Cook Islands–New Zealand Relations

Cook Islands–New Zealand relations are the bilateral relations between the Cook Islands and New Zealand. Since 1965, the Cook Islands has been a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand.

Diplomatic relations

The Cook Islands is a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for assisting with the Cook Island's requests for assistance in the areas of foreign affairs, defence and natural disasters. Under this arrangement, the Cook Islands has its own international legal personality and conducts its own international relations, including establishing diplomatic relations with other countries.

The Cook Islands maintains a High Commission in Wellington and a consul-general in Auckland. New Zealand maintains a High Commission in Rarotonga.

History

20th century

The Cook Islands became a British protectorate in 1888 until it was annexed by New Zealand as its first South Pacific colony in 1901. Under this arrangement, land would remain under indigenous tenure and the ariki (chiefs) were to be consulted. However, the British Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain and the Colonial Office authorised New Zealand's annexation of the archipelago before consulting the chiefs after receiving assurances by Premier Richard Seddon and Governor Lord Ranfurly.

On 11 June 1901, the boundaries of the Realm of New Zealand was extended to include Rarotonga, Aitutaki, the southern and northern Cook Islands, and Niue. Suwarrow and Nassau were later incorporated into the Cook Islands' territory. During the First World War, hundreds of Cook Islanders participated in the New Zealand (Māori) Pioneer Battalion, which fought alongside British forces in Egypt, Palestine and France.

On 4 August 1965, the Cook Islands gained self-governance through a free association agreement. Under this agreement, the Cook Islands remained part of the Realm of New Zealand and recognized the Monarch of New Zealand as its head of state. The Cook Islanders were also accorded New Zealand citizenship, immigration rights and received financial assistance from New Zealand.

In 1993, New Zealand and the Cook Islands established bilateral diplomatic relations.

21st century

2001 partnership agreement

On 11 June 2001, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Cook Islands Prime Minister Terepai Maoate signed an agreement establishing diplomatic relations between the Cook Islands and New Zealand. The document stated:

On 15 June, Clark clarified that if the Cook Islands wanted to be its own sovereign state, it would first need to create its own own citizenship. She also confirmed that "Cook Islanders would remain New Zealand citizens but "if they want to change it, they can." New Zealand believes that if the Cook Islands were to become a sovereign state, an independence referendum and constitutional change would occur. The eligibility of New Zealand citizenship would have to change.

Cryptocurrency legislation

In April 2024, the New Zealand Government confirmed it was tracking the Cook Islands's proposed Tainted Cryptocurrency Recovery Bill and discussing the issue with Cook Islands officials. The controversial legislation proposed allowing recovery agents to use various means to investigate and find cryptocurrency that may have been used for illegal purposes. University of Otago political scientist Professor Robert Patman said the proposed legislation could have implications for New Zealand's constitutional arrangements with the Cook Islands.

Proposed Cook Islands passport

On 23 December 2024, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters rebuffed a proposal by Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown for the Cook Islands to have its own passport while retaining New Zealand citizenship. Cook Islands cultural leader and carver Mike Tavioni criticised the Cook Islands government's lack of public consultation on the passport issue and the implications of losing New Zealand citizenship. On 6 February 2025, Brown formally abandoned the Cook Islands passport proposal after failing to convince the New Zealand government it would not affect the island state's constitutional relationship with New Zealand.

2024 Estlink incident

In late December 2024, New Zealand raised concerns with the Cook Islands government about its shipping registry being used to help the Russian shadow fleet circumvent international sanctions following the 2024 Estlink 2 incident.

2025 Chinese partnership agreement

In early February 2025 the New Zealand government expressed concerns after the Cook Islands government did not inform them of a major partnership agreement it planned to sign with the People's Republic of China. Due to its free association relationship with New Zealand, New Zealand has oversight over the Cook Islands' foreign affairs. China had expanded contacts with the Cook Islands with visits by Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu in December 2024 and China's Ambassador to New Zealand in January 2025. Cook Islands Prime Minister Brown accepted an invitation by Ma to visit Beijing in February 2024 to sign a partnership agreement focusing on economic, social, health, infrastructural development and climate change response. This state visit to sign a "Joint Action Plan for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" is expected to take place between 10 and 14 February 2025.

NZ Foreign Minister Peters expressed concern that the partnership agreement with China lacked transparency and could have implications for the Cook Islands' constitutional arrangements with New Zealand. In response, Cook Islands United Party leader Teariki Heather announced plans to hold a march during the Cook Islands Parliament's first sitting on 17 February to express support for the Cook Islands' constitutional arrangement with New Zealand. Environmentalists Alanna Smith and Louisa Castledine expressed concern about the environmental impact of potential Chinese deep sea mining operations in the Cook Islands and the lack of transparency and public consultation. In response to New Zealand government criticism, Brown said that the partnership agreement did not involve foreign affairs and defence, and rejected the need to consult New Zealand on the matter.

In response to a media query, the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand issued a statement that China and the Cook Islands have treated each other as equals and pursued mutually beneficial relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1997. On 10 February 2025, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that "the relationship between China and the Cook Islands does not target any third party, and should not be disrupted or restrained by any third party." On 12 February 2025, Cook Islands Foreign Minister Tingika Elikana reiterated the Cook Islands Cabinet's support for Brown's leadership and the partnership agreement with China.

On 15 February 2025, Elikana confirmed that the Cook Islands government had ratified a strategic partnership agreement with China. In response, Peters' office stated that the New Zealand government would be considering the agreement carefully in light of New Zealand's interests and its constitutional relationship with the Cook Islands. On 17 February, 400 people led by opposition leader Teariki Heather attended a protest in Rarotonga against the Cook Islands' government's partnership agreement with China and abandoned Cook Islands passport proposal, which they said threatened bilateral relations with New Zealand. After surviving a motion of no confidence lodged by Heather at the Cook Islands Parliament, Brown alleged that misinformation spread by New Zealand was behind the motion, stating "the influence of New Zealand in this motion of no confidence should be of concern to all Cook Islands who value....who value our country."

Following the China partnership agreement dispute, NZ Foreign Minister Peters suggested that Cook Islands-New Zealand relations needed to be reset, and that a new agreement stating the "overall parameters and constraints of the free association model" needed to be signed. In response, Brown told ABC News on 3 April 2025 that the new agreement should reflect the fact that the Cook Islands had become more independent over the decades and should not "wind back the clock of colonialism." In response, a spokesperson for Peters said that Brown needed to make the case for Cook Islands independence to his people before proceeding with plans to seek further independence from New Zealand, stating, "Unlike Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, the Cook Islands is not a fully independent and sovereign state."

On 19 June, the New Zealand Government confirmed to the media that Foreign Minister Peters had suspended NZ$20 million worth of core sector support funding to the Cook Islands in early June 2025. This was done in retaliation for the Cook Islands government signing a partnership agreement with China without consulting New Zealand, per the requirements of their free association relationship. Cook Islands opposition leader Tina Browne expressed deep concern about the halting of New Zealand's aid contribution and sought answers from Prime Minister Brown. ''Cook Islands News'' editor Rashkeel Kumar said that the core sector funding would have usually gone to supporting the island state's health, education and tourism sectors. The Cook Islands Foreign Affairs and Immigration Ministry said there was a dispute between the two governments regarding the interpretation of the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration (JCD), and that the Cook Islands and New Zealand had established a formal dialogue mechanism to resolve these disagreements. In response to New Zealand concerns about the lack of consultation, Brown countered that the Cook Islands was "not privy to or consulted on" any agreements that New Zealand might sign with China during NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's visit to Beijing that week.

References

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New Zealand
Cook Islands