Chinese warships in Tasman Sea

The story so far

Three Chinese navy ships sailed in international waters off Australia's east coast in February 2025, and China gave New Zealand no prior notice of the deployment.^{20, 21 Feb 2025} Live-fire drills by the Chinese navy in the Tasman Sea led airlines to change flight paths, and 49 flights were diverted on one Friday.^{21, 25 Feb 2025} Australian politicians questioned why New Zealand took over an hour to notify partners about the firing window, and Australia's Defence Minister defended a 90-minute delay.^{26, 27 Feb 2025} Foreign Minister Winston Peters raised the lack of warning with Chinese counterparts in Beijing and called it a failure.^{25, 27 Feb 2025} The flotilla then moved into Australia's exclusive economic zone and on into the Great Australian Bight, where reports suggested a nuclear-powered submarine could be part of the group.^{26, 27 Feb 2025}

Latest

New Zealand has finished monitoring the Chinese warships as they travel west, and the Australian Defence Force is now tracking them.^{28 Feb 2025} Prime Minister Christopher Luxon noted a global shift towards security and increased defence spending.^{28 Feb 2025}

Key moments

1. 20 Feb 2025New Zealand begins monitoring three Chinese navy ships; China gave no prior notice.
2. 21 Feb 2025Airlines alter routes; a Sydney to Christchurch flight was reportedly warned away.
3. 22 Feb 2025New Zealand personnel observe live rounds fired from a Chinese warship.
4. 25 Feb 2025Drills force 49 flights to change their paths on Friday.
5. 26 Feb 2025Ships enter Australia's economic zone; New Zealand's notification delay is questioned.
6. 27 Feb 2025Peters tells Wang Yi in Beijing that China's lack of warning was a failure.
7. 27 Feb 2025Flotilla enters the Great Australian Bight; nuclear submarine reports emerge.
8. 28 Feb 2025New Zealand stops monitoring; Australian Defence Force takes over tracking the ships.

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.