Overview
- Three Chinese naval vessels, including a frigate, cruiser, and supply tanker, have been conducting live-fire exercises in international waters near Australia, about 150 nautical miles from Sydney.
- Australia's Defence Department and Airservices Australia issued warnings to commercial airlines, leading to flight path adjustments by Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand.
- Australian and New Zealand military forces are closely monitoring the Chinese ships, describing the activity as unusual but compliant with international law.
- The drills follow recent tensions between Australia and China, including an incident where a Chinese fighter jet released flares near an Australian surveillance plane over the South China Sea.
- Officials in both Australia and New Zealand have raised concerns about the transparency surrounding the exercises and are engaging in diplomatic discussions with China.