Commercial Flights Diverted After CCP Warships Begin Surprise Live-Fire Exercise Near Australia

Commercial Flights Diverted After CCP Warships Begin Surprise Live-Fire Exercise Near Australia

Rex Widerstrom and Daniel Y. Teng

Commercial flight paths between Australia and New Zealand have been disrupted after Chinese warships began preparing to fire live ammunition as part of an apparent military exercise.

The three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels have traversed the Australian coastline for the past week with no indication of their motives, and came within 150 nautical miles (277 kilometres on land) of Sydney on Feb. 19.

Several flight have been re-routed, including Qantas and Emirates aircraft, following advice that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) warships had been “live firing in international waters” on Feb. 21.

“As a precaution, we have advised airlines with flights planned in the area,” an Airservices Australia spokesperson said.

“We are also working together to coordinate advice to operators and pilots.”

Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces have been tracking the flotilla since last week.

The weapons firing is understood to be taking place 346 nautical miles (640 kilometres) off Eden, south of Sydney in New South Wales, according to a Defence Department spokesperson.

In a statement, Air New Zealand said it “has modified flight paths as needed to avoid the area, with no impact on our operations.”

Qantas and its subsidiary Jetstar told RNZ they are working with the Australian government to monitor the situation.

The small fleet called Task Group 107, includes the heavily armed Renhai-class cruiser (named Zunyi), a Jiangkai-class frigate (Hengyang), and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu.

The Australian Defence Department said it was not notified of the Chinese fleet’s intent to conduct the activity, and that the only notice came via a verbal radio broadcast to civilian aircraft.

“The process undertaken by the PLAN to inform of the live fire activity was conducted in accordance with applicable international law conventions,” a Defence spokesperson told The Epoch Times.

Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told the ABC that the events would be discussed with Beijing.

“We already have at official level in relation to the notice given and the transparency provided in relation to these exercises, particularly the live fire exercises,” she said.

“Obviously, this is an evolving situation, but it would be normal practice where a task group is engaging in exercises for there to be advice given to vessels and aircraft in the area, and Airservices Australia is doing what it should do, which is to give that advice.

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