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Cook Islands PM Says China Deals Do Not ‘Compromise’ Sovereignty

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown on Friday defended a string of contentious deals with China, saying they did not "compromise" the Pacific island nation's sovereignty. The agreements prompted major donor New Zealand to halt aid funding to close partner the ...

New Zealand Halts Aid to Cook Islands Over China Deals

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 ...

Kiribati Eyes Deep-Sea Mining Deal With China

Pacific nation Kiribati says it is exploring a deep-sea mining partnership with China, dangling access to a vast patch of the Pacific Ocean harboring coveted metals and minerals. Beijing has been ramping up efforts to court Pacific nations sitting on lucrative ...

Cook Islands PM Beats No-Confidence Vote, Slams New Zealand

The Cook Islands prime minister survived a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, blaming "misinformation" from former colonial ruler New Zealand for destabilizing his Pacific country. The parliament voted 13-to-9 against the motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Mark Brown's government, sparked by ...

Cook Islands Strikes Deal With China on Seabed Minerals

The Cook Islands said Saturday it struck a five-year agreement with China to cooperate in exploring and researching the Pacific nation's seabed mineral riches. A copy of the deal—signed during a state visit to China that has been criticized by former ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Plugging into African Agency

After several years of declining funding, the African end of the Belt and Road Initiative seems to be roaring back. The newest Griffith University/Green Development Finance Center data on the Belt and Road Initiative shows that engagement with Africa jumped by 395%, while a few big projects boosted engagement in Nigeria alone more than twelvefold.
These shifts indicate a window of opportunity for African electrification. 60% of Africans still ...

Cook Islands PM Defends China Pact

The Cook Islands' prime minister on Tuesday defended a new partnership pact with China and urged his country not to depend on handouts from "big brother" New Zealand. Prime Minister Mark Brown said the accord signed with Beijing offers his small ...

Cook Islands Signs Partnership with China

Mark Brown, the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, signed a comprehensive strategic partnership deal with China’s Premier Li Qiang on Saturday. This will cause further concern in New Zealand, with whom the Cook Islands has a constitutional link. The agreement ...

Cook Islands PM Talks Ocean Minerals with China

Mark Brown, the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, said he held talks on marine conservation and ocean exploration during his visit to China this week. His cabinet expressed confidence in the new cooperation treaty he is scheduled to sign with China on Friday. New Zealand complained that the ...

As U.S. Foreign Assistance Retreats, Will China Step In?

A widely shared Politico article argued on Monday that “China is quickly making moves to fill in gaps left behind by the Trump administration’s abrupt moves to almost entirely halt and wind down USAID operations worldwide, from the Indo-Pacific to South America.” 

Cook Islands’ Rumored Deal with China Shakes Up New Zealand

New Zealand reiterated its concern about a trip by Mark Brown, the prime minister of the Cook Islands, to Beijing this week. He will reportedly sign a Joint Action Plan for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China during his visit from 10 to 14 February.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Shein, Chinese Fast Fashion Giant Returns to India After Five-Year Ban

China has joined countries around the world in rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to “take over” Gaza and force the displacement of Palestinians to other countries. China "has always believed that 'the Palestinians governing Palestine' is the fundamental principle for postwar governance in Gaza," said Foreign Ministry ...

New Zealand Says ‘Blindsided’ by Cook Islands’ China Overture

New Zealand said Friday it had been "blindsided" by the Cook Islands' plans to sign a major agreement with China and issue its own passports. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he had not been consulted on the moves by the Cook ...