Why China's deal sparks Cook Islands – New New Zealand quarrel | Political News

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown will visit Beijing this week to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with the world's second-largest economy, the latest sign of China's expanding influence in the Pacific island region.

But the proposed treaty has gained decades of ties between the Cook Islands and New Zealand, and neighbors will mark a 60-year Liberal Association agreement in 2025. The agreement has long been in light of New Zealand's impact on the Cook Islands, especially on its foreign policy.

As tensions escalate, we break down the full content of the proposed agreement between China and the Cook Islands, why New Zealand is frustrated and what that means for the region.

What are the deals between the Cook Islands and China?

Brown will sign a joint action plan with China during his trip from February 10 to 14.

Without elaborating on the plan in detail, this partnership will expand economic opportunities “while ensuring that our sovereignty and national interests remain at the forefront”, he said. He added that details of “will agree” during his trip marked the first visit by chef island leaders to China in a decade.

The deal is expected to revolve around trade cooperation, climate, tourism and infrastructure.

Brown stressed that the deal does not involve security or defense matters.

But since Beijing signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands in 2022, the U.S. and its allies in the region have grown in the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand. On the surface, the island was designed to train Royal Solomon Islands police forces, the country closest to the army.

Does China already exist on the Cook Islands?

China has always been the main economic partner of the Cook Islands. According to the Sydney Loy Institute think tank database, the Cook Islands spent $517 million in foreign aid between 2008 and 2022.

New Zealand has $219 million, the largest contributor, but China has $112 million, the second largest source of foreign aid in the country and more than double Australia's share. Meanwhile, the United States contributed $95,000 to the Cook Islands during these 14 years.

In the past, China and New Zealand have jointly helped the Cook Islands jointly help the Cook Islands develop a major water supply project, the first deal in Beijing's history.

According to the Pacific National Diplomacy and Immigration Department, China's financial aid – as well as Australia and New Zealand aid, helped the Cook Islands host a Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting in 2023.

Last September, China and the Solomon Islands agreed to explore other projects, including the development of a multi-purpose transport center in the northern Cook Islands.

Are the Cook Islands really New Zealand's autonomy?

The Cook Islands are the Cook Islands composed of 15 islands and atolls in the South Pacific, and became a British protector in 1888. Despite local opposition, New Zealand annexed the region in 1901 until 1965 when the Cook Islands reached autonomy and entered into the “free association” agreement with Wellington.

This arrangement allows the Cook Islands to manage their domestic and international affairs while relying on New Zealand for financial aid and defense. Citizens of the Cook Islands hold New Zealand passports and automatically become New Zealand citizens. In addition, nearly 100,000 people were identified as Māori of the Cook Islands living in New Zealand.

Although the Cook Islands are technically free to participate in its international agreements, the “Freedom Association” agreement with New Zealand includes provisions on regular consultations on foreign policy, especially on security and strategic matters.

According to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Wellington has a constitutional obligation to respond to requests for assistance in foreign affairs, disasters and defense.

A spokesman for the New Zealand Foreign Ministry said it hopes that any important agreement the Cook Islands government has planned for “has important strategic and security implications”.

Did tensions between New Zealand and the Cook Islands suddenly explode?

No, they've been building.

The Cook Islands, with a population of 15,000, proposed a proposal in December 2024 to build its own passport system, although Brown said it identified its citizens as Cook Islanders and “should not be used as travel documents or similar something.”

However, New Zealand strongly opposes the move, warning that it could lead to full independence and the loss of automatic New Zealand citizenship for Cook Islanders. The proposal was eventually withdrawn due to public and government pressure.

“New Zealand showed its teeth,” Brown told local publication Cook Island News, saying it was “willing to punish Cook Islanders” for the passport proposal.

“The passport must be closed. We will look at other methods to be able to recognize our nationality as a culinary islander,” he added.

How does New Zealand react to China's transactions?

New Zealand expressed concerns about its lack of transparency, and reached an agreement with China around the Cook Islands and believed such an international deal should be discussed in advance.

“(This) blinded the eyes of the people of the Cook Islands and ourselves,” New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told radio station ZB after Brown announced his trip.

Although Brown insists that the agreement is purely economic, New Zealand sees it as an offense to the diplomatic arrangements of both countries.

“First of all, arguably a separate passport requirement, which will be dramatic and a visit to China in terms of our constitutional arrangements.” Newstalk ZB.

Is New Zealand locked in other tensions in the region?

Yes.

Last month, New Zealand officials said a planned meeting between New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Kiribati President Taneti Maamau was suddenly cancelled After that, they are reconsidering all development assistance in Kiribati.

Official data shows that New Zealand contributed $58 million in development assistance to Kiribati between 2021 and 2024.

A statement from Peters' office said: “The lack of politically-level linkage makes it difficult for us to agree with the common priorities of our development plan and ensure that its goals are good and brings good value.” It added that New Zealand will review it All development cooperation with Kiribati.

Peters said he was told Mahmu could not accommodate him a week before the planned meeting.

Ruth Cross Kwansing, a member of the Kiribati Parliament, denied that her country was trying to reject New Zealand. In Facebook posts, she insisted that the cancellation of the meeting was due to changes in the agreement.

She wrote on January 28: “New Zealand has the right to review its aid plan to review its aid plan to Kiribati or any developing country, but it is crucial that these decisions are based on a real development process, not Used as a tool for political pressure.”

Tensions have intensified since Kiribati signed a series of bilateral deals with China in 2019. Kiribati in the same year, more and more Pacific island countries tended toward Beijing.

Why are the Cook Islands and other Pacific islands strategic?

The Cook Islands, along with 13 other small Pacific countries (except New Zealand and Australia), have strategic value due to their geographical location. Their population is less than 13 million, but it accounts for 15%.

These islands are scattered across a vast Pacific Ocean and are crucial for maritime routes, military positioning and geopolitical influence.

During World War II, the region was a battlefield between Japan and the United States, with air runways and naval bases playing a key role in the Pacific Theater.

China's participation in the Pacific is mainly focused on aid, investment and infrastructure projects, including roads, schools and clinics. However, this aid grew sharply, and again emerged after seeing some cuts during the 19th, second only to Australia, leading from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

China has also turned to more grants, according to the Lowy Institute, in criticizing it for capturing smaller countries into debt traps through loans.

What does this mean for the global balance of power?

The proposed China Cook Islands strategic agreement is in the midst of an increasing competition between China and the United States, Australia and New Zealand on the one hand.

The Solomon Islands security agreement, after a decision to cancel the decision to recognize Taiwan in 2019, recognizes Beijing as China's only legal government.

Similarly, Kiribati also moved diplomatic loyalty from Taiwan to China in 2019. Since then, China has funded various infrastructure projects in Kiribati, including road improvements and solar facilities. In January 2020, Kiribati also joined China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Meanwhile, the United States is also trying to strengthen – embassies have been established in Kiribati, Tonga, the Cook Islands and Nier in the past two years.