Chinese warships traveling south along Australia's eastern coastline announced their plan to conduct live fire exercises in international waters between Australia and New Zealand, igniting concerns and necessitating diversion of commercial flights. The three vessels, including one of China's most formidable warships, were operating beyond Australia's exclusive economic zone, clarified Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Detected in the region the previous week, the presence of these ships underscores China's military assertiveness far from its mainland, prompting military tracking by both Australian and New Zealand forces.
While Beijing justified the activities as "far seas exercises," conducted safely and in accordance with international practices, Australian authorities maintain that the movements warranted close scrutiny. Australia’s Airservices issued warnings to airlines, instructing them to alter paths over the Tasman Sea as a precautionary measure. Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed concern regarding the transparency of the drills and planned to address these issues with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa.
The fleet comprises a guided missile cruiser, a frigate, and a supply vessel, which were detected just about 150 nautical miles off Sydney this week. While the vessels are legal in their movements, Australian officials have reiterated their commitment to monitoring any potential military shifts in the region closely.
