On Friday and Saturday, three warships carried out live-fire exercises, which took place under a busy route connecting Australia and New Zealand.
A Virgin Australia commercial flight initially intercepted the broadcast from the Chinese warships and notified Australia’s air safety agency on Friday morning.
Air Services Australia’s deputy chief executive, Peter Curran, testified at a government hearing on Monday evening, stating that they initially considered the notification as a possible hoax. He further explained that the broadcast was received on an international guard frequency, which is monitored by pilots but not air traffic control. Consequently, they were unable to determine the content of the communication.
Of the 49 flights, some were already in transit when the air safety agency became aware of the drills and confirmed their authenticity, Curran added. Additionally, flights operated by Qantas, Air New Zealand, and Emirates adjusted their flight paths.
Although the exercise occurred in international waters, both Australia and New Zealand expressed criticism towards Beijing for conducting the drills without adequate warning.
What has China stated regarding the situation?
China defendant its actions as “safe, standard, and professional.”
On Saturday, Canberra claimed that it did not receive a satisfactory explanation from Beijing regarding Friday’s drill.
In response, China’s Defense Ministry stated on Sunday that the Australian government’s remarks contradicted the facts and argued that Beijing conducted the drills after issuing multiple prior safety notices.
The spokesperson for China’s Defense Ministry, Wu Qian, accused Australia of making “unreasonable accusations” and deliberately exaggerating the matter. He expressed astonishment and strong dissatisfaction.
The incident occurs just a month after Canberra accused Beijing of “unsafe” military behavior, following China’s fighter jet dropping flares near an Australian air force plane in the vicinity of the South China Sea. Beijing maintains that the Australian plane was infringing upon China’s airspace without permission.
Edited by Zac Crellin
