Aluminum Corp of China (Chinalco) is likely to appoint former executive Xiong Weiping as chairman in place of Xiao Yaqing, according to reports.

Reuters quoted the company's vice-president Lu Youqing as saying "I would not deny the fact." But he said the company had not announced it, even internally.

Li Tangdi, an official from Chinalco's press department, declined to comment when contacted.