A strategic partnership deal between China and the Cook Islands spans areas from deep-sea mining to education scholarships but excludes security ties, a document released by the Pacific island nation’s government showed.
Western nations that traditionally held sway in the region have become increasingly concerned about China’s push for influence in the Pacific, after Beijing signed defence, trade and financial deals with countries in the region over the past three years.
The Cook Islands government unveiled the details of the deal in response to calls from New Zealand, which had not been consulted, despite constitutional ties. The move came amid domestic criticism of a lack of transparency, including a protest march to parliament on Tuesday.
“This does not replace our longstanding relationships with New Zealand, Australia, and others, but rather complements them, ensuring that we have a diversified portfolio of partnerships,” prime minister Mark Brown told the Cook Islands parliament.
“We are strengthening economic diplomacy through initiatives like our comprehensive strategic partnership with China,” he added, pointing to opportunities on offer in areas such as trade, infrastructure, and ocean resources.
Opposition has grown in the Cook Islands to any threat its pacts with China pose to close ties with New Zealand, and Brown’s government faces a no-confidence vote in parliament after 25 February called by opposition parties.
Roughly 400 protesters – led by opposition parties – gathered outside the capital city of Avarua on Tuesday, RNZ reported, with some holding signs reading “Stay connected with New Zealand”. Others waved placards showing the New Zealand passport in opposition to Brown’s now-abandoned controversial proposal to introduce a separate Cook Islands passport, which New Zealand warned would require holders to renounce their New Zealand one.
“We have no problem with our government going and seeking assistance,” opposition leader Tina Browne said. “We do have a problem when it is risking our sovereignty, risking our relationship with New Zealand.”
Last week, the prime minister signed an “action plan for the comprehensive strategic partnership” with Chinese premier Li Qiang in the northern city of Harbin during a five-day state visit to China. Brown said earlier the accord set a framework for engagement in areas including trade, investment, ocean science, infrastructure and transport.
After returning home on Monday from China, Brown told reporters he would release the full details of the agreement soon, and said China would provide the Pacific nation of 17,000 people with a one-time grant of about $4m.
“Our ministries will be looking carefully at where they would look to allocate that funding as part of projects or initiatives that we might want to promote. And at this stage, it’s looking like primarily in the area of renewable energies,” Brown told Cook Islands News.
The self-governing Cook Islands has a “free association” relationship with New Zealand, which provides budgetary assistance as well as helping on foreign affairs and defence. Its citizens hold New Zealand citizenship.
New Zealand expressed “significant concern” about a lack of transparency over the trip, amid growing concerns over China’s push for influence in the region, and alarm that Brown failed to properly consult New Zealand officials over the deal, which is an obligation within the special constitutional arrangement between the two nations.
Brown said Wellington should not have any concerns after it reviews the deal.
Cook Islands officials say they also discussed seabed minerals research with Chinese institutes during the visit to China, as the Pacific island mulls deep-sea mining of nodules rich in metals such as nickel and cobalt.
China’s state news agency Xinhua earlier quoted Li as saying the agreement would “deepen political mutual trust and expand practical cooperation with the Cook Islands”.
Reuters contributed to this report
