Title: Air Traffic Rerouted amidst Chinese Military Exercises near Australian Shores
Article Text:
Aircraft traversing the skies between Australia and New Zealand have been redirected due to an uncommon military training operation by China in the neighboring ocean, potentially incorporating live ammunition. The unusual appearance of three Chinese naval vessels in the Tasman Sea has prompted vigilance in both Australia and New Zealand. Australia has characterized the situation as "extraordinary".
Qantas, an Australian airline, informed the BBC that it had "briefly amended" its flight paths, and it appears other airlines have followed suit. China maintains that the exercise, conducted in international waters, is in full compliance with international law. The naval ships are currently positioned 340 nautical miles east off the Australian coast of New South Wales, having reportedly approached as near as 150 nautical miles from Sydney at one point.
Both Australia and New Zealand have been attentively tracking the Chinese armada - consisting of a frigate, cruiser, and supply tanker - from last week, and have deployed their own vessels to keep watch. New Zealand's Defence Minister, Judith Collins, expressed earlier this week that China had not disclosed their decision to dispatch warships to the area, nor had they provided any explanation for their activities in the Tasman Sea, as reported by the New Zealand Herald.
Simultaneously, Australia's Defence Minister, Richard Marles, acknowledged that while the naval presence was not without precedent, it was indeed an uncommon occurrence. China's foreign ministry verified on Friday that the naval exercises were taking place in "remote waters". Spokesperson Guo Jiakun insisted these activities were carried out safely, professionally, and in strict adherence to international laws and norms.
Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, mentioned that the Chinese fleet had issued a warning on Friday about initiating exercises that might involve live ammunition. He reassured that these activities were in line with international law and posed no immediate threat to any Australian or New Zealand assets.
However, Marles pointed out that the Australian authorities were not directly informed by the Chinese when the alert was issued. He explained to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the Chinese had broadcast a notification of their intention to conduct live fire exercises, and it had been intercepted by commercial airlines flying across the Tasman.
On Friday, an Emirates flight from Sydney to Christchurch reportedly received news of the military drill from Chinese authorities while still airborne. BBC is currently seeking validation of this report. Qantas confirmed to the BBC that it had altered the paths of its flights over the Tasman Sea and is continuously monitoring the airspace. Both Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand have purportedly made similar adjustments.
This naval exercise follows a defence dialogue held between Australia and China in Beijing recently, where issues like military transparency and communication were discussed. It's worth noting that the two nations have had a series of tense maritime incidents recently. Earlier this month, Australia alleged that a Chinese fighter jet had discharged flares in front of an Australian military aircraft over the South China Sea. Last year, Australia accused a Chinese fighter plane of dropping flares near an Australian navy helicopter participating in a UN Security Council mission over the Yellow Sea. In November 2023, Beijing's navy was accused by Canberra of using sonar pulses in international waters off Japan, causing injuries to Australian divers.