HNA Group, the parent of China's fourth-largest airline Hainan Airlines Co., Ltd, is bidding for Hochtief AG's airports business, which it values at more than EUR1 billion (US$1.42 billion), the Wall Street Journal reported.

HNA's airport unit was among bidders short-listed to move to the second round of bidding for Hochtief's airport assets, the newspaper reported, citing HNA Executive Director Adam Tan as saying on Monday.

An HNA spokeswoman declined to comment.

Tan did not name the other bidders but sources told Reuters last month that Fraport AG and Vinci SA had made offers for the assets.

The assets include Hochtief's stakes in airports in Athens, Budapest, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Sydney and Tirana, Tan was quoted as saying.

Earlier in the month, HNA teamed up with Bravia Capital of Hong Kong to take over a shipping container leasing business, partly owned by General Electric Co..