(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-15 17:10

China Eastern Airlines has softened its stance on the impossibility of considering a bid from Air China's parent company for partnership with the country's flagship carrier.

China Eastern said on Monday that it would "seriously consider" the bid from China National Aviation Holding Company (CNAHC), the Beijing News reported on Tuesday.

Related readings:  CNAHC seeks partnership, not merger, with China Eastern  China Eastern stake sale rejected  Singapore Airlines, Temasek buy 24% stake in China Eastern  Singapore Airlines disappointed over rejection

A source with the board of China Eastern's listing arm told Xinhua on Tuesday that China Eastern "is willing to study any sincere bid that conforms with legal procedures and is better than Singapore Airline's offer".

Industry observers here said a "price war" between CNAHC and Singapore Airlines was likely.

On January 8, China Eastern said it would not merge with, or become a strategic partner of Air China despite its failure to secure shareholder support for a proposed sale of a 24-percent stake to Singapore Airlines and Lentor Investment Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore government investment company Temasek, at HK$3.8 (52 US cents) per share.

Many believed the failure was because the offer was too low.

On January 6, CNAHC, which already owns 12.07 percent of China Eastern, announced that it was willing to make a higher offer of HK$5 per share.

"China Eastern keeps exchanging views with Singapore Airlines every day," Luo Zhuping, secretary to the China Eastern chairman, was quoted as saying by the Beijing News.

According to the newspaper, Singapore Airlines sources had said it would not raise the offer, but stressed that it would continue to pursue establishing a relationship with China Eastern.

Luo said CNAHC's announcement was raising market expectations over the price of China Eastern's secondary public offering, adding the Shanghai-based airline would be waiting for CNAHC to advance a detailed offer.

A CNAHC source said on condition of anonymity that the company would put forward a new offer in one week.

Luo declined to comment on the possibility for a "price war".

Observers said Air China would try desperately to gain an advantage in an important international aviation hub like Shanghai.

China Eastern accounts for 35 percent of the aviation market in Shanghai, followed by Shanghai Airlines (18 percent) and Air China (12 percent).

But Air China's market share was widely expected to soar to 50 percent if it succeeded in merging with China Eastern.