Kathryn Armstrong
BBC News
Getty images
The Cook Islands are the last Pacific country to strengthen its links with China
New Zealand has accused the government of the Cook Islands of a lack of transparency on its plans to conclude a partnership agreement with China.
The small head of the Pacific island nation, Mark Brown, made this week this first state visit to his country in Beijing in order to sign the agreement.
However, New Zealand says that it has not been properly consulted on the plans, which led to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described as a “dispute”.
The Cook Islands depend extremely on New Zealand as part of a long-standing agreement of “Free Association” which provides it with a defense and financial support. The growing influence of China in the Pacific challenged the United States and its allies, which had to influence for years.
“We appreciate our partnership with New Zealand and we expect the same respect,” said Brown at a press conference last week, before his departure.
“Disagreements, although difficult, are an inevitable part of international relations, but they should never define all of our commitment.”
He denied any dispute, saying that “the commitment was coherent, respectful and open” and that the Cook Islands have the right to forge its own path as an autonomous country.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the two countries were important partners and that it was ready to work with the Cook Islands to “make new progress”.
“The relationship of the China-Cook islands is not for any third party and should not be subject or be disrupted by a third party,” said spokesman Guo Jiakun.
Beijing has diplomatic links with the Cook Islands since 1997 and is one of its development partners.
Under their 60-year agreement, the Cook Islands are autonomous in “free association” with New Zealand. The two countries should consult each other on defense and security issues. Brown says that the new agreement with China will cover areas, including infrastructure, trade and tourism.
The deep exploitation of the deep magnitude should also be part of the agreement. Brown believes that the exploitation of precious minerals on the foundations could change the situation for the Cook Islands, creating enormous economic wealth.
However, the practice, in which China is a major player, is controversial, and criticisms think that it will worsen climate change – to which the Cook Islands are already vulnerable.
Luxon said on Monday that even if New Zealand had “very good relations between the Cook Islands and its inhabitants”, in this case, there had been no transparency.
Questioned at a press conference if he would plan to suspend help in the Cook Islands, as he recently did for Kiribati because of a diplomatic snob, Luxon said he would wait to see what was in the agreement.
Under the Free Association Agreement, the Icelanders of Cooks can live, work and access health care as a New Zealand citizens – benefits some to lose if relations between the two countries have accelerated.
There have also been criticisms from some that Brown and his government did not consult the public on the Chinese agreement first – something that Tina Browne, the leader of the Democratic Party, described as “crazy “.
She and her compatriot head of the opposition Teariki Heather, from the United Party of the Cook Islands, say they have lost confidence in the leadership of Brown.
It is despite its recent turnover on a controversial proposal to introduce a separate passport for the citizens of Cook Island, while allowing them to preserve New Zealand citizenship. Wellington rejected the plan last year.
The Cook Islands are not the island first nation of the Pacific to strengthen its links with China. The Solomon Islands signed a security pact with Beijing in 2022, while countries like Vanuatu and Papuasie-Nouvelle-Guinée also have close relations.
