Taiwanese carrier Eva Air has signed a letter of intent to lease 10 Airbus A321 aircraft to tap on the growing traffic to China.

The airline expects to receive the first two A321s in October next year and the remaining eight by 2014, said its chairman James Jeng in an interview. The carrier is also in talks for an additional eight A321s, he added.

The aircraft would enable EVA Air to serve China more effectively, he said.

"We would also like to increase frequency on the China routes, but there is a need to negotiate with China," he added.

The A321s would also be deployed on services outside China as they are cost-effective, said Jeng.

Eva Air's passenger aircraft fleet includes 11 Airbus A330s, three Boeing 747-400s and four 747-400 Combis, and 15 Boeing 777-300ERs, as well as three MD-90s operated by subsidiary Uni Air, data in Flightglobal's ACAS database shows.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news