New Zealand raised fresh concerns Monday over nearby live-fire drills conducted by Chinese warships armed with “extremely capable” weapons, an unprecedented show of firepower last week that analysts say are part of Beijing’s ongoing plan to build a blue-water navy with global reach.

Canberra’s claim that Beijing failed to give enough notice is ‘completely inconsistent with the facts’, Chinese defence ministry says.

The insouciant voyage by the Chinese around our waters must surely be the start of things to come, as Beijing flexes its muscles to remind friends and foes of the strength and length of its reach. Want to unlock unlimited news?

China has agreed to consider concerns that its military did not give enough notice before staging live-fire exercises in the waters between New Zealand and Australia last week, the foreign minister of New Zealand said in Beijing on Wednesday.

Beijing responds indignantly to the uproar in Australia as well as New Zealand following a week of military exercises staged by three Chinese warships