SAS has been trying to sell its 49 percent stake in Estonian Air since February.

TALLINN — Estonian Economy and Communications Minister Juhan Parts told the press Monday that potential buyers for Estonian Air include Chinese investors.

Parts said the Chinese are among several investors interested in purchasing the 49 percent share owned by SAS of Estonia’s national airline.

“There has been talk and expressions of interest, also we have raised the issue at different transport-related meetings with Chinese ministers. Also when Chinese deputy prime minister Zhang Dejiang visited us at the beginning of November,” Parts said.

“But it is difficult for us to evaluate how serious or in which stage this interest is since SAS is the seller,” the minister said on behalf of the airline, which the government is 34 percent shareholder of.

Neither Estonian Air nor SAS are commenting on the issue. Estonian Air’s council chairman Olev Schults said he could not comment on “information possibly connected to third parties.”