The Chinese government has ramped up its war of words with Australia with accusations of ‘hyping up’ tensions over live firing exercises in the waters between Australia and New Zealand.

New Zealand confirmed the second day of exercises in the Tasman Sea on Saturday after a Chinese warship was seen firing a gun.

It came after three vessels of the People’s Liberation Army Navy conducted drills about 630km off Eden, NSW in recent days. 

Qantas, Emirates, Virgin and Air New Zealand modified flight paths between Australia and New Zealand after receiving initial reports of live firing on Friday. 

China’s defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian hit back on Sunday to say that its fleet’s training and exercise area is far away from the Australian coastline.

‘China’s actions are in full compliance with international law and international practices and will not affect aviation flight safety,’ he said.

‘Australia, knowing this well, made unreasonable accusations against China and deliberately hyped it up. We are deeply surprised and strongly dissatisfied with this.’

‘China hopes that Australia will view the relations between the two countries and the two militaries with an objective and rational attitude, be more sincere and professional, and truly do something practical for the stable development of the relations between the two countries and the two militaries.’

However, Mr Wu appears to have mainly taken offence at comments from Australia’s Opposition Coalition, rather than the Labor government. 

Health Minister Mark Butler said China had ‘the right’ to conduct drills as the warships were in international waters.

Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles have also both said the Chinese warships’ activities were legal under international law. 

However defence opposition spokesman Andrew Hastie has slammed the pair over their handling of the situation.

‘When will the Prime Minister and his Defence Minister stand up for the Australian national interest and insist on mutual respect from their Chinese counterparts,’ Mr Hastie said. 

He said China’s growing military presence was ‘gunboat diplomacy’, and that the Communist state was trying to project power into the Pacific region and test US allies such as Australia. 

Mr Hastie pointed out there had been other incidents between Australian and Chinese forces in recent years, including dangerous manoeuvres by the People’s Liberation Army.

‘This is a weak government that is keeping Australians in the dark and failing at the most crucial role of government – to uphold our security and sovereignty,’ he continued.

Mr Butler rejected those claims as he slammed the Opposition’s ‘ juvenile’ response.

‘The opposition (is) using a bit of loud hailer diplomacy again here for domestic political purposes,’ he told Sky News.

‘What do they say we should do? This is juvenile. This is student politics. They have not said one thing they would have the ADF do that we’re not currently doing.

‘It’s all about the politics, including, bizarrely, in relation to national security.’

Chinese naval officials told the New Zealand government via radio about its latest round of exercises in the afternoon just hours before they began. 

Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with her Chinese counterpart, demanding answers as to why the vessels only offered limited notice before the firing was carried out, on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Johannesburg on Friday. 

China’s Defense Ministry spokesman Mr Wu added that ‘China hopes that Australia will view the relations between the two countries and the two militaries with an objective and rational attitude. 

‘Be more sincere and professional, and truly do something practical for the stable development of the relations between the two countries and the two militaries.’