An Emirates flight from Sydney to Christchurch was directly warned by the Chinese military to avoid airspace this morning because of live fire exercises, while Qantas and Air New Zealand are diverting flights over the area.
That warning was issued to Emirates flight EA3HJ and was issued around 11am, Sydney time, according to an ABC report. The Chinese Navy vessels were reported to be conducting the drills 340 nautical miles south-east of Sydney, in international waters.
Qantas said it temporarily adjusted some flights across the Tasman for both the national carrier and Jetstar, It added that it was working with the Australian government and the aviation industry to further monitor the situation.
The ABC reported it had confirmed with Australian authorities that formal advice has been issued by air traffic controllers, which prompted several international flights to divert course.
Chinese vessels were seen deploying a floating target, changing formation and then resetting formation ‘consistent with a live fire event’, the ABC reported.
The department said the Chinese vessels were the Jiangki-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class cruiser Zunyi, and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu.
However, it is understood the Australian military did not observe the vessels firing on the target. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken with NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon this afternoon, as well as with the chief of defence, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
The PM said the vessels issued an alert they would be conducting exercises including potential live fire but it was not clear whether a live firing had occurred.
“This is activity that has occurred in waters consistent with international law,” Mr Albanese said. “There has been no risk of danger to any Australian assets or New Zealand assets.”
Senator Wong told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing it was an evolving situation, but she believed live fire exercises had been conducted.
“We will be discussing this with the Chinese and we already have at official level in relation to the notice given and the transparency provided in relation to these exercises, particularly the live fire exercises,” she said.
“Obviously, this is an evolving situation, but it would be normal practice where a task group is engaging in exercises for there to be advice given to vessels and aircraft in the area and Airservices Australia is doing what it should do, which is to give that advice.
“We are aware of this task group, we are monitoring this task group very closely. It is, as I understand it, operating in international waters.”
An earlier report from Washington in the UK’s Financial Times said the flotilla was about 150 nautical miles (277 kilometres) east of Sydney.
The Defence Department revealed last week the Chinese naval taskforce was being monitored in the Coral Sea, north-east of Queensland but within Australia’s exclusive economic zone.
Defence also confirmed last week a Chinese fighter had released flares in front of an Australian military plane, in what it described as an “unsafe and unprofessional” interaction.
Featured image: People’s Liberation Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang.
