What China was doing in the Tasman Sea on Australia's doorstep By MAX AITCHISON, POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and HARRISON CHRISTIAN Published: 07:07, 25 February 2025 | Updated: 07:12, 25 February 2025 e-mail Advertisement Chinese state-run media has released menacing footage of its live fire exercises performed in the Tasman Sea, as more passengers planes have reportedly been diverted while flying between Australia and New Zealand. Military exercises conducted by three Chinese warships 640 kilometres off the New South Wales South Coast resulted in 49 aircraft being forced to change course on Friday. The drills took place in the Tasman Sea beneath an area of busy airspace between Australia and New Zealand.
Airservices Australia officials told Senate estimates hearings on Monday that a Virgin pilot was the one to sound the alert after overhearing chatter from the ships while flying nearby. 'It was in fact a Virgin Australia aircraft that advised one of our air traffic controllers that a foreign warship was broadcasting, that they were conducting live firing 300 nautical miles east of our coast,' chief executive Rob Sharp said. 'So that's how we first found out about the issue.
' China has insisted it issued 'repeated safety notices' before blasting missiles into the sea. 'The Chinese side's actions were entirely in accordance with international law and in line with international practices, which would not impact aviation safety,' China's Defence Ministry spokesm.