NZ navy shadowing Chinese warships reportedly observe behaviour ‘consistent with a live fire activity’

Saturday, 22 February 2025

Crew on the navy frigate HMNZS Te Kaha, shadowing the Chinese warships in the Tasman Sea, have reportedly observed behaviour “consistent with a live fire activity”.

The NZ crew did not report observing any fires on a floating target, and said there was no indication of any surface-to-air firing, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The Defence Force vessel had monitored the Chinese ships deploying and recovering a floating target, they said.

Up to three commercial aircraft were diverted from their planned routes because of the ships’ activity on Friday.

The Australian government was calling for answers from Beijing after only minimal warning was given by the Chinese navy.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken to New Zealand Prime Minster Christopher Luxon about the incident.

Qantas said both it and budget offshoot Jetstar temporarily adjusted some flights across the Tasman after receiving warnings of the drills, adding that it was working with the Australian government and broader industry to monitor the situation.

Virgin and Emirates flights to New Zealand also received warnings about the exercises.

Flight tracking data showed Qantas flight QF121 deviated from its flight path less than an hour into its journey over the Tasman from Sydney to Queenstown late on Friday morning, as did Emirates flight EK412 from Sydney to Christchurch.

Qantas would not confirm whether QF121’s deviation was due to the risk posed by the Chinese warships’ live fire exercise.

The incident, which comes a week after a dangerous encounter between the Australian and Chinese militaries in the South China Sea, marks the latest challenge to the Albanese government’s efforts to stabilise relations with China, with the federal opposition and national security experts branding it a provocative act that deserves condemnation.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) said earlier this week it was keeping close watch on three Chinese military ships that had been spotted just 150 nautical miles (277 kilometres) from Sydney after moving steadily down the east coast of Australia over recent days.

Albanese said Defence Force Chief David Johnston had advised him it was unclear whether any live fire was actually used by the Chinese navy, although it had given warning it would conduct live fire exercises.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, responding to a question on Australia’s concerns at a daily press briefing, said the drill was carried out “in a safe, standard and professional manner in accordance with relevant international law and international practice”.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she would discuss the exercises with the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi at the foreign ministers’ G20 meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday.

“We already have [discussed this] at official level in relation to the notice given and the transparency provided in relation to these exercises, particularly the live fire exercises,” she told the ABC.

Asked why Airservices Australia was telling commercial pilots not to fly over the area, Wong described the incident as “an evolving situation”.

Defence sources told the Sydney Morning Herald the military training event, which occurred about 640km east of the NSW South Coast, caused “significant disruption” because of the limited notice period and impact on commercial flights.

The sources said the Chinese military informed Australian authorities on Friday it would be conducting live fire exercises later that day, prompting the speedy establishment of an 18km airspace protection zone up to a height of 45,000 feet.

Defence sources for the Sydney Morning Herlad said the Australian navy would give 24 to 48 hours’ notice of similar exercises and would avoid areas with significant commercial air and sea travel.

The federal government has requested additional information from the Chinese defence attaché in Canberra and with authorities in Beijing.

A spokeswoman for Airservices Australia said the organisation was “aware of reports of live firing in international waters”.

“As a precaution, we have advised airlines with flights planned in the area,” she said. “We are also working together to co-ordinate advice to operators and pilots.”

Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie branded the Chinese military’s exercises a “provocation”, saying Beijing was using “gunboat diplomacy to test US allies like Australia”.

“When will the prime minister and his defence minister stand up for the Australian national interest and insist on mutual respect from their Chinese counterparts?” he asked.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Justin Bassi said Beijing was testing Australia’s resolve with such behaviour.

“Yes it’s legal, but it’s clearly an intimidatory gesture,” he said of the exercises.

“China is looking for us either to be hypocritical and overreact, or be submissive by being silent. Australia’s interests are in acknowledging our relationship with China is an unstable, not a stable one.”

Former senior defence official Michael Shoebridge blasted the Chinese navy for what he called a “deliberately provocative, aggressive act”.

“There is no rational reason for the PLA to be conducting live fire exercises in the waters between Australia and New Zealand except to send a message of intimidation, aggression and provocation”.

Such exercises could quickly become unsafe given the warships are packed with surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, Shoebridge said.

“The government needs to tell Beijing that there cannot be a stabilised relationship when this is happening.”

The ADF revealed last week that an Australian maritime patrol aircraft was involved in “an unsafe and unprofessional interaction” with the Chinese military while conducting a routine maritime surveillance patrol in the South China Sea.

The ADF said in a statement on Wednesday night it was “monitoring the People’s Liberation Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class cruiser named Zunyi and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu, which continue to operate to the east of Australia”.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said earlier that the government had deployed air and sea assets to shadow the Chinese ships, describing the flotilla’s behaviour as “unusual” but not necessarily unprecedented.