By Focus and AFP | 2025-02-28

Beijing's ambassador to Canberra said on February 28 that he would not apologize for surprise Chinese naval drills near Australia that forced dozens of commercial flights to change course.

Some 49 flights were forced to divert last week when three Chinese warships announced live firing drills underneath a busy flight path halfway between Australia and New Zealand.

Both nations have criticized China for staging the drills with little notice -- Australian officials said the last-minute alert was broadcast on a channel unused by air controllers.

"In my view, the notice [that China gave] is appropriate," Ambassador Xiao Qian told national broadcaster ABC.

The Australian government formally raised concerns about the exercise with China both in Canberra and Beijing on February 21.

A string of incidents

In addition, Foreign Minister Penny Wong February 21 confronted her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, pressing for greater transparency over the flotilla's movements and questioning why Beijing failed to provide more advance notice of the drill.

The incident adds to a growing list of confrontations between Australian and Chinese forces in the Asia-Pacific region.

Earlier this month, a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares in the path of an Australian air force surveillance plane patrolling the contested South China Sea. Last May, a Chinese fighter jet was accused of intercepting an Australian Seahawk helicopter in international airspace, dropping flares across its flight path. In 2023, a Chinese destroyer allegedly bombarded submerged Australian navy divers with sonar pulses in waters off Japan, causing minor injuries.

At the same time, China has been stoking increasing tensions with the Philippines over the disputed area. On February 18, the Filipino coast guard said that a Chinese navy helicopter flew within three meters of a Filipino surveillance plane over the disputed Scarborough Shoal, marking the latest in a series of "dangerous" provocations by Beijing. China claims nearly the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 international ruling rejecting its claims.

Beijing is also escalating military pressure on Taiwan. From February 10 to 12, Taiwan's National Defense Ministry reported 62 People Liberation's Army (PLA) aircraft sorties near the Taiwan Strait, 45 of which crossed the median line into Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern airspace. Taipei detected eight PLA naval vessels operating near the strait.

New Zealand readies military assets

Australia and close ally New Zealand have been monitoring the three Chinese vessels -- a frigate, cruiser and supply tanker -- since they were detected in international waters off Australia last week.

New Zealand is ready to "support Australia by providing military assets for further monitoring should the need arise," the Australian ally's military said in a statement February 28.