Cook Islands rejects New Zealand’s oversight of China deal

By Fatma Zehra Solmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) — Mark Brown, prime minister of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, has criticized New Zealand for seeking excessive oversight of his country's upcoming agreement with China, which is set to be signed next week in Beijing.

Speaking to Radio New Zealand on Friday, Brown said the Cook Islands will not consult Kiwis on the island nation's expected deal with China.

When New Zealand signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with China, it "did not consult" the Cook Islands, he said in response to New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ statement that Wellington has "not been informed about the nature of the arrangements" to be made in Beijing.

Brown is scheduled to visit China on Feb. 10-14 to sign a joint action plan for a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

“There is no need for New Zealand to sit in the room with us,” said Brown, referring to the Cook Islands’ ties with China.

The “level of consultation” sought by New Zealand is “unnecessary,” he added.

In 2023, China and the Solomon Islands signed a police cooperation deal under their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Brown assured New Zealand “over and over” that the Cook Islands’ agreement with China would not affect their relationship or security.

He compared it to New Zealand’s 2014 deal with China, highlighting deep-sea mining research and a new inter-island vessel as key areas of cooperation.