Australia warns pilots amid Chinese navy live-fire drills near coast

Australia is on alert as three Chinese warships conduct live-fire exercises in international waters off its east coast, prompting warnings to commercial pilots flying between Australia and New Zealand. Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed concerns about the lack of transparency regarding these drills and stated that Australia's Defence Department is closely monitoring the situation. Airlines, including Qantas and Air New Zealand, have begun diverting flights to avoid the potentially hazardous airspace, which has caused significant disruption. Wong confirmed that discussions regarding the exercises would take place with Chinese officials during a G20 meeting in South Africa. The Australian Navy has also deployed vessels to observe the Chinese task group, which is operating in a region where military exercises are permitted under international law. Tensions between Australia and China have been escalating, highlighted by recent incidents involving Chinese military aircraft near Australian planes.