New Zealand Halts Aid to Cook Islands Over China Deals

A sign outside the Apii Nikao primary school that was funded by China and the Government of the Cook Islands on the main island of Rarotonga. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

New Zealand’s government halted aid to close partner the Cook Islands on Thursday because of a row over agreements the Pacific island nation struck with China.

New Zealand “paused” the payments and would not resume them until the Cook Islands took “concrete steps” to restore trust, a spokesman for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.

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by Agence France-Presse

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