Airservices Australia has revealed that a Virgin Airlines pilot was the first to spot three Chinese warships off Australia's east coast last week.

Chinese naval drills in international waters between Australia and New Zealand caused dozens of flight diversions.

Air traffic authorities discovered Chinese warships were conducting a live-fire exercise in the Tasman Strait thanks to an alert by a Virgin pilot.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong says her government has warned international airlines flying between Australian airports and New Zealand to beware of Chinese warships conducting a live-fire ex

Airlines have been contacted by Australia’s air traffic control agency warning them of reports of live fire off the country’s east coast where a Chinese navy task group has been operating, the agency and Australian officials said.

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

The vessels were sailing in the Tasman Sea, and their announced intent to perform exercises prompted a call for commercial flights to divert 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".