New Zealand's foreign minister said he had raised concerns over China's recent live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea during meetings with Chinese leaders on Wednesday.

The Cook Islands may be small but the ambitions of its leader are mighty. A range of deals Prime Minister Mark Brown signed with China without consulting the public or New Zealand – an ally to which the Cooks is closely tied – has caused increasing irritation and concern.

Recent unprecedented live-fire drills by China's navy in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand were "totally in line with international law", a spokesperson for its defence ministry said on Thursday.

France, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand—following Washington’s lead—have each staged war games or concluded alliances with Manila targeting China.

New Zealand’s foreign minister is meeting senior officials in China just days after New Zealand and Australia said that Chinese warships should have given more warning before live-fire exercises in waters between their countries.

The deal does not mention joint security initiatives, unlike others China has made with small South Pacific nations. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed it during a visi

One can agree that, in military terms, none of these mid-table teams can match enormous countries such as the US, China or perhaps Russia. Equally, some smaller nations such as New Zealand or Singapore may be economically more nimble and efficient.

Commercial pilots were forced to divert from their routes when the Chinese navy gave minimal warning of a live fire exercise in the waters between Australia and New Zealand. The Albanese government wants an explanation from Beijing.

New Zealand's Defense Minister Judith Collins told Radio New Zealand on Monday that the live-fire activities happened on “a couple of hours’ notice” rather than the expected

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters will touch down in Beijing on Tuesday for a three-day visit as relations between the two countries are strained after Chinese Navy vessels conducted live firing exercises in the Tasman Sea.

New Zealand said the Chinese navy conducted a live-fire exercise in international waters near the Pacific nation on Saturday, a day after it held a similar drill between Australia and New Zealand that forced airlines to divert flights.