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Cook Islands has signed a Joint Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China
New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he will wait to see the contents of China’s agreements with the Cook Islands before commenting on them.
He called Cook Islanders “integral members of the New Zealand family”.
The Cook Islands has signed a Joint Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) with China - but New Zealand authorities remain in the dark on the details.
New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says no comment will be made about any agreements or deals made between the Cook Islands and China until he has “closely” considered those details which are yet to be shared with him.
“New Zealand has seen media reporting that the Cook Islands and China have signed a number of agreements, though they have yet to be released,” Peters said in a statement on Saturday morning.
“We know that the content of these agreements will be of keen interest to the people of the Cook Islands. We note that Prime Minister Mark Brown has publicly committed to publishing the text of the agreements that he agrees in China.”
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, left, and Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters in Rarotonga in February 2024. Photo / Eleisha Foon, RNZ Pacific
That’s because the Cook Islands are self-governed in “free association” with New Zealand, meaning the island nation conducts its own affairs but Aotearoa assists when it comes to foreign affairs, disasters and defence.
Cook Islanders are citizens of New Zealand, which provides budgetary assistance and help in foreign affairs and defence.
In 2001, New Zealand and the Cook Islands signed a Joint Centenary Declaration, which requires the two to “consult regularly on defence and security issues”.
New Zealand believes because of this arrangement, the Cook Islands needs to consult with New Zealand – to the extent of seeing the proposed text of the strategic partnership with China before it is signed.
And by failing to do so, it is breaching the terms of the Joint Centenary Declaration.
China is vying for diplomatic, economic and military influence in the strategically important Pacific, challenging the historic regional sway of the United States, New Zealand and Australia.
And New Zealand is itself rethinking its position on deep-sea mining.
Brown said the Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and the Seabed Minerals Authority would provide further updates on Friday (New Zealand time) on the details of meetings, including specific opportunities in the blue economy, scientific research and trade development.
Officials from the country’s Seabed Minerals Authority said they had engaged in high-level talks with Chinese research institutes who highlighted “collaborative opportunities” in areas including seabed minerals.
Muri Lagoon in the Cook Islands. Photo / File
Discussions were also held around potentially working together on marine and deep-sea exploration technology.
“These conversations have opened the door to new areas of collaboration,” said Brown, who is also the Minister of Seabed Minerals.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said in his statement New Zealand “deeply values its unique relationship with the people of the Cook Islands”.
“In 2025, New Zealand is celebrating with the Cook Islands 60 years of free association, he said.
“The people of the Cook Islands, who are New Zealand citizens, are integral members of the New Zealand family.”
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