Chinese warships conduct second live fire drill in Tasman Sea as ...

It comes just a day after a similar incident in which passenger jets were forced to change course with little warning.

Now, the opposition and security experts are calling for a stronger response from the federal government.

However the prime minister, while on a pre-election campaign trail in Tasmania, insisted China were within international law.

"Defence has confirmed that China did comply with international law," Anthony Albanese said, before the second live firing drill took place.

"We believe it would've been appropriate to have been given more warning of this potential event taking place.

"I can confirm also that there has been no danger to Australian assets as a result of this action in China."

Albanese was meeting residents in must-win swing seats in the apple Isle, as Chinese navy vessels advised of live firing activity for the second day in a row in waters just to the east.

New Zealand's defence minister Judith Collins confirmed their navy observed live rounds being fired from the Chinese ship's gun.

The Australian PM knocked back suggestions the government should impose any stronger rebukes like restrictions on trade.

"You do know that most of the trade goes from here to there, not the other way around," Albanese told reporters.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised concerns over Friday's live fire drill alert - including appropriate notice - when meeting with her Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in South Africa.

"I don't think we have a satisfactory answer from China as to the question of the notice," Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles told Weekend Today.

The same week, the defence department made public that they were monitoring three Chinese warships sailing in the Coral Sea.

Those ships made their way down the East Coast and on Friday, forced the diversion of passenger planes mid-flight after radio warnings that live fire drills would be conducted in the Tasman Sea.

"Mild and diplomatic rebukes by the Australian Government whenever one of these incidents happen, is not deterring the Chinese from doing it again and again and again," defence analyst Malcolm Davis told 9News.

Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie shared a similar view.

"I think what we've seen from the prime minister and his defense minister is a pattern of weakness over the last two years," he said.

However, New Zealand's PM, Christopher Luxon, echoed his Australian counterpart.

"They are in international waters," he said.

"They are completely within the bounds of international law."

On Saturday night, new details of a deal struck between China and the Cook Islands to build more ports and ships, reinforcing that our biggest trading partner continues to be our biggest security challenge.

Marles also told Weekend Today, usually the Royal Australian Navy would give between 12 to 24 hours' notice if they were performing live firing exercises in international waters.

He said he was ensured an "unprecedented level" of assets to shadow the ships to figure out what the Chinese task group are doing.

"This is an unusual mission that we are seeing with this task group... what we have done is put in place an unprecedented level of surveillance in respect of it," Marles said.

"They are not breaching international law, but nor are we in terms of the surveillance that we're putting in place."