Note 29 - Share-based compensation expenses
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]
29.  
Share-based compensation expenses

On July 12, 2010, the Company renewed the investor relations service contract with Hayden Communications International, Inc. (“HCI”) for an18-month service contract commencing July 12, 2010.  As additional compensation, the Company issued HCI 60,000 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock. These shares were valued at $3.80 per share, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant and the related compensation expense were amortized over the requisite service period.  Total compensation expenses recognized for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 was US$6,333 and US$38,000, respectively.

As a result of the merger of HCI and MZ Group, the Company terminated the above discussed service contract with HCI and engaged MZHCI, LLP (“MZ-HCI”) to provide investor relations services for a 24-month service period commencing January 1, 2012. As additional compensation, the Company granted 80,000 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock. These shares were valued at $1.05 per share, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant and the related compensation expense were amortized over the requisite service period.  Total compensation expenses recognized for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 was US$10,500 and US$nil, respectively.

On November 30, 2009, the Company granted 5-year options to each of its three independent directors, Mr. Douglas MacLellan, Mr. Mototaka Watanabe and Mr. Zhiqing Chen, to purchase in the aggregate 54,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of US$5.00 per share, in consideration of their services to the Company. These options vest quarterly at the end of each 3-month period, in equal installments over the 24-month period from the date of grant.  The company utilized Black-Scholes option pricing model to gauge the grant date fair value of these options of US$4.05 per option. The related compensation expenses were amortized over its vesting period. Total compensation expenses recognized for these options for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 was US$nil and US$68,580, respectively.

On November 30, 2011, under the Company’s 2011 Omnibus Securities and Incentive Plan, the Company issued its management, employees and directors in the aggregate of 885,440 options to purchase up the same number of the company’s common stock at an exercise price of US$1.20 per share. These options were fully vested and exercisable upon issuance and subject to forfeiture upon an employee's cessation of employment at the discretion of the Company.

Options issued and outstanding at March 31, 2012 and their movements during the three months then ended are as follows:

   
Option Outstanding
   
Option Exercisable
 
   
Number of
underlying
shares
   
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
   
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
   
 
 
Number of
underlying
shares
   
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
   
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 
                                     
Balance, December 31, 2011 (audited)
     939,440        9.51     $  1.42        939,440        9.51     $  1.42  
Granted/Vested
    -                       -                  
Forfeited
    -                       -                  
Exercised
    -                       -                  
Balance, March 31, 2012 (unaudited)
    939,440       9.26     $ 1.42       939,440       9.26     $ 1.42  

The aggregate unrecognized share-based compensation expenses as of March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011 is approximately US$74,000 and US$193,000, respectively.