SYDNEY (Reuters) – Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown will visit China next week, the first visit by a leader of the small South Pacific state in a decade, to help improve ties ranging from trade, climate and investment to tourism and infrastructure.
The visit comes as Beijing aims to increase its influence in the Pacific region and after some Pacific island nations raised concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s freezing of foreign aid, crackdown on illegal migration, and withdrawal from The Paris Agreement on climate change.
Brown said in a statement on Thursday that his visit to China is part of a broader strategy to strengthen relations with all its key partners including New Zealand, Australia and China.
“This visit is about expanding economic opportunities while ensuring our sovereignty and national interests remain at the forefront,” Brown said.
The Cook Islands, a grouping of 15 islands and atolls in the South Pacific, has been a self-governing nation in free association with New Zealand for nearly 60 years.
The democratically elected government controls domestic and international affairs but the population of 15,000 has New Zealand citizenship. Nearly 100,000 people who identify as Cook Island Maori live in New Zealand currently.
According to New Zealand’s foreign ministry, New Zealand has a constitutional obligation to respond to requests for assistance with foreign affairs, disasters and defence.
A proposal in December by the Cook Islands to allow the creation of its own passports was rejected by New Zealand but Wellington said it could discuss independence.
Brown said “a joint action plan for comprehensive strategic partnership will be agreed upon” with China during his trip from February 10 to 14 though he did not elaborate the plans.
A spokesperson for New Zealand’s foreign ministry said it expected the Cook Islands government to fully consult Wellington on any major agreements it planned to enter that could “have major strategic and security implications.”
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Kim Coghill and Michael Perry)
