Cook Islands’ agreement with China will not include any security aspects, Prime Minister Mark Brown assured Thursday.
Brown, who is flying to China today with his delegation for a state visit from 10-14 February, will sign a Joint Action Plan for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, “serving as a framework for engagement and a roadmap for collaboration in the years ahead”.
In an interview with Cook Islands News, the Prime Minister said that, similar to the agreements signed with New Zealand, with whom the Cook Islands shares a special constitutional relationship, and Australia, they would be signing an agreement with “our next biggest development partner, which is China”.
Brown revealed that in his discussions with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, “they both raised concerns about security arrangements that may be captured under this agreement”.
“I was able to reassure them that there was no security aspects contained in this agreement,” he said.
“Our partnership with China has always been historically around infrastructure development, around support for equipment, materials and people-to-people exchanges.”
NZ’s Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told RNZ that Cook Islands’ lack of transparency with other countries could have significant security implications.
“We can confirm that there are a number of issues on which New Zealand and the Cook Islands Government currently do not see eye to eye,” the spokesperson from his office said.
“These include the proposal for a separate Cook Islands passport, the Cook Islands shipping registry, and the lack of transparency by the Cook Islands in respect of policies and partnerships with other countries which could have significant security implications for the Cook Islands, New Zealand and the wider Pacific family.
“We have also emphasised that we would expect the New Zealand Government to be fully consulted on any major international agreements that the Cook Islands plans to enter into that have major strategic and security implications.”
Prime Minister Brown said they have been “very clear and open and transparent in what we intend to do”.
“I have the contact numbers of both Prime Minister Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister Winston, he can always pick up the phone and talk to me anytime. So, to suggest that we have no communication or consultation, we’ve had plenty of consultations … just the last week alone, but also over the last few months.”
He said that officials from China and the Cook Islands are continuing to work on finalising the agreement and “we hope that once we both sign this agreement, that we will be able to then make it available as an announcement to the public”.
“New Zealand has a comprehensive strategic partnership with China as well, which they renewed just last year with the Premier’s visit in June last year to Auckland. So, what we’re doing is no different from what New Zealand has already done, which is formalising our engagement so that we both know the lines of engagement.”
Opposition leader Tina Browne welcomed PM Brown’s upcoming state visit to China as a “significant development in our foreign relations”
.
However, Browne said while fostering diplomatic and economic ties is essential, “we must ensure that such partnerships align with our national interests, regional stability, and long-term sovereignty”.
“China’s growing engagement in the Pacific raises critical questions about strategic influence, economic dependence, and our traditional partnerships, particularly with New Zealand,” the leader of the Democratic Party said.
“The government must provide full transparency regarding any agreements or commitments made during this visit, ensuring they benefit the Cook Islands without compromising our independence.
“We urge Prime Minister Brown to approach this engagement with caution, balancing economic opportunities with geopolitical realities. Our relationships with international partners must be based on mutual respect and national interest—not external pressure. The people of the Cook Islands deserve a clear and open dialogue on how this visit shapes our future.”
PM Brown will be joined by Tukaka Ama, Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Finance and Economic Management, alongside senior officials, for the state visit from 10 – 14 February.
According to a statement, this marks the first state visit by a Cook Islands Prime Minister to China in the last decade and presents an opportunity to enhance cooperation across key sectors, including trade, investment and tourism; infrastructure; climate resilience and renewable energy; agriculture; maritime and oceans, including shipping and seabed minerals development.
Brown emphasised that this visit is part of a broader strategy to engage with and strengthen relations with all key partners; including New Zealand, Australia, and China, to advance the Cook Islands’ national interests.
“The Cook Islands remains committed to strong relationships with all our partners. This visit is about expanding economic opportunities while ensuring our sovereignty and national interests remain at the forefront. Our approach to foreign policy is clear – we engage openly and transparently to secure the best outcomes for our people,” he said.
Having formalised diplomatic relations 28 years ago, the Cook Islands and China continue to cultivate a partnership centred on mutual respect and sustainable development, statement added.
During this visit, Prime Minister Brown and his delegation will meet with key Chinese government representatives to discuss current and future areas of cooperation.
