Sixty years after independence, the debate is in the Cook islands about their political relations with other countries.
“Cook’s islands deal with China takes the government of New Zealand by surprise!”
“Is it the china-china islands bar?”
“Crisis in the region deepens!”
“Should New Zealand invade the Cook Islands?”
From questionable to absolutely dangerous (see New Zealand should invade the cook islands? By Matthew Hoton), there were many thousands of words written by the New Zealand media about the “partnership and cooperation” agreements of the recently signed China COOK ISLANDS government.
So many words – but few precious reporting what the real cook islets (who are also citizens of New Zealand) live on the cook islands think the whole situation.
Mark Brown, the country’s first -minister, recently accused New Zealand’s media of creating “destabilization” on the Cook Islands after he and his office survived a vote without confidence in Parliament.
We talked to the locals on the Cook islands to find out what they think.
REG Potini, business owner/event specialist, Aitutaki
Fully support our government’s decision to celebrate this contract with China, because it is a necessary step towards the real progress of the Cook Islands. As a resident born and raised here, I see firsthand the struggles that our people face every day. In Aitutaki, for example, our water system has barely changed from the beginning, despite the growing demands.
Our government made a bold and responsible move, looking for alternative partnerships. We cannot rely only on traditional donors that offered limited support in certain areas. We must think about the future of our people, and this agreement is a step in the right direction.
In addition, New Zealand’s media needs to be more responsible in their reports. Some of their headlines have panicked unnecessarily in our people living abroad.
What frustrates me most is that our government is conducting public consultations about it in the last four years. I was personally involved in government agency workshops throughout this process, so I know firsthand that this decision was not made overnight. There was transparency, engagement and careful consideration of what is best for the Cook Islands.
TERE CARR, owner of a tourism company, Rarotonga
The lack of transparency of our first -minister in his China agreements is terrible and should be a major concern for all cook inhabitants, whether at home or abroad. This has led to widespread speculation with the public asking for transparency, but he still continues to treat his own people as an immaterial to his private relations with China.
The fact that New Zealand was left out of dialogue also reflects arrogance that undermines the historical and special relationship between our two countries. Because of the PM actions, residents of New Zealand are now questioning why they assist our country. These planning holidays are also questioning why they should come to the Cook Islands if we are building a relationship with China.
There is a great concern that these actions affect our tourism industry, which in 2024 exceeded half a billion dollars generated to the economy by tourists, many of which came from New Zealand. It is important that New Zealand’s audience knows that our PM’s actions are alone.
Vaine Wichman, Development Economist, Rarotonga/Tongareva/Aitutaki
I believe in our employees who have written the various concept notes that may have been presented not only to China, but to several other development friends.
To understand external and political issues, you need to know any history – if it is not easily over today’s events without understanding what has evolved in the last 60 years.
For the Cook Islands, this agreement with China or any other development partner will not be a new agreement. Several cook islands governments over the years have signed agreements directly with China.
The analogy is as follows: we have been sailing in our Vaka for years and suddenly, just as we have reached the designated margins, we are retained not by waves and the normal sail calamities, but by too arrogant people to seek the truth of the sailing plan and how we got here on our journey.
Ellena Tavioni, Businesswoman, Rarotonga/Atiu
According to our Constitution, our government must be transparent with the New Zealand government when they are making agreements like this, because of our special relationship and because we are citizens of New Zealand – which is fair enough.
Also, I think it’s very important, so that our government does not make mistakes – what we have with New Zealand is a good guard dog for us. We really need this because of the small size of our country.
Take a look at Nauru – they are selling their passports to survive, and Tonga used to sell their passports for $ 10,000 each. We do not want to be reduced to this kind of despair.
I see no problem with agreements, but be transparent about it. It’s not so much about the agreement with China, it’s the way Mark Brown did it. He made it seem really dishonest, like a cheap business or something. He made it look ugly. When I didn’t need to be. It didn’t need to be anything.
Niki Ramea, accommodation, Aitutaki
As cook island, I don’t like that there was much confidentiality around what is in the agreement. It’s great that Mark Brown is leaving and trying to get a good deal for the country, but if he is doing, he must be a little more transparent with what is being discussed. I don’t think this means we shouldn’t do any kind of according to China. New Zealand had a free trade contract with China for almost 20 years and were one of the first. Therefore, this should not prevent Cook’s islands from having their own business, but the government needs to be clearer about what was discussed and what was signed.
