Military exercises by the Chinese navy in international waters southeast of Australia on Friday forced commercial flights transiting the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand to divert.

China's naval exercise in the Tasman Sea has put Australia and New Zealand on alert, with Canberra calling it "unusual".

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

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'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

Australia's defense forces, joined by New Zealand, have been monitoring Chinese navy vessels since they were spotted last week.