NDRC: Move gas to market prices

The government plans to move to market-oriented natural gas pricing in 2006 to encourage investment in exploration, state media reported. A National Development and Reform Commission spokesman said factory prices would increase by 5-15%, the biggest price adjustment since 1997. Natural gas is the only major commodity on the Chinese mainland under government price control, which state-owned oil and gas producer PetroChina said discouraged investment in gas fields.