An Emirates flight from Sydney to Christchurch was warned off by Chinese military because of 'live fire' exercises, as Qantas and Air NZ divert flights.

By Kirsty Needham, Lucy Craymer and Lisa Barrington SYDNEY/WELLINGTON (Reuters) -Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised concerns with her Chinese counterpart on Friday over inadequate notice given by the Chinese navy of a rare live-fire exercise in international waters between Australia and New Zealand that forced airlines to divert flights.

The three vessels sparked an alert for commercial pilots and forced flights on Australia-New Zealand routes to be diverted on Friday.

China had given notice that its warships could potentially fire live weapons during an exercise in the Tasman Sea, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Regulator Airservices Australia issued a warning to commercial pilots about a potential hazard in the airspace between the two countries after three Chinese warships began military exercises off Australia’s east coast.

Airliners were over the Tasman Sea crossing between Australia and New Zealand when the Chinese navy warned they were flying over a secret live-fire exercise, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Friday.

On Friday morning, three planes from Sydney bound for the New Zealand cities of Christchurch and Queenstown were in the air when they were warned by a Chinese warship of a live-fire exercise.