CHINA

Conflict With Indonesia Denied: China said it is not in a dispute over the huge Natuna gas field in the South China Sea, but fell short of declaring that it has no claim on the region. “We’re willing to hold bilateral talks with the Indonesian side in an effort to settle the demarcation of this area,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman told a news conference in Beijing. The comments, however, did not recognize Indonesia’s claim to the Natuna Islands. The gas field promises to be one of the biggest in Southeast Asia. Indonesian officials said last week that China has not fulfilled promises made two years ago to clear up the sovereignty issue.