Hong Kong, Jan. 10 -- United Parcel Service Inc. will open a regional hub in Manila if it wins the right to fly cargo on intra-Asian routes from Hong Kong while maintaining a current hub in Taipei, the Asian Wall Street Journal said citing an unnamed company official.

Atlanta-based UPS, which filed an application for the new routes with the U.S. Department of Transportation in November, is seeking to fly between Hong Kong and either South Korea, Thailand or the Philippines, the newspaper said.

The news follows UPS' plans to expand its aircraft fleet to meet an expected rise in demand from Internet shopping and so- called just-in-time delivery. UPS made the biggest aircraft order ever when it agreed to buy 60 Airbus Industrie freight planes valued at $6 billion yesterday.

The routes UPS is seeking have been operated by Continental Micronesia Airlines from Manila. The delivery company's application was followed by similar requests from FedEx Corp., Northwest Airlines Corp., Polar Air Cargo and Evergreen International Aviation Inc., the report said.