American Airlines is in advanced talks to buy a $200 million stake in Asia's biggest airline China Southern, reports said Thursday, as it looks to get a shoe-in to the country's huge aviation market. The Texas-based company plans to take the stake in the Chinese firm's Hong Kong-listed shares through a private placement, Bloomberg News reported, quoting people familiar with the matter. China Southern suspended its stocks traded in both Hong Kong and Shanghai on Thursday morning pending a "possible major strategic cooperation", exchange statements said.