New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins said Monday that a Chinese naval group conducting military exercises in the Tasman Sea was armed with "extremely capable."

The Chinese warships off Australia's coast are carrying missiles with a range of about 1,000 kilometres, New Zealand's defence minister says, warning of an urgent need for her government to bolster defence spending.

When geopolitical tension mounts, New Zealand tends to lean closer to traditional allies. Chinese warships in the Tasman make that even likelier now.