TAIPEI, TAIWAN - THE chairman of Taiwan's leading aircraft carrier China Airlines said on Monday he has stepped down after completing what he said was his task of tackling the company's maintenance and safety issues.

Ringo Chao's resignation would be effective from Monday, said company spokesman Bruce Chen.

Mr Chao replaced Mr Philip Wei as CAL chairman in October 2007 in a management reshuffle after a Boeing 737-800 exploded into a fireball shortly after landing at the main airport on Japan's Okinawa island the previous month.

All 165 passengers and crew fled to safety with minutes to spare.

It was the latest setback for China Airlines, which has reported nine fatal accidents since 1970.

China Airlines is 55.32 percent-owned by government-affiliated China Aviation Development Foundation, which is headed by Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-Kuo.

The company's board is expected to elect a new chairman when they meet later this week, a company official said. -- AFP