By Matthew Knott and Matt O'Sullivan
The Albanese government is calling for answers from Beijing after commercial pilots were forced to divert their routes when the Chinese navy gave minimal warning of a live fire exercise in the waters between Australia and New Zealand on Friday.
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 government’s efforts to stabilise relations with China, with the federal opposition and national security experts branding it a provocative act that deserves condemnation.
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 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.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken to New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, as well as Defence Minister Richard Marles and ADF leaders, about the incident.
“It is the case that the notice was given [by the ships about the exercise], and when that occurs, airlines are notified and stay out of the area,” he told reporters.
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”.
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 said the military training event, which occurred about 640 kilometres 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 18 kilometre airspace protection zone up to a height of 45,000 feet.
Up to three commercial aircraft were diverted from their planned routes because of the ships’ activity, Defence sources said.
Crew on the NZ frigate HMNZS Te Kaha, which was shadowing the Chinese ships, reported observing behaviour “consistent with a live fire activity” and monitored the Chinese ships deploying and recovering a floating target.
The NZ crew did not report observing any fires on the target and said there was no indication of any surface-to-air firing.
“This is more about disruption caused rather than risk,” a Defence source said, adding that the exercises did not breach international law.
But Defence sources 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.
People’s Liberation Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang.Credit: ADF
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.
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