Australia has issued a warning to commercial airlines regarding “live-fire” military exercises being conducted by Chinese warships off the country’s east coast. This has led to the rerouting of flights in the affected area. The Financial Times disclosed that a Chinese naval task group, consisting of two warships and a supply vessel, had ventured within 150 nautical miles of Sydney in what has been described as an “unprecedented” event along the Australian coastline. The movements of these ships were monitored by Australian and New Zealand forces.
On Friday, Australian authorities alerted pilots operating in the Tasman Sea about the Chinese military exercises. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority and Airservices Australia, a body responsible for air traffic control, acknowledged reports of live firing in international waters and, as a precaution, advised airlines to alter their flight plans. Qantas confirmed modifications to some flights, including those of its Jetstar subsidiary, and expressed that they would closely monitor the situation. Similarly, Air New Zealand stated that they had changed flight paths to steer clear of the area.
Officials in Australia stated that the exercises, being conducted in international waters, were legal. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese consulted with defense forces and his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon, regarding the exercises, stating that there was no immediate threat to assets from both countries. However, Richard Marles, Australia’s defense minister, mentioned that China’s radio notifications were intercepted by commercial aircraft in the Tasman Sea. He highlighted that Canberra had not been directly informed of the exercises, although such notifications are customary, especially with live-fire drills, which typically see prior notification given 12 to 24 hours in advance.
The maneuvers, notable for being one of the few instances of Chinese naval live-fire exercises affecting civilian airspace far from its territory, have raised concerns about China’s projection of its military power into the Pacific. Judith Collins, New Zealand’s defense minister, remarked that the presence of significant Chinese warships was “a wake-up call” for a region that has long relied on its geographical remoteness as a defense strategy.
Jennifer Parker from the Australian National University’s National Security College commented on the unusual presence of Chinese ships, interpreting it as a message that targets a significant vulnerability for Australia, namely, maritime security. She further asserted that while the live exercises were not uncommon, conducting them beneath a flight path displayed “poor form.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded by stating that the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command conducted the exercise “safely, according to relevant international law and practices.” In the past, the PLA has provided navigational warnings related to missile tests or military exercises near its coast.
Last Sunday, Chinese state media reported that a group composed of the destroyer Zunyi, the frigate Hengyang, and the supply ship Weishanhu embarked on a multi-day “realistic far seas training” in the Pacific Ocean. This mission follows a prior training activity by the same task force north of the region during the lunar new year holiday.
Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, indicated plans to address the issue of transparency regarding these exercises with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, at a forthcoming meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Johannesburg.
