Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) (SIAL.SI) denied on Tuesday a media report that it is in talks to buy a stake in Hong Kong Airlines International Holdings Ltd.

"We are not in talks to buy any stake in Hong Kong Airlines," said a spokesman at Singapore's flag carrier.

The Wall Street Journal newspaper cited sources as saying that SIA is in talks to buy a minority stake in the Hong Kong-based short-haul carrier as part of an effort to tap into China's booming travel market.

There was no immediate response to an email sent to Hong Kong Airlines outside office hours.

The WSJ report said negotiations between SIA and Hong Kong Airlines are still at a preliminary stage and the size of the investment has not been finalised.

Hong Kong Airlines has delayed its initial public offering to the second half of 2015, Reuters reported this month.