New Zealand yesterday said the Chinese navy conducted a live-fire exercise in international waters near the Pacific nation, a day after it held a similar drill between Australia and New Zealand that forced airlines to divert flights.
“Reporting from the New Zealand Defence Force that the Chinese naval task group has advised of a second window for live firing activity, on Saturday afternoon,” a spokesperson for New Zealand Minister of Defence Judith Collins said in a statement.
Personnel on New Zealand Navy frigate Te Kaha observed live rounds fired from a Chinese vessel’s main gun, the statement said, adding that the task group had “advised via radio channels of its intent to conduct live firing.”
Photo: Australian Defence Force / AFP
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon earlier yesterday said that it was unclear where the Chinese naval vessels were headed in international waters and for what purpose.
“What we are doing is monitoring and shadowing and tracking the fleet,” he said in Christchurch, adding that China was acting in accordance with international law.
Yesterday’s live-fire drill took place in the Tasman Sea, broadcaster Radio New Zealand reported.
On Friday, airlines including Qantas Airways Ltd, Emirates and Air New Zealand Ltd had to modify flight paths between Australia and New Zealand after China broadcast a message that its navy would hold live-fire exercises in international waters off Australia’s New South Wales.
Australian Minister of Defence Richard Marles yesterday said Beijing had failed to give satisfactory reasons for what he called inadequate notice of Friday’s live-fire drill.
The late notice was “disconcerting” for commercial aviation, he said.
“When we do an activity of this kind, we would typically give 12 to 24 hours notice,” Marles told broadcaster Nine Entertainment, according to a transcript.
The warning by the Chinese vessels was at “very short notice,” Marles said, without saying how many hours were given.
The Australian Defence Force said there was no imminent risk of danger to Australian or New Zealand assets.
Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong (黃英賢) met Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) on Friday on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in South Africa, saying they would discuss “safe and professional military conduct.
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