China: The largest shareholder in Shanshui Cement, Tianrui Group, has said that it could help solve the debt woes of Shanshui Cement, if it is successful in a bid to change the company's board at an extraordinary general meeting on 25 November 2015, according to Bloomberg.
Shanshui, which is at the centre of a shareholder scrap for control, failed to pay US$314m of onshore notes due on 12 November 2015. It is at least the sixth Chinese company to default in the local bond market in 2015 as borrowers struggle amid an economic slowdown. Shanshui, which is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, has decided to file a winding up petition and seek the appointment of provisional liquidators there. Two banks have asked for early repayment of Shanshui's loans and the default scare has spread to the asset-backed securities market.
Li Heping, Vice Chairman of Tianrui, said that Shanshui's filing for a winding-up petition has raised potential costs for his company because it now faces finding a debt solution. Tianrui, which holds 28% of Shanshui, would get 'nothing in return' from its stake if it didn't help, he said. China National Building Material Company and Asia Cement Corporation are also shareholders in Shanshui with 16.7% and 20.9%, respectively.
Shanshui's Chief Financial Officer Henry Li said that noteholders could try and get their money back by asking the court to liquidate Shanshui's assets, which would be the worst outcome. In addition to the US$314m that Shanshui failed to repay, the company has another US$800m onshore notes outstanding, according to Bloomberg-compiled data.