| 2.27 | Leases (as the lessee) |
| (a) | Operating lease |
Leases in which a significant portion of the risks and rewards of ownership are retained by the lessor are classified as operating leases. Payments made under operating leases (net of any incentives received from the lessor), including long-term prepayment for land use rights, are expensed in the statement of income on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.
| (b) | Finance lease |
Leases of assets where the Group has substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are classified as finance leases. Finance leases are capitalized at the commencement of the lease at the lower of the fair value of the leased assets and the present value of the minimum lease payments. The corresponding liabilities, net of finance charges, are recorded as obligations under finance leases. The interest element implicit in the lease payment is recognized in the statement of income over the lease period so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability for each period.
| (c) | Sale and leaseback |
Under certain circumstances, the Group may enter into sale and leaseback arrangements whereby it sells certain assets and leases back a portion of those assets. The Group reviews the substance of each of these transactions to determine whether the leaseback is a finance lease or an operating lease. Where it is determined that the leaseback is an operating lease and (i) the Group does not maintain or maintains only minor continuing involvement in these assets, other than the required lease payments and (ii) these transactions are established at fair value, the gain or loss on sale is recognized in the statement of income immediately subject to any elimination of such gain or loss in accordance with Note 2.4 above. Any gain or loss on a sale and finance leaseback transaction is deferred and amortized over the term of the lease.