Chalco sidesteps speculation for a Potash bid

SHANGHAI Aug 24 (Reuters) - Aluminum Corp of China Ltd (Chalco) (2600.HK) the world's biggest aluminium company by market value, sidestepped market speculation that the company may submit a rival bid for Potash Corp (POT.TO)(POT.N).

Potash said on Monday it had held talks with other possible suitors as it ratcheted up pressure on BHP Billiton (BHP.AX) (BLT.L) to raise its $39 billion offer for the world's largest fertilizer producer.

"Chalco's investment should meet our investment criteria. We are not interested in just everything," Chairman Xiong Weiping told a news conference. (Reporting by Rujun Shen, Ruby Lian and Soo Ai Peng; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)