Turtle concern: Australian businessman denies threatening to sell Conflict Islands to China

The Conflict Islands are a nesting ground for endangered hawksbill turtles. Ian Gowrie-Smith, who owns the islands, says he contacted the Australian government for help with conservation. Photograph: Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images

The owner of 21 tropical islands off the coast of Papua New Guinea says he never threatened to sell them to China and his main aim is to save the turtles that nest there.

Ian Gowrie-Smith, an Australian businessman and investor, bought the Conflict Islands, which lie less than 1,000km from the Australian coast, almost two decades ago.