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Loans Payable
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
LOANS PAYABLE

9. LOANS PAYABLE


Entrusted Loan Payable (HYREF Loan)


The HYREF Fund (Beijing Hongyuan Recycling Energy Investment Center, LLP) was established in July 2013 with a total fund size of RMB 460 million ($77 million) invested in Xi’an Zhonghong for Zhonghong’s three new CDQ WHPG projects. The HYREF Fund invested RMB 3 million ($0.5 million) as an equity investment and RMB 457 million ($74.5 million) as a debt investment in Xi’an Zhonghong; in return for such investments, the HYREF Fund will receive interest from Zhonghong for the HYREF Fund’s debt investment. The RMB 457 million ($74.5 million) original loan balance was released to Zhonghong through an entrusted bank, which is also the supervising bank for the use of the loan. The loan was deposited in a bank account at the Supervising Bank (the Industrial Bank Xi’an Branch) and is jointly supervised by Zhonghong and the Fund Management Company. Project spending shall be verified by the Fund Management Company to confirm it is in accordance with the project schedule before the funds are released. All the operating accounts of Zhonghong have been opened with the branches of the Supervising Bank, and the Supervising Bank has the right to monitor all bank accounts opened by Zhonghong. The entrusted bank will charge 0.1% of the loan amount as a service fee and will not take any lending risk. The loan was collateralized by the accounts receivable and the fixed assets of Shenqiu Phase I and II power generation systems; the accounts receivable and fixed assets of Zhonghong’s three CDQ WHPG systems; and a 27 million RMB ($4.39 million) capital contribution made by Xi’an TCH in Zhonghong. Repayment of the loan (principal and interest) was also jointly and severally guaranteed by Xi’an TCH and the Chairman and CEO of the Company. In the fourth quarter of 2015, three power stations of Erdos TCH were pledged to Industrial Bank as an additional guarantee for the loan to Zhonghong’s three CDQ WHPG systems. In 2016, two additional power stations of Erdos TCH and Pucheng Phase I and II systems were pledged to Industrial Bank as an additional guarantee along with Xi’an TCH’s equity in Zhonghong.


The term of this loan was for 60 months from July 31, 2013 to July 30, 2018. On August 6, 2016, Zhonghong was required to repay principal of RMB 280 million ($42.22 million), of which the Company paid RMB 50 million ($7.54 million); on August 6, 2017, Zhonghong was initially supposed to repay principal of RMB 100 million ($16.27 million) and on July 30, 2018, Zhonghong was initially supposed to repay the remainder of RMB 77 million ($12.52 million). The interest rate is 12.5%. During the term, Zhonghong shall maintain a minimal funding level and capital level in its designated account with the Supervising Bank to make sure it has sufficient funds to make principal payments when they are due. Notwithstanding the requirements, the HYREF Fund and Supervising Bank verbally notified Zhonghong from the beginning that it was unlikely that they would enforce these requirements for the purpose of the efficient utilization of working capital. As of December 31, 2018, the entrusted loan payable had an outstanding balance of $59.29 million, of which, $10.92 million was from the investment of Xi’an TCH; accordingly, the Company netted the loan payable of $10.92 million with the long-term investment to the HYREF Fund made by Xi’an TCH. The Company had paid RMB 50 million ($7.54 million) of the RMB 280 million ($42.22 million), and on August 5, 2016, the Company entered into a supplemental agreement with the lender to extend the due date of the remaining RMB 230 million ($34.68 million) of the original RMB 280 million ($45.54 million) to August 6, 2017. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company negotiated with the lender again to further extend the remaining loan balance of RMB 230 million ($34.68 million), RMB 100 million ($16.27 million), and RMB 77 million ($12.52 million) (which included investment from Xi’an TCH of RMB 75 million and was netted off with the entrusted loan payable of the HYREF Fund in the balance sheet). The lender had tentatively agreed to extend the remaining loan balance until August 2019 with an adjusted annual interest rate of 9%, subject to the final approval from its headquarters. The headquarters did not approve the extension proposal with an adjusted annual interest rate of 9%; however, on December 29, 2018, the Company worked out with the lender an alternative repayment proposal as described below. As of March 31, 2020, the interest payable for this loan was $8.39 million and the outstanding balance for this loan was $20.45 million.  As of December 31, 2019, the interest payable for this loan was $8.20 million and the outstanding balance for this loan was $20.77 million. 


Repayment of HYREF loan


1. Transfer of Chengli project as partial repayment


On December 29, 2018, Xi’an Zhonghong, Xi’an TCH, HYREF, Guohua Ku, and Chonggong Bai entered into a CDQ WHPG Station Fixed Assets Transfer Agreement, pursuant to which Xi’an Zhonghong transferred Chengli CDQ WHPG station as the repayment for the loan of RMB 188,639,400 ($27.54 million) to HYREF. Xi’an Zhonghong, Xi’an TCH, Guohua Ku and Chonggong Bai also agreed to buy back the Chengli CDQ WHPG Station when conditions under the Buy Back Agreement are met. Due to the Buy Back agreement, the loan was not deemed repaid, the Company kept the Chengli project in its books as fixed assets as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.


On January 22, 2019, Xi’an Zhonghong, completed the transfer of Chengli CDQ WHPG station to HYREF as the repayment of a loan for RMB 188,639,400 ($27.54 million) owed to HYREF. Xi’an TCH is a secondary limited partner of HYREF. The consideration of the CDQ WHPG station was determined by the parties based upon the appraisal report issued by Zhonglian Assets Appraisal Group (Shaanxi) Co., Ltd. as of August 15, 2018.


2. Buy Back Agreement


On December 29, 2018, Xi’an TCH, Xi’an Zhonghong, HYREF, Guohua Ku, Chonggong Bai and Xi’an Hanneng Enterprises Management Consulting Co. Ltd. (“Xi’an Hanneng”) entered into a Buy Back Agreement.


Pursuant to the Buy Back Agreement, Xi’an TCH, Xi’an Zhonghong, Guohua Ku and Chonggong Bai (the “Buyers”) jointly and severally agreed to buy back all outstanding capital equity of Xi’an Hanneng which was transferred to HYREF by Chonggong Bai (see 5 below), and a CDQ WHPG station in Boxing County which was transferred to HYREF by Xi’an Zhonghong. The buy-back price for the Xi’an Hanneng’s equity will be the higher of (i) the market price of the equity shares at the time of buy-back; or (ii) the original transfer price of the equity shares plus bank interest. HYREF may request that the Buyers buy back the equity shares of Xi’an Hanneng and/or the CDQ WHPG station if one of the following conditions is met: (i) HYREF holds the equity shares of Xi’an Hanneng until December 31, 2021; (ii) Xi’an Huaxin New Energy Co., Ltd., is delisted from The National Equities Exchange And Quotations Co., Ltd., a Chinese over-the-counter trading system (the “NEEQ”); (iii) Xi’an Huaxin New Energy, or any of the Buyers or its affiliates has a credit problem, including not being able to issue an auditor report or standard auditor report or any control person or executive of the Buyers is involved in crimes and is under prosecution or has other material credit problems, to HYREF’s reasonable belief; (iv) if Xi’an Zhonghong fails to timely make repayment on principal or interest of the loan agreement, its supplemental agreement or extension agreement; (v) the Buyers or any party to the Debt Repayment Agreement materially breaches the Debt Repayment Agreement or its related transaction documents, including but not limited to the Share Transfer Agreement, the Pledged Assets Transfer Agreement, the Entrusted Loan Agreement and their guarantee agreements and supplemental agreements. 


Due to halted trading of Huaxin stock by NEEQ for not filing its 2018 annual report, on December 19, 2019, Xi’an TCH, Xi’an Zhonghong, Guohua Ku and Chonggong Bai jointly and severally agreed to buy back all outstanding capital equity of Xi’an Hanneng which was transferred to HYREF by Chonggong Bai earlier. The total buy back price was RMB 261,727,506 ($37.52 million) including accrued interest of RMB 14,661,506 ($2.10 million), and was paid in full by Xi’an TCH.


3. Xi’an TCH transferred 40% ownership in the Fund Management Company to Hongyuan Huifu for partial payment of financial advisory fee


On December 29, 2018, Xi’an TCH entered into a Share Transfer Agreement with Hongyuan Huifu Venture Capital Co. Ltd (“Hongyuan Huifu”), pursuant to which Xi’an TCH transferred its 40% ownership in Hongyuan Recycling Energy Investment Management Beijing Co., Ltd. (the “Fund Management Company”) to Hongyuan Huifu for consideration of RMB 3,453,867 ($504,000) (the “Fund Management Company Transfer Price”). On January 22, 2019, Xi’an TCH completed the 40% ownership transfer transaction. The Company had $46,461 loss from the sale of a 40% equity interest in Fund Management Company during the year ended December 31, 2019. 


On December 29, 2018, Xi’an TCH, Hongyuan Huifu and Fund Management Company entered into a supplemental agreement to the Share Transfer Agreement. Xi’an TCH owes the Fund Management Company RMB 18,306,667 ($2,672,000) in financial advisory fees, and the parties agreed that the Fund Management Company Transfer Price could be used to off-set the outstanding financial advisory fees. Upon the completion of this transaction, the Fund Management Company owed RMB 3,453,867 ($502,400) to Hongyuan Huifu, and Xi’an TCH owed RMB 14,852,800 ($2,168,000) to the Fund Management Company. 


4. HYREF Fund transferred 10% ownership in Xi’an Zhonghong to Shanghai TCH


On December 29, 2018, Shanghai TCH entered into a Share Transfer Agreement with HYREF, pursuant to which HYREF agreed to transfer its 10% ownership in Xi’an Zhonghong to Shanghai TCH for RMB 3 million ($430,034), and was recorded as long term payable in the Company’s balance sheet. On January 22, 2019, Hongyuan Huifu completed the transfer of its 10% ownership in Xi’an Zhonghong to Shanghai TCH, Xi’an Zhonghong then became a 100% subsidiary of the Company. The Company did not record any gain or loss for this purchase as the controlling interest did not change.


5. Transfer of Xuzhou Huayu Project and Shenqiu Phase I & II project to Mr. Bai for partial repayment of HYREF loan


On January 4, 2019, Xi’an Zhonghong, Xi’an TCH, and Mr. Chonggong Bai entered into a Projects Transfer Agreement, pursuant to which Xi’an Zhonghong transferred a CDQ WHPG station (under construction) located in Xuzhou City for Xuzhou Huayu Coking Co., Ltd. (“Xuzhou Huayu Project”) to Mr. Bai for RMB 120,000,000 ($17.52 million) and Xi’an TCH will transfer two Biomass Power Generation Projects in Shenqiu (“Shenqiu Phase I and II Projects”) to Mr. Bai for RMB 127,066,000 ($18.55 million). Mr. Bai agreed to transfer all the equity shares of his wholly owned company, Xi’an Hanneng, to HYREF as repayment for the RMB 247,066,000 ($36.07 million) loan made by Xi’an Zhonghong to HYREF as consideration for the transfer of the Xuzhou Huayu Project and Shenqiu Phase I and II Projects.


On February 15, 2019, Xi’an Zhonghong completed the transfer of the Xuzhou Huayu Project and Xi’an TCH completed the transfer of Shenqiu Phase I and II Projects to Mr. Bai, and on January 10, 2019, Mr. Bai transferred all the equity shares of his wholly owned company, Xi’an Hanneng, to HYREF as repayment of Xi’an Zhonghong’s loan to HYREF as consideration for the transfer of the Xuzhou Huayu Project and Shenqiu Phase I and II Projects. 


Xi’an Hanneng is a holding company and was supposed to own 47,150,000 shares of Xi’an Huaxin New Energy Co., Ltd. (“Huaxin”), so that HYREF will indirectly receive and own such shares of Xi’an Huaxin as the repayment for the loan of Zhonghong. Xi’an Hanneng already owned 29,948,000 shares of Huaxin; however, Xi’an Hanneng was not able to obtain the remaining 17,202,000 shares due to halted trading of Huaxin stock by NEEQ for not filing its 2018 annual report.


On December 20, 2019, Mr. Bai, Xi’an TCH and Xi’an Zhonghong agreed to have Mr. Bai repay the Company in cash for the transfer price of Xuzhou Huayu and Shenqiu in five installment payments. The 1st payment of RMB 50 million ($7.17 million) is due on January 5, 2020, the 2nd payment of RMB 50 million ($7.17 million) was due on February 5, 2020, the 3rd payment of RMB 50 million ($7.17 million) was due on April 5, 2020, the 4th payment of RMB 50 million ($7.17 million) is due on June 30, 2020, and the final payment of RMB 47,066,000 ($6.75 million) is due on September 30, 2020. As of this report date, the Company has already received RMB 150 million ($21.51 million).


  6. The lender agreed to extend the repayment of RMB 77.00 million ($11.04 million) to July 8, 2023; of which, RMB 75.00 million ($10.81 million) was Xi’an TCH’s investment into the HYREF fund as a secondary limited partner, and the Company netted off the investment of RMB 75 million ($10.81 million) by Xi’an TCH with the entrusted loan payable of the HYREF Fund.

A reconciliation of repayment of HYREF loan (entrusted loan) by three Projects at March 31, 2020 was as follows:


Transfer price for Chengli Project  $26,624,805   Entrusted loan payable at March 31, 2020, net with Xi’an TCH investment in entrusted loan (current and noncurrent)  $20,447,710 
Transfer price for Xuzhou Huayu Project   16,936,952   Interest payable on entrusted loan at March 31, 2020   8,389,311 
Transfer price for Shenqiu Phase I and II Projects   17,934,256   Add back: Xi’an TCH investment in entrusted loan   10,585,595 
        Less: interest accrued from September 20, 2018 to March 31, 2020 (cut-off date for interest calculation for repayment was September 20, 2018)   (1,929,934)
        Less: portion of loan with repayment due date extended to year 2023   (10,867,878)
              
        Add back: interest & penalty repaid by Xi’an TCH   8,460,017 
        Add back: loan principle repaid by Xi’an TCH   26,411,192 
   $61,496,013      $61,496,013