09:00 GREAT WALL AUTO<02333> - Announcement The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited takes no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, makes no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement. Great Wall Automobile Holding Company Limited* (a joint stock limited company incorporated in the People's Republic of China with limited liability)(Stock Code: 2333) DESPATCH OF H SHARE CERTIFICATES Reference is made to the Circular and the Announcements. The Ministry of Commerce of the PRC has granted its approval in respect of the Capitalisation Issue on 24 January 2005. The Company will issue 341,000,000 new Domestic Shares and 131,100,000 new H Shares at no consideration on the basis of 10 new Shares for every 10 existing Shares to Shareholders on the register of members of the Company on the Record Date, being, 25 October 2004, by capitalisation of part of the Company's share premium account. New H share certificates will be despatched to Shareholders at the Shareholders' own risk on or around Tuesday, 1 February 2005 by ordinary mail. The first day of dealings in the new H Shares is expected to be Thursday, 3 February 2005. Introduction Reference is made to the circular of the Company dated 10 September 2004 (the "Circular") and the announcements of the Company dated 3 November 2004, 10 December 2004 and 6 January 2005, respectively, relating to the delay in despatch of H share certificates (the "Announcements"). Unless otherwise stated, capitalised terms used herein shall have the same meaning as those defined in the Circular. Approval of the Capitalisation Issue from the PRC authority The Ministry of Commerce of the PRC has granted its approval in respect of the Capitalisation Issue on 24 January 2005. The Company will issue 341,000,000 new Domestic Shares and 131,100,000 new H Shares at no consideration on the basis of 10 new Shares for every 10 existing Shares to Shareholders on the register of members of the Company on the Record Date, being, 25 October 2004, by capitalisation of part of the Company's share premium account. Despatch of new H Share certificates It is expected that certificates for the new H Shares will be despatched to the respective Shareholders entitled thereto at the Shareholders' own risk on or around Tuesday, 1 February 2005 by ordinary mail. In the case of joint shareholdings, the certificates for the new H Shares will be posted to the address of the first named member on the H Shares register of members of the Company in respect of such joint holding. All H Shares issued pursuant to the Capitalisation Issue will be registered on the Company's H Shares register of members maintained in Hong Kong. The Listing Committee of the Stock Exchange has granted listing of, and permission to deal in, the new H Shares conditional upon the proper allotment and issue of the new H Shares and due despatch of the relevant share certificates to those entitled in the manner as described in the Circular. Dealings in the new H Shares, which is expected to be Thursday, 3 February 2005, will be subject to Hong Kong stamp duty. By Order of the Board Bai Xuefei Company Secretary Baoding, the PRC, 25 January 2005 * For identification purposes only As at the date of this announcement, members of the Board are as follows: Executive directors: Mr. Wei Jian Jun, Mr. Liu Ping Fu, Ms. Wang Feng Ying, Mr. Liang He Nian and Ms. Yang Zhi Juan. Non-executive directors: Mr. He Ping and Mr. Niu Jun. Independent non-executive directors: Mr. Han Chuan Mo, Mr. Zhang Ming Yu, Mr. Zhao Yu Dong and Mr. Wong Chi Keung.