BHP Group's designated chief executive, Brandon Craig, held a meeting in Beijing this week with Duan Xiangdong, the chairman of Chinese aluminium producer Chinalco, the state-backed company said in a post on its WeChat account.
The two discussed prospects for further cooperation, according to Chinalco's account of the meeting. The conversation comes as investors watch Craig's engagement with China closely amid an ongoing disagreement between BHP and one of its largest Chinese customers, China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG).
CMRG has prohibited its steel mills from purchasing several of BHP's products while the two sides negotiate annual supply terms, a dispute that has placed pricing and supply arrangements at the center of market attention. Craig has previously said he intends to prioritize strengthening BHP's relationships in China.
BHP had no immediate comment on the Chinalco meeting. Craig is scheduled to take up his new role on July 1.
Separately, a promotional note that appeared alongside reporting on the events highlighted an AI-driven investment screening product that evaluates thousands of companies using over 100 financial metrics and identifies stocks based on fundamentals, momentum, and valuation. The note cited past winners identified by the product, including Super Micro Computer with a reported gain of 185% and AppLovin with a reported gain of 157%. The note invited readers to check whether BHP appears in any of the product's strategies or whether alternative opportunities exist in the same sector.
Context for market participants
The meeting between Craig and Duan occurs while BHP negotiates annual supply terms with a major Chinese customer and prepares for a leadership transition on July 1. The WeChat post by Chinalco framed the exchange as a forward-looking discussion on cooperation; BHP has not issued a public response to the account.
Because reporting is based strictly on the statements and the WeChat post cited above, further details about topics discussed or any specific commercial outcomes were not provided.