Planes traveling between Australia and New Zealand have been diverted due to a closely monitored military exercise by China in nearby waters, potentially involving live ammunition.
The unusual sighting of three Chinese naval vessels in the Tasman Sea has heightened vigilance in both Australia and New Zealand, with the former describing the occurrence as “unusual.”
The Australian carrier Qantas has said that it has made “temporary adjustments” to its flight paths, and similar actions have been reported by other airlines.
China asserts that the ongoing military exercises in international waters are compliant with international law.
Reports indicate that the Chinese ships are now positioned 340 nautical miles east of the Australian coast of New South Wales, having previously approached within 150 nautical miles of Sydney.
Both Australia and New Zealand have kept a close watch on the Chinese squadron, consisting of a frigate, a cruiser, and a supply ship, dispatching their own vessels to track them since last week.
New Zealand’s Defence Minister Judith Collins expressed earlier this week that China had not notified them about sending warships to their region, nor had they shared their plans for activities in the Tasman Sea, as reported by the New Zealand Herald.
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles commented that while the presence of these ships is not unprecedented, it remains an unusual occurrence.
On Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged that their naval forces were conducting training exercises in distant seas.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasized that the exercises were executed safely, professionally, and in line with international standards and laws.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese relayed that the Chinese fleet had issued a warning on Friday about commencing potentially live-fire drills.
“This activity has occurred in waters consistent with international law… there has been no imminent risk of danger to any Australian or New Zealand assets,” he said.
However, Marles noted that the Chinese had not directly informed Australian officials about the alert.
“What China did was issue a notification that it was intending to engage in live fire, and by that, I mean a broadcast that was picked up by airlines, literally commercial planes that were flying across the Tasman,” he explained to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
He added that typically, such notices are issued 12 to 24 hours beforehand.
Emirates was reportedly notified by Chinese authorities of the exercise while one of its flights was en route from Sydney to Christchurch; the BBC is currently confirming these details.
Qantas released a statement confirming route alterations for its flights over the Tasman Sea and stated its ongoing cooperation with the Australian government and industry stakeholders to monitor airspace.
“We continue to work with the Australian government and the broader industry to monitor the situation,” it added.
Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand have also reportedly adjusted their flight paths.
This military exercise follows a recent defense dialogue between Australia and China in Beijing, discussing military transparency and communication, among other topics.
These nations have experienced several strained naval and aerial encounters recently.
Earlier this month, Canberra reported that a Chinese fighter jet deployed flares near an Australian military plane over the South China Sea, while Beijing claimed the Australian aircraft had deliberately intruded into its airspace.
Last May, Australia reported an incident where a Chinese fighter jet released flares near an Australian navy helicopter during a UN Security Council mission in the Yellow Sea.
Furthermore, in November 2023, Australia alleged that the Chinese navy used sonar pulses in international waters off Japan, causing injuries to Australian divers.
