Protest in front of the parliament building of Cook Islands. Screenshot from the YouTube video of 1News. Fair use.

Around 400 people joined a rare protest in front of the parliament building in the Cook Islands capital of Avarua on February 18, demanding transparency in the agreement signed by Prime Minister Mark Brown during his trip to China.

The China-Cook Islands Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was announced on February 14 amid concerns that it was negotiated without properly consulting the public and the New Zealand government.

The Cook Islands is a South Pacific country that is in a free association with New Zealand. Its 15,000 residents can live and work in New Zealand, and it must be consulted on all international agreements and deals.

The New Zealand government said that it was not informed about the details of the agreement that Brown has pursued with China. Reports indicated that the deal focused on promoting cooperation involving trade, climate resiliency, deep sea mining, and maritime affairs.

Prior to his trip to China, Brown committed to releasing all documents related to the deal and assured the public that the Cook Islands’ constitutional relationship with New Zealand would not be affected.

Brown witnessed the signing of the agreement in China, which his government described as a step forward in the country's international diplomacy.

But a protest greeted him a day after his arrival from China. Opposition leader Tina Browne was part of the crowd lambasting the lack of transparency in the agreement.

He talks about transparency, but I don't think he knows what the word means. It isn't about transparency just to only choose what he wants to reveal.

She added that the agreement could undermine the country’s sovereignty.

We have no problem with our government going and seeking assistance.

We do have a problem when it is risking our sovereignty, risking our relationship with Nee Zealand.

In a speech before parliament, Brown defended his decision to sign an agreement with China:

I am aware that some in our community feel unheard in recent decisions. I know that today is not just about one issue. It is about many. It is about the future of our country. It is about trust. It is about ensuring that every Cook Islander feels heard. I see you. I hear you. And I respect you.

I want to be clear: this government values transparency, consultation, and open dialogue. Our engagement with international partners, including China, has always been conducted in the best interests of our people.

He also explained why the document related to the agreement appears somewhat vague:

Some people have said there’s been very little detail, and that’s deliberately so, because the detail will be in any negotiations that will take place for any potential future projects that may take place, whether they are in the area of agriculture, infrastructure development and so forth.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration released a statement summarizing the importance of the agreement.

With the signing of the Action Plan, agencies of both governments can progress discussions on a sectoral basis to build on existing and future bilateral projects and initiatives which can support achieve the Cook Islands development outcomes.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Tingika Elikana also spoke in parliament and emphasized that there’s nothing unusual in the Cook Islands to seeking partnerships with other countries.

We are proud of our relationship of free association with New Zealand — one which has been beneficial for both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Our economies are intertwined, our people and cultures are intertwined, and our futures are intertwined. Just as Aotearoa New Zealand continues to forge international partnerships in the interest of the people of New Zealand, so too must our government forge international partnerships in the interest of the people of the Cook Islands.

Some analysts saw nothing controversial in the agreement document published by the government:

Now that the China-Cook Islands big six page document in out, it seems Aotearoa Foreign Minister @NewZealandMFA got rather over exercised on very little. “One China…” isnt even mentioned. https://t.co/SoBMux80Fi pic.twitter.com/qHaBUZGsLV

— Michael Field (@MichaelFieldNZ) February 18, 2025

However, in a media interview, Associate Professor Anna Powles from Massey University's Centre for Defence and Security Studies pointed out that the maritime cooperation signed by the government could have larger implications in the region.

The proposed infrastructure will support both China's fishing fleet and potentially China's coastguard fleet which has expanded its operations into the Pacific Ocean… This comes at a time when China has escalated military tensions in the Pacific region.

The Guardian interviewed local photographer Fe’ena Syme-Buchanan, whose sentiment reflects the mixed feelings of some residents about the deal.

There’s potential for economic growth, business expansion and better infrastructure, all of which could benefit locals like myself.

But let’s be real – opportunities like these don’t come without cost. The Cook Islands is small, and when you sign deals with economic giants like China, you have to question the long-term consequences.

Global Times, a Chinese state-funded paper, insisted in an editorial that “South Pacific countries are not interested in geopolitical games [since] their focus is on addressing their own development needs.” It added:

The wariness of some in the West is largely motivated by their own geopolitical considerations, rather than a genuine concern for the development of the Pacific Islands countries. Western short-sighted competitive mind-set and policy uncertainty are exactly not what the South Pacific countries want to see.

The Brown government may have secured a major diplomatic undertaking, but the recent protest indicated a lingering scepticism over the deal. Brown may have to double his efforts in convincing the public and the New Zealand government that the agreement will bring more benefits than harm, not just to the Cook Islands but to the wider Pacific region as well.