Foreign Minister Penny Wong has backed a decision by Australian aviation authorities to warn commercial pilots about flying in airspace impacted by a Chinese naval exercise.

The Australian Defence Force is monitoring three Chinese warships which were spotted moving down the coast about 280km east of Sydney on Thursday.

The vessels, operating in international waters, have sparked renewed concerns about China’s growing military ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.

Asked on Friday about commercial pilots being warned of hazardous airspace between Australia and New Zealand due to the exercise, Ms Wong said: “this is an evolving situation”.

“It would be normal practice where a task group is engaging in exercises for there to be advice given to vessels and aircraft in the area, and Airservices is doing what it should do, which is to give that advice,” she told ABC radio.

Airservices Australia said it and the  Civil Aviation Authority were aware of reports of live firing in international waters.

“As a precaution, we have advised airlines with flights planned in the area. We are also working together to coordinate advice to operators and pilots,” the agency said in a statement.

A Qantas spokesperson said the airline had temporarily adjusted some flights across the Tasman and was working with the federal government and broader industry to monitor the situation.

Earlier, New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins said the sailing was worthy of attention, describing the vessels as the “most significant and sophisticated” seen in the region.

“This along with the intercontinental ballistic missile that China shot out in October, is real evidence that our distance means nothing now,” Ms Collins told Radio NZ.

Beijing did not alert New Zealand that it was sailing the warships along the Australian coast, Ms Collins said, adding that New Zealand’s government had been aware for “a few days”.

The New Zealand defence force was assisting Australian surveillance efforts, sending a navy vessel and a P8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft to monitor the vessels.

The warships were complying with international law in what appeared to be the Chinese military “showing us that they can do this”, Ms Collins said.

“They’re showing the Australians as well,” she added.

Analysts believe the sailing is an attempt by Beijing to project power and send a message to Canberra about China’s capability.

The sailing follows a run-in with the Chinese military last week, when a fighter jet fired flares in front of an RAAF surveillance aircraft during a patrol over the South China Sea .

The Albanese government lodged a complaint with Beijing over the near-miss, fearing for the lives of the Australian personnel.

This post was originally published on Michael West.