Australia Seeks Explanation from China Over Military Drills Disrupting Commercial Flights
The Australian government has requested an explanation from China after several commercial airlines were forced to alter their flight paths due to live-fire naval exercises conducted by the Chinese navy in waters between Australia and New Zealand.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the notification about the drills was issued with little advance warning, causing disruptions to commercial flights.
Flight Diversions and Airline Responses
Qantas and its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar temporarily adjusted some routes over the Tasman Sea after receiving warnings about the military exercises, the newspaper reported. Additionally, flights operated by Virgin Australia and Emirates en route to New Zealand were also alerted to the situation.
Flight tracking data shows that Qantas flight QF121 and Emirates flight EK412 deviated from their planned trajectories shortly after departing from Sydney. However, Qantas has not confirmed whether these course changes were directly related to the Chinese military activity.
Rising Tensions Between Australia and China
This incident comes amid heightened tensions between Australia and China. The Sydney Morning Herald noted that last week, an altercation occurred between the two nations' military forces in the South China Sea.
Additionally, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) had been tracking three Chinese naval vessels located 150 nautical miles (277 km) off Sydney’s coast, after they had navigated along Australia’s east coast.
Government and Military Reactions
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that he discussed the issue with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Defence Minister Richard Marles, and ADF leaders.
Albanese explained that upon receiving the notification of the drills, airlines were advised to avoid the affected area. However, ADF Chief David Johnston stated that it remains unclear whether the Chinese navy actually conducted live-fire exercises during the operation.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong plans to raise the matter with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg. Wong stressed the importance of transparency in military activities, especially those involving live-fire exercises.
Impact on Air Traffic Over the Tasman Sea
According to defense sources, the military exercise took place about 640 km off the southern coast of New South Wales, causing "significant disruption" due to the short notice period.
In response, an 18-km (11-mile) exclusion zone was quickly established, extending up to 45,000 feet in altitude, which forced at least three commercial flights to reroute.
While Australian defense officials stated that the exercise did not violate international law, they noted that the Royal Australian Navy typically provides 24 to 48 hours of advance notice for similar operations and avoids areas with high air and maritime traffic.
Every day, approximately 130 commercial flights cross the Tasman Sea, primarily connecting Australia and New Zealand.
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