An Emirates flight from Sydney to Christchurch was directly warned by the Chinese military to avoid airspace on Friday morning, before Chinese vessels were believed to have conducted live fire exercises, the ABC reports.
That warning to flight UAE3HJ was issued around 11am, Sydney time.
Commercial pilots have been warned to avoid airspace between Australia and New Zealand because of fears that Chinese naval vessels in the area were conducting live fire military drills.
Warnings remain in place and airlines including Qantas and Air New Zealand are diverting flights, with formal advice issued by air traffic controllers.
The vessels were believed to be conducting the drills 340 nautical miles south-east of Sydney, in international waters.
The defence minister says planes were “literally flying across the Tasman” as China began its exercises, and forced to rapidly divert.
The ABC understands the Chinese vessels were seen deploying a floating target, changing formation and then resetting formation consistent with a live fire event.
However, it is understood the Australian military did not observe the vessels firing on the target.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China had followed international law.
“The [People’s Liberation Army] Southern Theatre Command organised the Chinese fleet to conduct a far seas exercise,” he said.
“The drill was carried out in a safe, standard and professional manner in accordance with the relevant international law and international practice.”
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 the foreign minister.
He would not be drawn on whether the matter concerned him.
“This is activity that has occurred in waters consistent with international law,” he said.
“There has been no risk of danger to any Australian assets or New Zealand assets.”
Mr Albanese said the vessels issued an alert they would be conducting exercises including potential live fire.
However, Defence Minister Richard Marles told ABC Radio Perth: “We weren’t notified by China, we became aware of the issue during the course of the day.”
“What China did was put out 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.”
Mr Marles said the vessels had complied with international law but would usually be expected to give 12 to 24 hours’ notice, “and so I can understand why this was probably … very disconcerting for the airlines”.
The full ABC report is here.
