China has conducted live fire exercises in international waters between Australia and New Zealand, forcing commercial flights to divert and putting the two countries on edge. The naval vessels, including one of the most powerful warships in China’s fleet, were outside Australia’s exclusive economic zone.
The drills took place in the Tasman Sea, where air traffic authorities advised airlines to avoid parts of the area as a precaution. Australian officials have stressed that Chinese ships have been traversing regional waters legally but are closely monitoring their movements.
Analysts say the unannounced presence of the warships near Australian territorial waters is a show of force. China’s foreign ministry described the actions as “far seas exercises” and claimed they were carried out in accordance with international law and practice.
However, Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong expressed concern about the lack of transparency surrounding the exercises and the notice given. She will raise this issue with her Chinese counterpart during a scheduled meeting at the G20 summit in South Africa.
The ships, including a guided missile cruiser, frigate, and supply vessel, were first detected off Australia’s northeast coast last week. They passed through waters about 150 nautical miles from Sydney, outside Australian territorial waters but inside its exclusive economic zone.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/world/australia/chinese-warships-drills-new-zealand.html