Spring Airlines Co Ltd, the first low-cost carrier in China, is continuing to explore the international market with the aim that it will account for 30 percent in its network of routes by the end of 2014.

Spring Airlines Co Ltd, the first low-cost carrier in China, took off in 2005 and runs 15 international routes, making up 18 percent of its entire network by the end of 2013. [Photo/China Daily]

The carrier took off in 2005 and runs 15 international routes, making up 18 percent of its entire network by the end of 2013.

"Northeast Asia, including Japan and South Korea, and most Southeast Asian countries are all our target markets," said Wang Zhenghua, chairman of Spring Airlines.

"The 15 million square kilometers around Shanghai are all our target regions, so long as our Airbus 320 fleet can reach them," he said.

Japan is a main market for Spring Airlines. Currently, it runs three routes from Shanghai to Japan.

The carrier's branch company in Japan will start work in May. It will launch some domestic routes in Japan then.

"The investment into the branch is huge," Wang said, because they pay Japanese staff high salaries.

But the carrier considers it must do so as a key step toward its international strategy, he added.

If the branch company proves successful in Japan, the carrier may undertake a similar strategy to open more routes in other markets, such as Southeast Asian countries.

Spring Airlines, which was the only budget carrier in China for a long time, has already proposed launching an initial public offering that may be on the list in 2014.