Flights divert around Chinese live-fire exercise off Australia

Tom McIlroy, Phillip Coorey and Jessica Sier

Feb 21, 2025 – 4.01pm

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Australia’s fractious relationship with Beijing has come under further strain after commercial airline pilots were forced to divert around Chinese warships engaged in a live-firing exercise off the NSW coast.

Qantas, Virgin and Emirates pilots flying over the Tasman Sea had to change course after an Airservices Australia radio warning on Friday. Separately, pilots reported being harassed by the Chinese over the radio.

Tom McIlroy is the Financial Review’s Canberra bureau chief based in the press gallery at Parliament House. He was previously the AFR’s political correspondent.

Phillip Coorey is the political editor based in Canberra. He is a two-time winner of the Paul Lyneham award for press gallery excellence.

Jessica Sier is the North Asia Correspondent for The Australian Financial Review. She is based in Tokyo, Japan. Jessica has previously written on technology, global capital markets and economics.