Two Chinese directors to join Virgin board

Virgin Australia's board should be revamped next month to include representation from its two Chinese shareholders, HNA Group and Nanshan Group.

Virgin Australia's two major Chinese shareholders now have seats on the airline's board. (AAP)

Virgin Australia has unveiled proposed board changes to reflect the fact it is now one-third owned by Chinese companies.

HNA Group, China's biggest private airline operator, has nominated Nang Qi as its shareholder representative director after it bought a 13 per cent stake in Virgin Australia for $159 million in May.

At the time, HNA said it would progressively increase its stake to 19.99 per cent.

Chinese conglomerate Nanshan Group - which bought a 19.98 per cent stake in the Brisbane-based carrier from Air New Zealand in June - has nominated Chien-tsung Lu.

The board seats were part of the shareholding agreements.

Virgin said on Wednesday that the appointments would become effective subject to the resolutions being passed at its annual general meeting in Brisbane on November 16.

Virgin shares were up 0.5 cents, or 0.27 per cent, at 23.5 cents in a lower Australian share market at 1322 AEDT.

Australia's second biggest airline is removing smaller planes, cutting jobs and debt as it targets the Chinese market for a boost in passengers and revenue.