CHINA’S flag carrier Air China Ltd. and German’s Deutsche Lufthansa AG are seeking closer ties that may include a commercial joint venture on routes between China and Europe, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

    The paper said the two firms could announce plans to further strengthen their partnership during German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to China from Saturday to Tuesday.

    The move by Air China and Lufthansa, both members of the Star Alliance in which airlines cooperate, is aimed at taking advantage of the growing demand for trade and passenger air travel between the two markets, the newspaper said.

    Meanwhile, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung also reported Saturday, citing no sources, that Lufthansa and Air China planned to set up the joint venture, which would allow them to share revenue on certain Asian routes by selling tickets for each other’s flights. The report did not specify the routes involved.

    The German carrier has been in talks with Air China for months as it seeks to strengthen its position in Asia, where Dubai-based Emirates and Turkish Airlines have been expanding. (SD-Agencies)