radio and Television Administration and the Cyberspace Administration of China, jointly issued the Notice on Strengthen the Management of Live Streaming Service, which requires internet live streaming providers involving internet audio-visual program live streaming services to obtain the Audio-Visual License and complete certain registration procedures with the local public security authority. According to a notice issued by the Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the Guangdong Province on September 26, 2016, or Guangdong Province Letter, only live streaming services covering (i) major political, military, economics, social, cultural, sports activities or reality event streaming or (ii) activities such as general social cultural activities or sports events are required to apply for an Audio-Visual License. The Guangdong Province Letter further stated that live streaming platforms offering online shows, online games and online drama performances are not required to obtain an Audio-Visual License. We are advised by our PRC legal counsel, Commerce & Finance Law Offices, that Audio-Visual License is not required for our live streaming business. Currently, we allow broadcasters to upload their recorded video clips to our platform. We also selectively record and edit live streaming gameplays of certain popular broadcasters and turn them into video clip highlights. Streaming those videos on our platform may be regarded as providing internet audio-video program service. Although we currently hold an Audio-Visual License, this may not be sufficient to meet regulatory requirements given the uncertainties with the interpretation and implementation of existing and future laws and regulations. If our practice of offering video clips is deemed as violating the Audio-Visual Provisions, our ability to expand our business scope may be limited and we may be subject to fines or other regulatory actions by relevant regulators. Moreover, we may be required to obtain additional licenses or approvals for our video clip services if the PRC government adopts more stringent policies or regulations on online video clips offerings. As we further develop and expand our video service offerings, we may need to obtain additional qualifications, permits, approvals or licenses. As the internet industry in China is still at a relatively early stage of development, new laws and regulations may be adopted from time to time to address new issues that come to the authorities’ attention. Considerable uncertainties still exist with respect to the interpretation and implementation of existing and future laws and regulations governing our business activities. We cannot assure you that we will not be found in violation of any future laws and regulations or any of the laws and regulations currently in effect due to changes in the relevant authorities’ interpretation of these laws and regulations. In addition, we may be required to obtain additional licenses or approvals, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to timely obtain or maintain all of the required licenses or approvals or make all of the necessary filings in the future. If we fail to obtain or maintain any of the required licenses or approvals or make the necessary filings, we may be subject to various penalties, such as confiscation of the net revenues that were generated through the unlicensed internet activities, the imposition of fines and the discontinuation or restriction of our operations. Any such penalties may disrupt our business operations and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The PRC government has promulgated, in recent years, intensified regulations, rules, or guidelines on various aspects of the internet industry in China. For example, the PRC government adopted more stringent policies to monitor the online games industry due to negative public perception of addiction to online games, including policies for the protection of minors. On April 15, 2007, eight PRC government authorities, including the General Administration of Press and Publication, or the GAPP, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Security and the MIIT, issued a notice requiring all Chinese online game operators to adopt an “anti-fatigue system” in an effort to curb addiction to online games by minors. On October 25, 2019, the National Press and Publication Administration (the National Copyright Administration) issued the Circular of the National Press and Publication Administration on Preventing Minors from Developing Online Game Addictions, which took effect on November 1, 2019. The circular strictly controls the time slot and duration of online game use by minors. From 10:00 PM every day to 8:00 AM the next day, online game enterprises shall not provide game services for minors in any form. The duration of game services provided by online game enterprises for minors shall not exceed a cumulative total of three hours a day on statutory holidays or 1.5 hours on other days. If these restrictions expand to apply to adult game players in the future, it may lead to a decrease in the number or engagement of game players, which could adversely affect our game live streaming service and have a material effect on our results of operations. Furthermore, as of October 1, 2011, online game players in China are required to register and verify their names and identity card numbers with the National Citizen Identity Information Center, a subordinate public institution of the Ministry of Public Security, before playing an online game. In August 2018, the National Office of Anti-Pornography and Illegal Publication, or the NOAPIP, the MIIT, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Radio and Television Administration and the Cyberspace Administration of China, jointly issued the Notice on Strengthen the Management of Live Streaming Service, which required the real-name registration system for users to be put in place by live streaming service providers. If this real-name registration system leads to a decrease in the number or engagement of game players, our results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. In addition, according to the Administrative Measures for Business Activities of Online Performances, or the Measures, issued by Ministry of Culture and Tourism on December 2, 2016 and took effect on January 1, 2017, online performance shall not use any online game product without content examination and approval number or filing number issued by competent administrative cultural authorities to present or narrate online game skills. Failure to abide by the Measures may result in substantial monetary fines. In cases of serious offense, online platforms may be ordered to cease its business for rectification or even have its Internet Culture Business Permit revoked. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Anti-fatigue Compliance System and Real-name Registration System.” On November 12,2020, the National Radio and Television Administration promulgated the Notice on Strengthening the Administration of the Online Show Live Streaming and E-commerce Live Streaming (“Notice 78”), which sets forth registration requirements for platforms providing online show live streaming or e-commerce live streaming to have their information and business operations registered by November 30, 2020. Notice 78 also set forth requirements for certain live streaming businesses with respect to real-name registration, limits on user spending on virtual gifting, restrictions on minors on virtual gifting, live stream review personnel requirements, content tagging requirements, and other requirements. For example, Notice 78 requires live streaming platforms to set a limit to the amount of virtual gifts a user can send per day and per month, as well as the amount that can be gifted at any one time. However, there is currently no clear guidance as to what limits on virtual gifting spending will be imposed by the National Radio and Television Administration pursuant to Notice 78 and it is unclear how and to what degree any such limits would be imposed on different platforms. Furthermore, on February 9, 2021, the NOAPIP, the MIIT, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, or MCT (previously known as the Ministry of Culture), the National Radio and Television Administration, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the SAMR, jointly issued the Guiding Opinions on Strengthening the Management of Online Live Streaming (“Opinions 3”), which strengthens the positive guidance and management of the online broadcast industry, including standardizing the behavior of virtual gifting and promoting the classification of the live streaming accounts. For example, Opinions 3 requires live streaming platforms to reasonably limit the maximum amount of a single virtual gift and a single virtual gifting per time to remind the users whose daily consumption amount has triggered the corresponding threshold, and to set necessary cooling off period and deferred payment period. We are still in the process of obtaining further guidance from regulatory authorities and evaluating the applicability and effect of the various requirements under Notice 78 and Opinions 3 on our business. Any limits on user spending on virtual gifting ultimately imposed may negatively impact our revenues derived from virtual gifting and our results of operations. Any further rulemaking under Notice 78, Opinions 3 or other intensified regulation with respect to live streaming may increase our compliance burden in the live streaming business, and may have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations. In addition, as the internet industry in China is still at a relatively early stage of development, new laws and regulations, rules or guidelines may be adopted from time to time to address new issues that come to the authorities’ attention. Some new laws, regulations, rules, or guidelines have or may in the future put additional restrictions on our users, broadcasters, content, product or service offerings, and may negatively impact our businesses, results of operations, or financial condition. For example, we are subject to a variety of regulatory restrictions concerning the age limit for broadcasters, as well as restrictions on our products’ features. The existing and future regulations rules and guidelines that could affect us are beyond our control, and their potential impact on us is difficult to predict. We may incur substantial financial, operational and managerial costs in response to and in anticipation to the relevant regulatory and policy risks, and we may not be able to effectively predict, estimate or manage those risks in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Furthermore, we may not timely obtain or maintain all the required licenses or approvals or to satisfy all the requirements posed by the authorities in the future. We also cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain the required licenses or approvals or to satisfy all the requirements posed by the authorities if we plan to expand into other internet businesses. If we fail to timely obtain or maintain any of the required licenses or approvals, we may be subject to various penalties, which may disrupt our business operations or derail our business strategy, and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. See “—If we fail to obtain and maintain the licenses and approvals required under the complex regulatory environment for internet—based businesses in China, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Internet Information Services,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Internet Publication and Cultural Products,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Online Music and Entertainment” and “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Online Transmission of Audio—Visual Programs.”

We are subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the SEC, which is charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and the various regulatory authorities in China and the Cayman Islands, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law. Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalties and our business may be harmed.

On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress approved the Foreign Investment Law, which came into effect on January 1, 2020 and replaced the trio of original laws regulating foreign investment in China, namely, the Sino-foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law, the Sino-foreign Cooperative Joint Venture Enterprise Law and the Wholly Foreign-invested Enterprise Law, together with their implementation rules and ancillary regulations. The Foreign Investment Law embodies an expected PRC regulatory trend to rationalize its foreign investment regulatory regime in line with prevailing international practice and the legislative efforts to unify the corporate legal requirements for both foreign and domestic investments. However, since it is relatively new, uncertainties still exist in relation to its interpretation and implementation. For instance, under the Foreign Investment Law, “foreign investment” refers to the investment activities directly or indirectly conducted by foreign individuals, enterprises or other entities in China. Though it does not explicitly classify contractual arrangements as a form of foreign investment, there is no assurance that foreign investment via contractual arrangement would not be interpreted as a type of indirect foreign investment activities under the definition in the future. In addition, the definition contains a catch-all provision which includes investments made by foreign investors through means stipulated in laws or administrative regulations or other methods prescribed by the State Council. Therefore, it still leaves leeway for future laws, administrative regulations or provisions promulgated by the State Council to provide for contractual arrangements as a form of foreign investment. In any of these cases, it will be uncertain whether our contractual arrangements will be deemed to be in violation of the market access requirements for foreign investment under the PRC laws and regulations. Furthermore, if future laws, administrative regulations or provisions prescribed by the State Council mandate further actions to be taken by companies with respect to existing contractual arrangements, we may face substantial uncertainties as to whether we can complete such actions in a timely manner, or at all. Failure to take timely and appropriate measures to cope with any of these or similar regulatory compliance challenges could materially and adversely affect our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations.

Current PRC laws and regulations impose certain restrictions or prohibitions on foreign ownership of companies that engage in internet and other related businesses, including the provision of internet content. Specifically, foreign ownership of an internet content provider may not exceed 50%. We are an exempted company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and Guangzhou Huya Technology Co., Ltd., or Huya Technology, our wholly owned PRC subsidiary, is considered a foreign invested enterprise. To comply with PRC laws and regulations, we conduct our business in China through our variable interest entity, Guangzhou Huya, and its subsidiaries, based on a series of contractual arrangements by and among Huya Technology, Guangzhou Huya and its shareholders. As a result of these contractual arrangements, we exert control over our variable interest entity and its subsidiaries and consolidate or combine their operating results in our financial statements under U.S. GAAP. Our variable interest entity holds the licenses, approvals and key assets that are essential for our business operations. In addition, in 2009, the GAPP and other government authorities have issued the Notice on Further Strengthening the Administration of Pre-examination and Approval of Online Games and the Examination and Approval of Imported Online Games, or Circular 13, which prohibits the foreign investors to invest in online game-operating business in China, including by way of variable interest entity structural similar to the one we adopted. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Regulation on Online Games and Foreign Ownership Restrictions.” We are not an online game operating business subject to such prohibition, nor are we aware of any companies that have adopted a corporate structure that is the same as or similar to ours having been penalized or terminated due to such prohibition. However, if the government deems otherwise, and if we, our PRC subsidiary or variable interest entity are found to be in violation of the prohibition under Circular 13, the GAPP, in conjunction with the relevant regulatory authorities in charge, may impose applicable penalties, which in the most serious cases may include suspension or revocation of relevant licenses and registrations. In the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, Commerce & Finance Law Offices, based on its understanding of the relevant PRC laws and regulations, each of the contracts among our PRC subsidiary, our variable interest entity and its shareholders is valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms. There are, however, substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current or future PRC laws and regulations. Thus, we cannot assure you that the PRC government will not take a view contrary to the opinion of our PRC legal counsel. If we are found in violation of any PRC laws or regulations or if the contractual arrangements among Huya Technology, Guangzhou Huya and its shareholders are determined as illegal or invalid by the PRC court, arbitral tribunal or regulatory authorities, the relevant governmental authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such violation, including, without limitation: • revoke our business and operating licenses; • levy fines on us; • confiscate any of our income that they deem to be obtained through illegal operations; • require us to discontinue or restrict operations; • restrict our right to collect revenues; • block our mobile apps, websites, or PC clients; • require us to restructure the operations in such a way as to compel us to establish a new enterprise, re-apply for the necessary licenses or relocate our businesses, staff and assets; • impose additional conditions or requirements with which we may not be able to comply; or • take other regulatory or enforcement actions against us that could be harmful to our business. The imposition of any of these penalties may result in a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct the business. In addition, if the imposition of any of these penalties causes us to lose the rights to direct the activities of our variable interest entity and its subsidiaries or the right to receive their economic benefits, we would no longer be able to consolidate our variable interest entity and its subsidiaries. We do not believe that any penalties imposed or actions taken by the PRC government would result in the liquidation of the Company, Huya Technology, Guangzhou Huya and its subsidiaries.

The PRC legal system is based on written statutes where prior court decisions have limited value as precedents. Our PRC subsidiary, Huya Technology, is a foreign-invested enterprise and is subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign-invested enterprises as well as various Chinese laws and regulations generally applicable to companies incorporated in China. However, since these laws and regulations are relatively new and the PRC legal system continues to rapidly evolve, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties. From time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules that may have retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. Such uncertainties, including uncertainty over the scope and effect of our contractual, property (including intellectual property) and procedural rights, could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations.

Pursuant to the equity interest pledge agreements between Guangzhou Huya, our variable interest entity, and Huya Technology, our wholly-owned PRC subsidiary, and the shareholders of Guangzhou Huya, each shareholder of Guangzhou Huya agrees to pledge its equity interests in Guangzhou Huya to our subsidiary to secure Guangzhou Huya’s performance of its obligations under the relevant contractual arrangements. The equity interest pledges of shareholders of variable interest entity under these equity pledge agreements have been registered with the relevant local branch of the State Administration for Market Regulation, or the SAMR, which was previously known as the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. In addition, in the registration forms of the local branch of SAMR for the pledges over the equity interests under the equity interest pledge agreements, the aggregate amount of registered equity interests pledged to Huya Technology represents 100% of the registered capital of Guangzhou Huya. The equity interest pledge agreements with our VIE’s shareholders provide that the pledged equity interest shall constitute continuing security for any and all of the indebtedness, obligations and liabilities under all of the principal service agreements and the scope of pledge shall not be limited by the amount of the registered capital of that variable interest entity. However, it is possible that a PRC court may take the position that the amount listed on the equity pledge registration forms represents the full amount of the collateral that has been registered and perfected. If this is the case, the obligations that are supposed to be secured in the equity interest pledge agreements in excess of the amount listed on the equity pledge registration forms could be determined by the PRC court as unsecured debt, which takes last priority among creditors.

In December 2012, the SEC brought administrative proceedings against the PRC-based Big Four accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, alleging that they had violated U.S. securities laws by failing to provide audit work papers and other documents related to certain other PRC-based companies under investigation by the SEC. On January 22, 2014, an initial administrative law decision was issued, censuring and suspending these accounting firms from practicing before the SEC for a period of six months. The decision was neither final nor legally effective until reviewed and approved by the SEC, and on February 12, 2014, the PRC-based accounting firms appealed to the SEC against this decision. In February 2015, each of the four PRC-based accounting firms agreed to a censure and to pay a fine to the SEC to settle the dispute and avoid suspension of their ability to practice before the SEC. The settlement required the firms to follow detailed procedures to seek to provide the SEC with access to such firms’ audit documents via the CSRC. If the firms did not follow these procedures or if there is a failure in the process between the SEC and the CSRC, the SEC could impose penalties such as suspensions, or it could restart the administrative proceedings. Under the terms of the settlement, the underlying proceeding against the four PRC-based accounting firms was deemed dismissed with prejudice four years after entry of the settlement. The four-year mark occurred on February 6, 2019. While we cannot predict if the SEC will further challenge the four PRC-based accounting firms’ compliance with U.S. law in connection with U.S. regulatory requests for audit work papers or if the results of such challenge would result in the SEC imposing penalties such as suspensions. In the event that the PRC-based Big Four accounting firms become subject to additional legal challenges by the SEC or PCAOB, depending upon the final outcome, listed companies in the United States with major PRC operations may find it difficult or impossible to retain auditors in respect of their operations in the PRC, which could result in financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, including possible delisting. Moreover, any negative news about the proceedings against these audit firms may cause investor uncertainty regarding PRC-based, United States-listed companies and the market price of our ADSs may be adversely affected. If our independent registered public accounting firm was denied, even temporarily, the ability to practice before the SEC and we were unable to timely find another registered public accounting firm to audit and issue an opinion on our financial statements, our financial statements could be determined not to be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act. Such a determination could ultimately lead to the delisting of our Class A ordinary shares from the NYSE or deregistration from the SEC, or both, which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of our ADSs in the United States.

We are an offshore holding company conducting our operations in China through our PRC subsidiary, variable interest entity and its subsidiaries. We may make loans to our PRC subsidiary, variable interest entity and its subsidiaries, or we may make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary. Any loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries, which are treated as foreign-invested enterprises under PRC law, are subject to PRC regulations and foreign exchange loan registrations. For example, loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries to finance its activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the competent local counterpart of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC, or SAFE, or filed with SAFE in its information system. We may also decide to finance our PRC subsidiaries by means of capital contributions. These capital contributions must be filed with the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC, or MOFCOM, and the State Administration for Market Regulation of the PRC, or SAMR, or their local counterparts. Due to the restrictions imposed on loans in foreign currencies extended to any PRC domestic companies, we are not likely to make such loans to our VIEs, which are PRC domestic companies. Further, we are not likely to finance the activities of our VIEs by means of capital contributions due to regulatory restrictions relating to foreign investment in PRC domestic enterprises engaged in internet content services. Pursuant to the Circular on the Reforming of the Management Method of the Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 19 which became effective on June 1, 2015 and the Circular of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming and Regulating Policies on the Control over Foreign Exchange Settlement of Capital Accounts, or SAFE Circular 16 which was promulgated in June 2016, foreign-invested enterprises may either continue to follow the current payment-based foreign currency settlement system or choose to follow the “conversion-at-will” system for foreign currency settlement. SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16, therefore, have substantially lifted the restrictions on the usage by a foreign-invested enterprise of its Renminbi registered capital, foreign debt and repatriated funds raised through overseas listing converted from foreign currencies. According to SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16, such Renminbi capital, foreign debt and repatriated funds raised through overseas listing may be used at the discretion of the foreign-invested enterprise and SAFE will eliminate the prior approval requirement and only examine the authenticity of the declared usage afterwards. Nevertheless, it is still not clear whether foreign-invested enterprises like our PRC subsidiaries are allowed to extend intercompany loans to our VIEs. In addition, SAFE promulgated the Circular Regarding Further Promotion of the Facilitation of Cross- Border Trade and Investment on October 23, 2019, or SAFE Circular 28, pursuant to which all foreign-invested enterprises can make equity investments in the PRC with their capital funds in accordance with the law. As SAFE Circular 28 is new and the relevant government authorities have broad discretion in interpreting the regulation, it is unclear whether SAFE will permit such capital funds to be used for equity investments in the PRC in actual practice. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation—Regulations on Foreign Exchange.” In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary registration or obtain the necessary approval on a timely basis, or at all. If we fail to complete the necessary registration or obtain the necessary approval, our ability to make loans or equity contributions to our PRC subsidiary may be negatively affected, which could adversely affect our PRC subsidiary’s liquidity and its ability to fund its working capital and expansion projects and meet its obligations and commitments.

We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. We rely on dividends from our PRC subsidiary which in turn relies on consulting and other fees paid by our PRC variable interest entity for our cash and financing requirements, such as the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders, including holders of our ADSs, and service any debt we may incur. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiary to pay dividends to us only out of their accumulated after-tax profits upon satisfaction of relevant statutory condition and procedures, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. In addition, each of our PRC subsidiary is required to set aside at least 10% of its accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds until the total amount set aside reaches 50% of its registered capital. As of December 31, 2020, we made appropriations of RMB122.4 million (US$18.8 million) to statutory reserves. Furthermore, if our PRC subsidiary, variable interest entity and its subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us, which may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements. In addition, the EIT Law, and its implementation rules provide that withholding tax rate of 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC-resident enterprises are incorporated. As of December 31, 2020, the undistributed earnings and reserves of our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities located in the PRC are considered to be indefinitely reinvested, because we do not have any present plan to pay cash dividends on our common shares in the foreseeable future and intends to retain most of our available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation and expansion of our business.

Pursuant to SAFE Circular 37, PRC residents who participate in share incentive plans in overseas non-publicly-listed companies may submit applications to SAFE or its local branches for the foreign exchange registration with respect to offshore special purpose companies. In the meantime, our directors, executive officers and other employees who are PRC citizens or who are non-PRC residents residing in the PRC for a continuous period of not less than one year, subject to limited exceptions, and who have been granted incentive share awards by us, may follow the Notices on Issues Concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Publicly-Listed Company, or 2012 SAFE notices, promulgated by the SAFE in 2012. Pursuant to the 2012 SAFE notices, PRC citizens and non-PRC citizens who reside in China for a continuous period of not less than one year who participate in any stock incentive plan of an overseas publicly listed company, subject to a few exceptions, are required to register with SAFE through a domestic qualified agent, which could be the PRC subsidiaries of such overseas listed company, and complete certain other procedures. In addition, an overseas entrusted institution must be retained to handle matters in connection with the exercise or sale of stock options and the purchase or sale of shares and interests. We and our executive officers and other employees who are PRC citizens or who reside in the PRC for a continuous period of not less than one year and who have been granted options are subject to these regulations when our company became an overseas listed company. Failure to complete the SAFE registrations may subject them to fines, and legal sanctions and may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital into our PRC subsidiary and limit our PRC subsidiary’s ability to distribute dividends to us. We also face regulatory uncertainties that could restrict our ability to adopt additional incentive plans for our directors, executive officers and employees under PRC law. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Regulation of Foreign Currency Exchange and Dividend Distribution—Stock Option Rules.” The SAT has issued certain circulars concerning employee share options and restricted shares. Under these circulars, our employees working in China who exercise share options or are granted restricted shares will be subject to PRC individual income tax. Our PRC subsidiary has obligations to file documents related to employee share options or restricted shares with relevant tax authorities and to withhold individual income taxes of those employees who exercise their share options. If our employees fail to pay or we fail to withhold their income taxes according to relevant laws and regulations, we may face sanctions imposed by the tax authorities or other PRC governmental authorities. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Regulation of Foreign Currency Exchange and Dividend Distribution—Stock Option Rules.”

While participating on our platform, our users acquire, purchase and accumulate some virtual assets, such as gifts or certain status. Such virtual assets can be important to users and have monetary value and, in some cases, are sold for actual money. In practice, virtual assets can be lost for various reasons, often through unauthorized use of the user account of one user by other users and occasionally through data loss caused by delay of network service, network crash or hacking activities. Other than the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China, which was passed by the National People’s Congress on May 28, 2020 and took effect on January 1, 2021, and prescribes that network virtual property will be protected according to the laws and regulations stipulating the protection of such property, the Chinese government has not yet enacted any specific laws regarding virtual property rights. As a result, there is uncertainty as to who the legal owner of virtual assets is, whether and how the ownership of virtual assets is protected by law, and whether an operator of live streaming platform such as us would have any liability, whether in contract, tort or otherwise, to users or other interested parties, for loss of such virtual assets. Based on recent PRC court judgments, the courts have typically held online platform operators liable for losses of virtual assets by platform users, and ordered online platform operators to return the lost virtual items to users or pay damages and losses. In case of a loss of virtual assets, we may be sued by our users and held liable for damages, which may negatively affect our reputation and business, financial condition and results of operations.

The PRC government extensively regulates the internet industry, including foreign ownership of, and the licensing and permit requirements pertaining to, companies in the internet industry. These internet-related laws and regulations are relatively new and evolving, and their interpretation and enforcement involve significant uncertainty. As a result, in certain circumstances it may be difficult to determine what actions or omissions may be deemed to be in violations of applicable laws and regulations. Issues, risks and uncertainties relating to PRC regulation of the internet business include, but are not limited to, the following: • We only have contractual control over our platform. Guangzhou Huya, our PRC variable interest entity, owns our platform due to the restriction of foreign investment in businesses providing value-added telecommunication services in China, including internet content provision services. If Guangzhou Huya breaches its contractual arrangements with us and no longer remains under our control, this may significantly disrupt our business, subject us to sanctions, compromise enforceability of related contractual arrangements, or have other harmful effects on us. • There are uncertainties relating to the regulation of the internet business in China, including evolving licensing practices and the requirement for real-name registrations and its implementation in actual practice. Permits, licenses or operations at some of our subsidiaries and PRC variable interest entity levels may be subject to challenge, or we may fail to obtain permits or licenses that may be deemed necessary for our operations or we may not be able to obtain or renew certain permits or licenses. See “Risks Related to Our Business and Our Industry-If we fail to obtain and maintain the licenses and approvals required under the complex regulatory environment for internet-based businesses in China, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Internet Information Services,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Internet Publication and Cultural Products,” “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Online Music and Entertainment” and “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Online Transmission of Audio-Visual Programs.” In addition, if we were required to implement real-name registration system on our platform with stricter and higher standards, we may lose large numbers of registered user accounts for various reasons, because users may no longer maintain multiple accounts and users who dislike giving out their private information may cease to use our products and services altogether. • The evolving PRC regulatory system for the internet industry may lead to the establishment of new regulatory agencies. For example, in May 2011, the State Council announced the establishment of a new department, the State Internet Information Office (now known as the Cyberspace Administration of China or Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission). The primary role of this new agency is to facilitate the policy-making and legislative development in this field to direct and coordinate with the relevant departments in connection with online content administration and to deal with cross-ministry regulatory matters in relation to the internet industry. We are unable to determine what policies this new agency or any new agencies to be established in the future may have or how they may interpret existing laws, regulations and policies and how they may affect us. Further, new laws, regulations or policies may be promulgated or announced that will regulate internet activities, including online video and online advertising businesses. If these new laws, regulations or policies are promulgated, additional licenses may be required for our operations. If our operations do not comply with these new regulations after they become effective, or if we fail to obtain any licenses required under these new laws and regulations, we could be subject to penalties. The interpretation and application of existing PRC laws, regulations and policies and possible new laws, regulations or policies relating to the internet industry have created substantial uncertainties regarding the legality of existing and future foreign investments in, and the businesses and activities of, internet businesses in China, including our business. There are also risks that we may be found to violate the existing or future laws and regulations given the uncertainty and complexity of China’s regulation of internet business. If we were to be involved in anti-monopoly and competition laws and regulations related scrutiny or action, governmental agencies and regulators may, among other things, prohibit future acquisitions, divestitures, or combinations we plan to make, impose significant fines or penalties, require divestiture of certain of our assets, or impose other restrictions that limit or require us to modify our operations. See “—Risks Related to the Proposed Merger with DouYu—Failure to complete the proposed Merger with DouYu, in a timely manner or at all, could disrupt our business plan and operations and have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our ADSs.” The anti-monopoly regulators may also issue implementation rules or guidelines from time to time to reinforce their regulation on certain industrial sectors. For instance, on February 7, 2021, the Anti-monopoly Committee of the State Council published the Guideline on Anti-monopoly of Platform Economy Sector, or the Guideline, which became effective on the same day, aiming at enhancing anti-monopoly administration on businesses that operate under the platform model and the overall platform economy. The Guideline intends to regulate abuse of a dominant position and other anti-competitive practices by online platform operators and the related merchants and service providers on online platforms, i.e. unfairly locking in exclusive agreements with merchants and targeting specific customers with unreasonable big-data driven tailored pricing through their online behavior to eliminate or limit market competition. As of the date of this document, we have not been subject to any regulatory actions or investigations in connection with anti-monopoly and we do not expect that the Guideline will have a material impact on our business. However, as the Guideline is newly enacted, there remains uncertainties as to how the Guideline will be implemented, and we cannot assure you that the governmental authorities will not take an opposite opinion. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with the Guideline and other anti-monopoly laws and regulations may result in governmental investigations or enforcement actions, litigation or claims against us and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to Domestic Resident’s Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, in July 2014 that requires PRC residents or entities to register with SAFE or its local branch in connection with their establishment or control of an offshore entity established for the purpose of overseas investment or financing. In addition, such PRC residents or entities must update their SAFE registrations when the offshore special purpose vehicle undergoes material events relating to any change of basic information (including change of such PRC citizens or residents, name and operation term), increases or decreases in investment amount, transfers or exchanges of shares, or mergers or divisions. According to the Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving Policies for the Foreign Exchange Administration of Direct Investment released on February 13, 2015 and amended on December 30, 2019 by the SAFE, local banks will examine and handle foreign exchange registration for overseas direct investment, including the initial foreign exchange registration and amendment registration, under SAFE Circular 37 from June 1, 2015. If our shareholders who are PRC residents or entities do not complete their registration with the local SAFE branches, our PRC subsidiary may be prohibited from distributing their profits and proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation to us, and we may be restricted in our ability to contribute additional capital to our PRC subsidiary. Moreover, failure to comply with the SAFE registration described above could result in liability under PRC laws for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions. We may not at all times be fully aware or informed of the identities of all our shareholders or beneficial owners that are required to make such registrations, and we cannot compel our beneficial owners to comply with SAFE registration requirements. As a result, we cannot assure you that all of our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents or entities have complied with, and will in the future make or obtain any applicable registrations or approvals required by, SAFE regulations. Failure by such shareholders or beneficial owners to comply with SAFE regulations, or failure by us to amend the foreign exchange registrations of our PRC subsidiary, could subject us to fines or legal sanctions, restrict our overseas or cross-border investment activities, limit our subsidiaries’ ability to make distributions or pay dividends or affect our ownership structure, which could adversely affect our business and prospects.

The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, and other recently adopted regulations and rules concerning mergers and acquisitions established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time consuming and complex. For example, the M&A Rules require that MOFCOM be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise, if (i) any important industry is concerned, (ii) such transaction involves factors that impact or may impact national economic security, or (iii) such transaction will lead to a change in control of a domestic enterprise which holds a famous trademark or PRC time-honored brand. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law promulgated by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress effective 2008 requires that transactions which are deemed concentrations and involve parties with specified turnover thresholds (i.e., during the previous fiscal year, (i) the total global turnover of all operators participating in the transaction exceeds RMB10 billion and at least two of these operators each had a turnover of more than RMB400 million within China, or (ii) the total turnover within China of all the operators participating in the concentration exceeded RMB2 billion, and at least two of these operators each had a turnover of more than RMB400 million within China) must be cleared by SAMR before they can be completed. In addition, in 2011, the General Office of the State Council promulgated a Notice on Establishing the Security Review System for Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, also known as Circular 6, which officially established a security review system for mergers and acquisitions of domestic enterprises by foreign investors. Further, MOFCOM promulgated the Regulations on Implementation of Security Review System for the Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, effective 2011, to implement Circular 6. Under Circular 6, a security review is required for mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors having “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions by which foreign investors may acquire the “de facto control” of domestic enterprises with “national security” concerns. Under the foregoing MOFCOM regulations, MOFCOM will focus on the substance and actual impact of the transaction when deciding whether a specific merger or acquisition is subject to security review. If MOFCOM decides that a specific merger or acquisition is subject to a security review, it will submit it to the Inter-Ministerial Panel, an authority established under Circular 6 led by the National Development and Reform Commission, and MOFCOM under the leadership of the State Council, to carry out security review. The regulations prohibit foreign investors from bypassing the security review by structuring transactions through trusts, indirect investments, leases, loans, control through contractual arrangements or offshore transactions. There is no explicit provision or official interpretation stating that the merging or acquisition of a company engaged in the internet content or mobile games business requires security review, and there is no requirement that acquisitions completed prior to the promulgation of the Security Review Circular are subject to MOFCOM review. As of the date of this annual report, our proposed Merger with DouYu is still under the SAMR merger control review. In the future, we may grow our business by acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned regulations and other relevant rules to complete such transactions could be time consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from MOFCOM or its local counterparts may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions. We believe that it is unlikely that our business would be deemed to be in an industry that raises “national defense and security” or “national security” concerns. However, MOFCOM or other government agencies may publish explanations in the future determining that our business is in an industry subject to the security review, in which case our future acquisitions in China, including those by way of entering into contractual control arrangements with target entities, may be closely scrutinized or prohibited.

We will be a “passive foreign investment company,” or “PFIC,” if, in any particular taxable year, either (a) 75% or more of our gross income for such year consists of certain types of “passive” income or (b) 50% or more of the average quarterly value of our assets (generally as determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year produce or are held for the production of passive income. Although the law in this regard is unclear, we intend to treat our variable interest entity (including its subsidiaries) as being owned by us for United States federal income tax purposes, not only because we exercise effective control over the operation of such entities but also because we are entitled to substantially all of their economic benefits, and, as a result, we consolidate their results of operations in our consolidated financial statements. Assuming that we are the owner of our variable interest entity (including its subsidiaries) for United States federal income tax purposes, and based upon our current and expected income and assets, we do not believe we were a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2020, and we do not expect to be a PFIC for the current taxable year or in the foreseeable future. While we do not expect to be or become a PFIC in the current or future taxable years, the determination of whether we are or will become a PFIC will depend in part upon the value of our assets, including goodwill and other unbooked intangibles (which will depend upon the market price of our ADSs from time-to-time, which may be volatile). We cannot assure you of our PFIC status for any taxable year. The determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC will also depend, in part, on the composition of our income and assets. If we determine not to deploy significant amounts of cash for active purposes or if it were determined that we do not own the stock of our variable interest entity for United States federal income tax purposes, our risk of being a PFIC may substantially increase. Because PFIC status is a factual determination made annually after the close of each taxable year, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC for the current taxable year or any future taxable year. If we are a PFIC in any taxable year, a U.S. holder (as defined in “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations”) may incur significantly increased United States income tax on gain recognized on the sale or other disposition of the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares and on the receipt of distributions on the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares to the extent such gain or distribution is treated as an “excess distribution” under the United States federal income tax rules and such holder may be subject to burdensome reporting requirements. Further, if we are a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. holder holds our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, we generally will continue to be treated as a PFIC for all succeeding years during which such U.S. holder holds our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. For more information, see “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”

Under the PRC enterprise income tax law that became effective on January 1, 2008, an enterprise established outside the PRC with “de facto management bodies” within the PRC is considered a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes and is generally subject to a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on its worldwide income. On April 22, 2009, the State Administration of Taxation, or the SAT, issued the Notice Regarding the Determination of Chinese-Controlled Overseas Incorporated Enterprises as PRC Tax Resident Enterprise on the Basis of De Facto Management Bodies, or SAT Circular 82, which provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a PRC-controlled enterprise that is incorporated offshore is located in China. Further to SAT Circular 82, on July 27, 2011, the SAT issued the Administrative Measures of Enterprise Income Tax of Chinese-Controlled Offshore Incorporated Resident Enterprises (Trial), or SAT Bulletin 45, which became effective on September 1, 2011 and was amended in June 2015, June 2016 and June 2018, to provide more guidance on the implementation of SAT Circular 82. According to SAT Circular 82, an offshore incorporated enterprise controlled by a PRC enterprise or a PRC enterprise group will be considered a PRC tax resident enterprise by virtue of having its “de facto management body” in China and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its worldwide income only if all of the following conditions are met: (a) the senior management and core management departments in charge of its daily operations function have their presence mainly in the PRC; (b) its financial and human resources decisions are subject to determination or approval by persons or bodies in the PRC; (c) its major assets, accounting books, company seals, and minutes and files of its board and shareholders’ meetings are located or kept in the PRC; and (d) not less than half of the enterprise’s directors or senior management with voting rights habitually reside in the PRC. SAT Bulletin 45 further clarifies the resident status determination, post-determination administration as well as competent tax authorities. Although SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 only apply to offshore incorporated enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise group instead of those controlled by PRC individuals or foreigners, Commerce & Finance Law Offices, our legal counsel as to PRC law, has advised us that the determination criteria set forth therein may reflect SAT’s general position on how the term “de facto management body” could be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises, individuals or foreigners. We do not meet all of the conditions above; therefore, we believe that we should not be treated as a “resident enterprise” for PRC tax purposes even if the standards for “de facto management body” prescribed in the SAT Circular 82 are applicable to us. For example, our minutes and files of the resolutions of our board of directors and the resolutions of our shareholders are maintained outside the PRC. However, it is possible that the PRC tax authorities may take a different view. Commerce & Finance Law Offices, our legal counsel as to PRC law, has advised us that if the PRC tax authorities determine that our Cayman Islands holding company is a PRC resident enterprise for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, our world-wide income could be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 25%, which could reduce our net income. In addition, we will also be subject to PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. Although dividends paid by one PRC tax resident to another PRC tax resident should qualify as “tax-exempt income” under the enterprise income tax law, we cannot assure you that dividends by our PRC subsidiary to our Cayman Islands holding company will not be subject to a 10% withholding tax, as the PRC foreign exchange control authorities, which enforce the withholding tax on dividends, and the PRC tax authorities have not yet issued guidance with respect to the processing of outbound remittances to entities that are treated as resident enterprises for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Non-PRC resident ADS holders may also be subject to PRC withholding tax on dividends paid by us and PRC tax on gains realized on the sale or other disposition of ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, if such income is sourced from within the PRC. The tax would be imposed at the rate of 10% in the case of non-PRC resident enterprise holders and 20% in the case of non-PRC resident individual holders. In the case of dividends, we would be required to withhold the tax at source. Any PRC tax liability may be reduced under applicable tax treaties or similar arrangements. Although our holding company is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, it remains unclear whether dividends received and gains realized by our non-PRC resident ADS holders will be regarded as income from sources within the PRC if we are classified as a PRC resident enterprise. Any such tax will reduce the returns on your investment in our ADSs Finally, we face uncertainties on the reporting and consequences on private equity financing transactions, private share transfers and share exchange involving the transfer of shares in our company by non-resident investors. According to the Notice on Several Issues Concerning Enterprise Income Tax for Indirect Share Transfer by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises, issued by the PRC State Administration of Taxation on February 3, 2015, or SAT Circular 7, an “indirect transfer” of assets of a PRC resident enterprise, including a transfer of equity interests in a non-PRC holding company of a PRC resident enterprise, by non-PRC resident enterprises may be re-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of PRC taxable properties, if such transaction lacks reasonable commercial purpose and was undertaken for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC enterprise income tax. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax, and tax filing or withholding obligations may be triggered, depending on the nature of the PRC taxable properties being transferred. According to SAT Circular 7, “PRC taxable properties” include assets of a PRC establishment or place of business, real properties in the PRC, and equity investments in PRC resident enterprises, in respect of which gains from their transfer by a direct holder, being a non-PRC resident enterprise, would be subject to PRC enterprise income taxes. When determining if there is a “reasonable commercial purpose” of the transaction arrangement, features to be taken into consideration include: whether the main value of the equity interest of the relevant offshore enterprise derives from PRC taxable properties; whether the assets of the relevant offshore enterprise mainly consists of direct or indirect investment in China or if its income mainly derives from China; whether the offshore enterprise and its subsidiaries directly or indirectly holding PRC taxable properties have a real commercial nature which is evidenced by their actual function and risk exposure; the duration of existence of the business model and organizational structure; the replicability of the transaction by direct transfer of PRC taxable properties; and the tax situation of such indirect transfer outside China and its applicable tax treaties or similar arrangements. In respect of an indirect offshore transfer of assets of a PRC establishment or place of business of a foreign enterprise, the resulting gain is to be included with the annual enterprise filing of the PRC establishment or place of business being transferred, and would consequently be subject to PRC enterprise income tax at a rate of 25%. Where the underlying transfer relates to PRC real properties or to equity investments in a PRC resident enterprise, which is not related to a PRC establishment or place of business of a non-resident enterprise, a PRC enterprise income tax at 10% would apply, subject to available preferential tax treatment under applicable tax treaties or similar arrangements, and the party who is obligated to make the transfer payments has the withholding obligation. Where the payer fails to withhold any or sufficient tax, the transferor shall declare and pay such tax to the competent tax authority by itself within the statutory time limit. Late payment of applicable tax will subject the transferor to default interest. Currently, SAT Circular 7 does not apply to the sale of shares by investors through a public stock exchange where such shares were acquired from a transaction through a public stock exchange. We cannot assure you that the PRC tax authorities will not, at their discretion, adjust any capital gains and impose tax return filing and withholding or tax payment obligations with respect to any internal restructuring, and our PRC subsidiary may be requested to assist in the filing. Any PRC tax imposed on a transfer of our shares not through a public stock exchange, or any adjustment of such gains would cause us to incur additional costs and may have a negative impact on the value of your investment in our company.

Internet companies in China are subject to a variety of existing and new rules, regulations, policies, and license and permit requirements. In connection with enforcing these rules, regulations, policies and requirements, relevant government authorities may suspend services by, or revoke licenses of, any internet or mobile content service provider that is deemed to provide illicit content online or on mobile devices, and such activities may be intensified in connection with any ongoing government campaigns to eliminate prohibited content online. In 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, the Chinese regulatory authorities initiated the “Clean Up the Internet 2016,” “Clean Up the Internet 2017,” “Clean Up the Internet 2018,” “Clean Up the Internet 2019,” and “Clean Up the Internet 2020” campaigns, respectively, aiming to eliminate pornographic information and content in the Internet information services industry by, among other things, holding liable individuals and corporate entities that facilitate the distribution of pornographic information and content. During the campaigns, relevant government authorities have taken various measures such as shutting down websites, removing links, closing accounts, seizing publications and closing down mobile apps that contain illegal, harmful or obscene information. In March 2018, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, or the SAPPRFT, issued a notice to further regulate the transmission of internet audio-visual programs. Due to the lack of clarification and detailed implementation rules, it is unclear to us how this notice would be applicable to the content posted on our platform by our users. Given the uncertainty in the interpretation and implementation of this notice, we may be required to subsequently implement further content monitoring measures, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. For further information regarding this notice, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations—Regulations Related to Online Transmission of Audio-Visual Programs.” We endeavor to eliminate illicit content from our platform. We have made substantial investments in resources to monitor content that users post on our platform and the way in which our users engage with each other through our platform. We use a variety of methods to ensure our platform remains a healthy and positive experience for our users. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Content Screening and Review.” In response to the above-mentioned campaigns, we adopted various measures to prevent the dissemination of gambling, pornographic and other illicit information. Although we employ these methods to filter content posted by our users, we cannot be sure that our internal content control efforts will be sufficient to remove all content that may be viewed as indecent or otherwise non-compliant with PRC law and regulations. Government standards and interpretations as to what constitutes illicit online content or behavior are subject to interpretation and may change in a manner that could render our current monitoring efforts insufficient. The Chinese government has wide discretion in regulating online activities and, irrespective of our efforts to control the content on our platform, government campaigns and other actions to reduce illicit content and activities could subject us to negative press or regulatory challenges and sanctions, including fines, suspension or revocation of our licenses to operate in China or a ban on our platform, including closure of one or more parts of or our entire business. Further, our senior management could be held criminally liable if we are deemed to be profiting from illicit content on our platform. Although our business and operations have not been materially and adversely affected by government campaigns or any other regulatory actions in the past, we cannot assure you that our business and operations will be immune from government actions or sanctions in the future. If government actions or sanctions are brought against us, or if there are widespread rumors that government actions or sanctions have been brought against us, our reputation could be harmed, we may lose users and customers, our revenues and results of operation may be materially and adversely affected and the value of our ADSs could be dramatically reduced.

In China, the validity period of utility model patent rights or design patent rights is ten years and not extendable. Currently, we have 262 registered patents, 1,093 patent applications pending in China and 51 additional patent applications under the patent cooperation treaty. We also have obtained a royalty-free and exclusive license from Guangzhou Huaduo Network Technology Co., Ltd., or Guangzhou Huaduo, to use 42 patents, 10 of which are under application. For our pending application, we cannot assure you that we will be granted patents pursuant to our pending applications. Even if our patent applications succeed, it is still uncertain whether these patents will be contested, circumvented or invalidated in the future. In addition, the rights granted under any issued patents may not provide us with sufficient protection or competitive advantages. The claims under any patents that issue from our patent applications may not be broad enough to prevent others from developing technologies that are similar or that achieve results similar to ours. It is also possible that the intellectual property rights of others will bar us from licensing and from exploiting any patents that issue from our pending applications. Numerous U.S. and foreign issued patents and pending patent applications owned by others exist in the fields in which we have developed and are developing our technology. These patents and patent applications might have priority over our patent applications and could subject our patent applications to invalidation. Finally, in addition to those who may claim priority, any of our existing or pending patents may also be challenged by others on the basis that they are otherwise invalid or unenforceable.

We regard our trademarks, service marks, patents, domain names, trade secrets, proprietary technologies and similar intellectual property as critical to our success. We rely on trademark and patent law, trade secret protection and confidentiality and license agreements with our employees and others to protect our proprietary rights. We have invested significant resources to develop our own intellectual property and acquire licenses to use and distribute the intellectual property of others on our platform. Failure to maintain or protect these rights could harm our business. In addition, any unauthorized use of our intellectual property by third parties may adversely affect our current and future revenues and our reputation. Implementation and enforcement of PRC intellectual property-related laws is still evolving. Accordingly, protection of intellectual property rights in China may not be as effective as in the United States or other developed countries. China may not have as robust or comprehensive of intellectual property protection laws and schemes as those offered in the U.S. In addition, the mechanisms to enforce intellectual property rights in China may be inadequate to protect us, which could harm our business. Furthermore, policing unauthorized use of proprietary technology is difficult and expensive. We rely on a combination of patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws and restrictions on disclosure to protect our intellectual property rights. Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, third parties may attempt to copy or otherwise obtain and use our intellectual property or seek court declarations that they do not infringe upon our intellectual property rights. Monitoring unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult and costly, and we cannot assure you that the steps we have taken will prevent misappropriation of our intellectual property. From time to time, we may have to resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, which could result in substantial costs and diversion of our resources.

Competitors and other third parties may purchase (i) trademarks that are similar to our trademarks and (ii) keywords that are confusingly similar to our brands or websites in internet search engine advertising programs and in the header and text of the resulting sponsored links or advertisements in order to divert potential customers from us to their websites. Preventing such unauthorized use is inherently difficult. If we are unable to prevent such unauthorized use, competitors and other third parties may continue to drive potential online customers away from our platform to competing, irrelevant or potentially offensive platform, which could harm our reputation and cause us to lose revenue. From time to time, third parties have misappropriated our data through scraping our platform, robots or other means and aggregated this data on their platforms with data from other companies. In addition, “copycat” platforms or apps have misappropriated data on our platform, implanted Trojan viruses in user PCs to steal user data from our platform and attempted to imitate our brand or the functionality of our platform. When we became aware of such platform, we employed technological and legal measures in an attempt to halt their operations. However, we may not be able to detect all such platforms in a timely manner and, even if we could, technological and legal measures may be insufficient to stop their operations. In those cases, our available remedies may not be adequate to protect us against such platforms. Regardless of whether we can successfully enforce our rights against these platforms, any measures that we may take could require significant financial or other resources from us. Those platforms may also lure away some of our users or advertisers or reduce our market share, causing material and adverse effects to our business operations.

Almost all access to the internet in China is maintained through state-owned telecommunication operators under the administrative control and regulatory supervision of the MIIT. Moreover, we primarily rely on a limited number of telecommunication service providers to provide us with data communications capacity through local telecommunications lines and internet data centers to host our servers. We have limited access to alternative networks or services in the event of disruptions, failures or other problems with China’s internet infrastructure or the fixed telecommunications networks provided by telecommunication service providers. Web traffic in China has experienced significant growth during the past few years. With the expansion of our business, we may be required to upgrade our technology and infrastructure to keep up with the increasing traffic on our platform. We cannot assure you that the internet infrastructure and the fixed telecommunications networks in China will be able to support the demands associated with the continued growth in internet usage. If we cannot increase our capacity to deliver our online services, we may not be able to accommodate the increases in traffic from expanding user base, and the adoption of our services may be hindered, which could adversely impact our business. In addition, we have no control over the costs of the services provided by telecommunication service providers. If the prices we pay for telecommunications and internet services rise significantly, our results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, if internet access fees or other charges to internet users increase, some users may be prevented from accessing the mobile internet and thus cause the growth of mobile internet users to decelerate. Such deceleration may adversely affect our ability to continue to expand our user base.

We use open source software in some of our services and will continue to use open source software in the future. There is a risk that open source software licenses could be construed in a manner that imposes unanticipated conditions or restrictions on our ability to provide or distribute our services. Additionally, we may face claims from third parties claiming ownership of, or demanding release of, the open source software or derivative works that we developed using such software. These claims could result in litigation and could require us to make our software source code freely available, purchase a costly license or cease offering the implicated products or services unless and until we can re-engineer them to avoid infringement. This re-engineering process could require significant additional research and development resources, and we may not be able to complete it successfully. Furthermore, because any software source code we contribute to open source projects is publicly available, our ability to protect our intellectual property rights with respect to such software source code may be limited or lost entirely. As a result, we may be unable to prevent our competitors or others from using such software source code contributed by us.

Although we primarily rely on revenues generated from live streaming services, we still generate a small portion of our revenues from advertising. Our revenues from advertising partly depend on the continued development of the online advertising industry in China and advertisers’ willingness to allocate budgets to online advertising. In addition, companies that decide to advertise or promote online may utilize more established methods or channels, such as more established Chinese internet portals or search engines, over advertising on our platform. If the online advertising market does not continue to grow, or if we are unable to capture and retain a sufficient share of that market, our ability to increase our current level of advertising revenues and our profitability and prospects may be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, our core and long-term priority of optimizing user experience and satisfaction may limit our platform’s ability to generate revenues from advertising. For example, in order to avoid interruptions to our users’ entertainment experience, we may restrict or limit advertising during streaming. While this decision would adversely affect our operating results in the short term, we believe it enables us to provide a superior user experience on our platform, which will help us expand and maintain our current user base and enhance our monetization potential in the long term. However, this philosophy of putting our users first may also negatively impact our relationships with advertisers or other third parties, and may not result in the long-term benefits that we expect, in which case the success of our business and operating results could be harmed. We offer advertising services primarily through contracts entered into with advertisers or third-party advertising agencies and by displaying advertisement on our platform or providing advertising integrated in the content offered on our live streaming platform. We also offer advertisements through cooperation with our popular broadcasters and other content creators. We cannot assure you that we will be able to attract or retain direct advertisers or advertising agencies. If we fail to retain and enhance our business relationships with these advertisers or third-party advertising agencies, or if our cooperation with broadcasters and other content creators to provide advertisements is not successful, we may suffer from a loss of advertisers and our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. If we fail to retain existing advertisers and advertising agencies or attract new direct advertisers and advertising agencies or any of our current advertising methods or promotional activities becomes less effective, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We offer comprehensive live streaming content with a primary focus on games. Our content library is constantly evolving and growing. Game content has been a key genre of our content offerings since our inception. Our ability to maintain an attractive library of game content largely depends on the variety and availability of popular games in China, which may be affected by various factors, including but not limited to, investments by game developers and publishers, game market conditions and regulatory supervision and approval. If there is a decrease in the number of new games launched or approved for launch in China, or if there is a decrease in the number of users on existing popular games, or if we fail to live stream popular games due to various legal or business restrictions, our operations may be negatively impacted and we may face difficulties in continuously supplying attractive game content. Among the various types of gaming content on our platform, e-sports tournaments and game events have surged as an important genre to generate our user traffic. If we fail to obtain the broadcasting rights for popular e-sports tournaments and game events, or we fail to attract users through these e-sports tournaments and game events, we may experience decreased users, viewership and user engagement, which may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, in response to our users’ growing interests, we also have expanded our coverage into other entertainment content genres. We actively track viewership growth and community feedback to identify trending content and encourage our broadcasters and talent agencies to create content that caters to users’ constantly changing taste. We also cooperate with broadcasters, talent agencies and other video content creators to offer video content such as gameplay videos, e-sports videos, and other videos, to cater for the increasing needs for diversified content of our users. However, if we fail to continue to expand and diversify our content offerings, identify trending and popular genres, or maintain the quality of our content, we may experience decreased viewership and user engagement, which may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial conditions. In addition, we largely rely on our broadcasters and talent agencies to create high-quality and fun live streaming content. We have in place a comprehensive and effective incentive mechanism to encourage broadcasters and talent agencies to supply content that is attractive to our users. Also, talent agencies cooperating with us may guide or influence broadcasters to live streaming content that is well received by our users. However, if we fail to observe the latest trends and timely guide broadcasters and talent agencies accordingly, or fail to attract broadcasters who are capable of creating content based on popular games, or if broadcasters fail to produce content for trending games, our user number may decline and our financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, there are currently uncertainties with respect to the interpretation and implementation in practice of the laws and regulations governing online games. Pursuant to the relevant PRC laws and regulations, operators which operate online games without pre-approval by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the PRC, or the SAPPRFT (the predecessor of the National Radio and Television Administration) or its equivalent authorities will be ordered to stop publishing and operating such games. Between April and November 2018, such pre-approval of domestic online games was suspended. According to public news reports, such suspension may have been due to the institutional restructuring of game approval authorities involving the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the SAPPRFT. Such suspension caused significant delays in the introduction of new games to the Chinese market. While the game approval procedure was reinstated in December 2018, the number of approved games has decreased compared to the period before the suspension. Additionally, on August 30, 2018, the Ministry of Education, together with seven other authorities in the PRC, including the SAPPRFT, issued a notice implementing a plan to protect the eyesight of teenagers, which, among other things, regulates the number of online games and new releases. If game publishers and operators fail to maintain the normal publication and operation of their online games, or if they fail to obtain or make the necessary approvals and filings of their online games, our operations may be negatively impacted, and we may be subject to penalties for live streaming such games.

Our success depends on our ability to maintain and grow our user base and keep our users highly engaged. In order to attract, retain and engage users and remain competitive, we must continue to innovate our products and services, implement new technologies and strategies, offer interesting content, improve features of our platform and stimulate interactions in our community. A decline in our user base may adversely affect the engagement level of our users and vibrancy of our community, which may in turn reduce our monetization opportunities and have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we are unable to attract and retain users or convert users into paying users, our revenues may decline and our results of operations and financial condition may suffer. We cannot assure you that our platform will remain sufficiently popular with users to offset the costs incurred to operate and expand it. It is vital to our operations that we remain sensitive and responsive to evolving user preferences and offer content that attracts our users. We must also keep providing our users with new features and functions to enable superior content viewing and social experience. We will need to continue to develop and improve our platform and to enhance our brand awareness, which may require us to incur substantial costs and expenses. If such increased costs and expenses do not effectively translate into improved user traffic and engagement, our results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

We believe that maintaining and enhancing our brand is of significant importance to the success of our business. A well-recognized brand is important to increasing the number of users and the level of engagement of our users and enhancing our attractiveness to advertisers. Since we operate in a highly competitive market, brand maintenance and enhancement directly affect our ability to maintain our market position. Although we have developed brand partly through word of mouth referrals, as we expand, we may conduct various marketing and brand promotion activities using various methods to continue promoting our brand. We cannot assure you, however, that these activities will be successful or that we will be able to achieve the brand promotion effect we expect. In addition, any negative publicity in relation to our products, services or operations, regardless of its veracity, could harm our brands and reputation. We have sometimes received, and expect to continue to receive, complaints from users such as complaints regarding the quality of the products and services we offer, minors’ use of gaming products and livestreaming services, and broadcasters’ misconduct. Negative publicity or public complaints may harm our reputation, and if complaints against us are not addressed to their satisfaction, our reputation and our market position could be significantly harmed, which may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and prospects. We may incur significant managerial, financial and operational costs and expenses in dealing with the negative publicity or public complaints.

We cooperate with talent agencies to manage, organize and recruit broadcasters on our platform. As we are an open platform that welcomes qualified broadcasters to register on our websites, cooperation with talent agencies substantially increases our operational efficiency in terms of discovering, supporting and managing broadcasters in a more organized and structured manner, and turning amateur broadcasters into full-time broadcasters. We share a portion of the revenues generated from the sales of virtual items and other products and services attributed to the broadcasters’ live streams with broadcasters and talent agencies who manage these broadcasters. If we cannot balance the interests between us, the broadcasters and the talent agencies and design a revenue-sharing mechanism that is agreeable to both broadcasters and talent agencies, we may not be able to retain or attract broadcasters or talent agencies, or both. In addition, while we have entered into exclusive streaming agreements with certain broadcasters, none of the talent agencies we cooperate with has an exclusive cooperation relationship with us. If other platforms offer better revenue sharing incentive to talent agencies, such talent agencies may choose to devote more of their resources to broadcasters who stream on the other platforms, or they may encourage their broadcasters to use or even enter into an exclusive agreement with other platforms, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The size and engagement level of our user base as well as the quality of the live streaming content offered on our platform are critical to our success and are closely linked to our broadcasters’ involvement and performance. Although we have entered into multi-year cooperation agreements that contain exclusivity clauses with some of the popular broadcasters on our platform, if any of these broadcasters decides to breach the agreement or chooses not to continue the cooperation with us once the term of the agreement expires, the popularity of our platform may decline and the number of our users may decrease, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. In addition to our most popular broadcasters, we must continue to attract and retain talented and productive broadcasters in order to maintain and increase our content offerings and ensure the sustainable growth of our game live streaming community. We must identify and acquire potential talented broadcasters and provide them with sufficient resources. We cooperate with talent agencies to recruit, manage, train and support our broadcasters. However, we cannot assure you that we can continue to maintain the same level of attractiveness to our broadcasters and talent agencies. Broadcasters on our platform, including those who have entered into exclusivity agreements with us, may leave us for other platforms which may offer better services and terms than we do. Furthermore, we may lose broadcasters if the talent agencies that manage them are unable to reach or maintain satisfactory cooperation arrangements with such broadcasters. In addition, if talented and popular broadcasters cease to contribute content to our platform, or their live streams fail to attract users, we may experience a decline in user traffic and user engagement, which may have a material and adverse impact on our results of operations and financial conditions.

COVID-19 has had a severe and negative impact on the Chinese and the global economy starting from the first quarter of 2020, and such impact persists as of the date of this annual report. Whether this will lead to a continued downturn in the economy is still unknown. Chinese and global macroeconomic environment is facing numerous challenges. There is considerable uncertainty over the long-term effects of the expansionary monetary and fiscal policies which had been adopted by the central banks and financial authorities of some of the world’s leading economies, including the United States and China. Unrest, terrorist threats and the potential for war in the Middle East and elsewhere may increase market volatility across the globe. There have also been concerns about the relationship between China and other countries, including the surrounding Asian countries, which may potentially have economic effects. In particular, there is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and China with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs. The tensions between China and the U.S. and other countries have intensified especially since COVID-19. See “-Risks Related to Doing Business in China-Changes in international trade policies and rising political tensions, particularly between the U.S. and China, may adversely impact our business and operating results.” Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions, as well as changes in domestic economic and political policies and the expected or perceived overall economic growth rate in China. Any severe or prolonged slowdown in the global or Chinese economy may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.