Australia: China Did Not Provide Satisfactory Justifications for Delayed Live-Fire Drill Notification
Australia accused China on Saturday of failing to provide satisfactory explanations for what it described as a late notification about live-fire exercises in waters between Australia and New Zealand, which forced airlines to reroute their flights, according to Reuters.
Defense Minister Richard Marles said that the government had yet to receive “a satisfactory response from China regarding the notification issue” of the drills, which he described as “disruptive” to commercial aviation.
Marles, in an excerpt from his interview with Nine Entertainment, stated, “When we conduct such activities, we typically provide advance notice of 12 to 24 hours. A satisfactory answer would be an explanation of why this was not done.”
Airlines such as Qantas, Emirates, and Air New Zealand adjusted their flight paths between Australia and New Zealand on Friday after China issued a message stating that its navy would conduct live-fire exercises in international waters off the coast of New South Wales, Australia.
The Canberra government said yesterday that the country’s defense forces had confirmed there was no imminent threat to Australian or New Zealand assets.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated today, in comments aired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), that “China has complied with international law, and it is important not to suggest otherwise.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia Kun said yesterday that the naval exercises “were conducted in accordance with safety standards and professional operations at all times, in line with relevant international laws and practices.”
