China’s Defense Ministry says that Australia made “unreasonable accusations” and deliberately hyped the situation after three planes headed to New Zealand changed course in midflight because of live-fire drills by the Chinese navy.

By Kirsty Needham, Lucy Craymer and Lisa Barrington SYDNEY/WELLINGTON (Reuters) -Australia expressed concern to China on Friday over the short notice given by the Chinese navy that it would hold a live-fire exercise in international waters between Australia and New Zealand,

China defence ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said on Sunday that Australian complaints over recent Chinese live-fire naval drills in international waters between Australia and New Zealand were "hyped up" and "inconsistent with the facts".

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong says her government has warned international airlines flying between Australian airports and New Zealand to beware of Chinese warships conducting a live-fire ex

The Chinese naval exercises, in international waters off Australia’s eastern coast, while legal, have nonetheless sparked alarm in Australia and New Zealand.

Authorities in Australia and close ally New Zealand have been monitoring three Chinese navy vessels spotted in recent days in international waters of the nearby Tasman Sea

Airlines have been contacted by Australia’s air traffic control agency warning them of reports of live fire off the country’s east coast where a Chinese navy task group has been operating, the agency and Australian officials said.

Australia warned airlines flying between Australian airports and New Zealand to beware of Chinese warships potentially conducting a live-fire exercise in the Tasman Sea

Australia says it detected no live firing from Chinese naval ships off its east coast, despite the vessels broadcasting a warning that forced commercial flights to detour. The Chinese ships broadcast a verbal live fire warning Friday that was picked up by commercial planes over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand,