Ctrip, a leading online travel agency, announced on Thursday that it will invest 3 billion yuan (463 million U.S. dollars) in China Eastern Airlines through a private share placement.
China Eastern Airlines Holding Company, one of China's three major air transportation groups and the parent company of China Eastern Airlines, signed an agreement with Ctrip on the same day.
Ctrip may increase its stake in China Eastern Airlines in the next 12 months and may be entitled to appoint an observer or a director to the airlines' board of directors, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, the agreement said.
China Eastern Airlines won approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission in January to issue non-public A-shares with a maximum value of 15 billion yuan to up to 10 unrelated investors at a price of 6.44 yuan per share.
