Flights between Australia and New Zealand have been rerouted as China conducts a highly monitored military drill in nearby waters, potentially involving live fire exercises.

The uncommon sight of three Chinese naval vessels in the Tasman Sea has raised alarms in both countries, prompting Australia to describe the situation as “unusual.”

Qantas, the Australian national airline, informed the BBC that it has “temporarily modified” its flight paths, with other airlines reportedly following suit.

China has stated that the ongoing exercise, taking place in international waters, adheres to international law.

Currently, the Chinese vessels are approximately 340 nautical miles east of New South Wales, although they reportedly approached as close as 150 nautical miles to Sydney at one point.

Since last week, Australia and New Zealand have been vigilant in monitoring a frigate, a cruiser, and a supply tanker from the Chinese fleet, deploying their own naval ships for surveillance.

Earlier this week, New Zealand’s Defence Minister Judith Collins expressed concern that China did not notify them of its warships entering the area and had “not deigned to inform us about their activities in the Tasman Sea,” according to the New Zealand Herald.

In contrast, Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles remarked that while the Chinese vessels’ presence is “not unprecedented, it is indeed unusual.”

On Friday, China’s foreign ministry acknowledged that naval training and exercises were taking place in “distant waters.” Spokesperson Guo Jiakun affirmed that “the exercises were conducted safely, according to standard practices and international laws at all times.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated that the Chinese fleet had issued a notification on Friday regarding the commencement of drills that could involve live ammunition.

“This activity aligns with international law… and there are no immediate threats to Australian or New Zealand assets,” he stated.

However, Marles noted that Chinese officials had not directly informed Australian authorities when the alert was issued. He explained that the notification was instead broadcast, which was subsequently picked up by commercial airlines traveling across the Tasman.

On the same day, an Emirates flight was reportedly briefed about the military exercise while en route from Sydney to Christchurch. The BBC is working to verify this information.

In a statement, Qantas confirmed it had altered the routes of its Tasman Sea flights and was actively monitoring the airspace situation, stating, “We continue to collaborate with the Australian government and the broader aviation industry to monitor developments.”

Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand have also adjusted their flight paths accordingly.

This military exercise follows just days after a significant defense dialogue between Australia and China held in Beijing, where military transparency and communication were key topics of discussion.

Recent tensions between the two nations have been evident in several maritime confrontations.

Earlier this month, the Australian government reported an incident in which a Chinese fighter jet deployed flares near an Australian military aircraft in the South China Sea, a claim that Beijing countered by stating the aircraft had “intentionally entered” their airspace.

In May of the previous year, Australia accused a Chinese fighter jet of dropping flares near an Australian navy helicopter involved in a UN Security Council mission in the Yellow Sea.

Furthermore, in November 2023, Canberra alleged that a vessel from China’s navy emitted sonar pulses in international waters off Japan, resulting in injuries to Australian divers.