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

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.

Australia said Saturday it has not received a satisfactory explanation from Beijing after Chinese warships off its east coast broadcast a "disconcerting" live-fire warning that forced commercial flights to change course.

China defence ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said on Sunday that Australian complaints over recent Chinese live-fire naval drills in international waters between Australia and New Zealand were "hyped up" and "inconsistent with the facts".

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

Australia accused China on Saturday of failing to give satisfactory reasons for what it called inadequate notice of a live-fire drill in waters between Australia and New Zealand that forced airlines to divert flights.

China's Defense Ministry said Sunday that Australia had made “unreasonable accusations” and deliberately hyped the situation after three planes headed to New Zealand changed course in midflight because of live-fire drills by the Chinese navy.

A Chinese naval cruiser fired live rounds Saturday during a task force drill in the sea between Australia and New Zealand, government officials said, prompting an alert to commercial air