An offi ce building owner (Owner) entered into a fi ve-year leasing contract in 2007 with IT Company. Under the leasing contract the annual rental of RMB 240,000 yuan should be paid within the fi rst month of each calendar year. In the middle of September 2008 these two companies concluded a sales contract, by which IT Company provided Owner some IT equipment for RMB 200,000 yuan. Payment would be by a 20% deposit (RMB 40,000 yuan) to be made after the conclusion of the contract, and the remaining RMB 160,000 yuan to be made in three months after the delivery of the equipment. After the conclusion of the sales contract, Owner paid RMB 40,000 yuan as deposit and received the equipment provided by the IT Company. In February 2009, due to the fi nancial crisis, IT Company suffered a huge loss and was declared bankrupt by a competent court under the application of its creditors. Therefore, it declined to pay the rental for 2009. The court designated a bankruptcy administrator to deal with the liquidation of IT Company. During the process of the liquidation, Owner declared the rental RMB 240,000 yuan due for 2009 as its credit, and requested to offset the remaining equipment price RMB 160,000 yuan. It also declared the termination of the leasing contract between the two companies. Required: Answer the following questions in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law of China, and give your reasons for your answer:
(a) State whether Owner’s request for offset of the remaining equipment price was in conformity with the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law; (6 marks)
