The Cook Islands has announced the signing of a deal to strengthen its relations with China, emphasizing that this agreement will not affect its ties with New Zealand, the former colonial power. Prime Minister Mark Brown signed an “action plan for the comprehensive strategic partnership” with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Harbin during a five-day state visit to China last week. He committed to making the agreement public after New Zealand raised concerns about transparency regarding the trip and noted it had not been adequately consulted.
The Cook Islands, a self-governing nation with a population of 17,000, maintains a “free association” relationship with New Zealand, which provides budgetary support and assistance in foreign affairs and defense. There are mutual obligations for regular consultations on defense and security due to their unique constitutional relationship.
Brown assured that the new agreement would not impact the Cook Islands’ relationships with New Zealand or other partners. “The Cook Islands will continue to make strategic decisions in the best long-term interests of our people,” he stated. “Our relationship and engagement with China complements, not replaces, our longstanding relationships with New Zealand and our various other bilateral, regional, and multilateral partners.” He indicated that the agreement would be published online “in the coming days.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed that the government had not yet reviewed the agreement. “We want to see those documents, we’ll go through them and then we’ll have a conversation with the Cook Islands directly,” he said. A spokesperson for New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters mentioned that he would withhold comments until the details of the agreement were available, highlighting concerns about transparency and consultation regarding the trip.
In a statement on the final day of his visit to China, Brown noted that the agreement establishes a framework for collaboration in areas such as trade, investment, ocean science, infrastructure, and transport. “This provides opportunities for our government, our private sector, and our people to benefit from enhanced partnership opportunities with China in areas aligned with our national interests and long-term development goals,” he explained.
Upon returning to the Cook Islands, Brown expressed his intention to meet with New Zealand officials in the coming weeks to address any rifts that may have arisen. “I’m sure once the New Zealand government has a look at it, there will be nothing for them to be concerned about,” he added. Cook Islands officials also mentioned discussions with Chinese institutes regarding seabed minerals research, as the Pacific island considers deep-sea mining of metal-rich nodules containing nickel and cobalt. China is actively seeking to expand its diplomatic, economic, and military influence in the region.
