The Cook Islands has found itself in the global spotlight recently, and not for reasons that inspire confidence, writes Professor Anne-Marie Brady.

The series of agreements recently signed with the People’s Republic of China have sparked intense discussion and protests, both domestically and internationally. Last week, Te Vairanga Kite Pakari, the Cook Islands Research Association, convened a panel at the University of the South Pacific’s Cook Islands campus to debate the implications of these agreements, offering a range of perspectives that underscored the complexity of this issue.

Josh Mitchell opened by tracing the constitutional evolution of the Cook Islands, emphasising its steady development toward greater autonomy from New Zealand while maintaining their free association.

Merita Tuari’i followed with insights from her research on Te Mato Vai, a controversial trilateral aid project involving New Zealand, China and the Cook Islands. Her work highlighted the challenges of navigating power imbalances between New Zealand and the Cook Islands but left unanswered questions about China’s role due to a lack of direct engagement with Chinese sources.

Louisa Wall, a former New Zealand MP and alumni member of the International Parliamentary Alliance on China, shifted the focus to Beijing’s growing presence in the Pacific. She raised concerns about China’s foreign interference activities – which she highlighted New Zealand had experienced and was still dealing with – and the potential impact of foreign interference on democracy in small island nations like the Cook Islands.

My own contribution sought to contextualise China’s strategic interests in the Pacific region, detailing China’s hybrid warfare tactics and dual-use civil-military infrastructure that could reshape Pacific geopolitics.

Elizabeth Wright Koteka rounded out the panel by examining how the new agreements could align with the Cook Islands’ existing development goals. Her analysis provided a government-centric view but also left room for critical questions about transparency and accountability in the decision-making processes.

The audience’s engagement during the question-and-answer session was striking. The room was packed, with attendees ranging from senior government officials to civil society representatives. Their questions reflected deep concerns: How can the Cook Islands avoid entanglement in China’s hybrid warfare strategies? What does the Cook Islands’ increased autonomy mean for New Zealand citizenship? Why does the Cook Islands lack full representation at international bodies like the United Nations or the Commonwealth?

One particularly pointed question addressed who had authorised these agreements with China. The Foreign Minister clarified that it was a Cabinet decision made in January 2024, but this explanation did little to resolve concerns about transparency. The agreements appear to have caused some damage to the Brown government’s domestic trust and international reputation.

The session concluded with a thought-provoking discussion on how the Cook Islands can reconcile its Pacific heritage – tracing ancestral roots to Taiwan – with its burgeoning relationship with China. Louisa Wall encouraged attendees to explore Taiwan’s history to better understand its unique status separate from the Chinese Mainland.

The panel left many attendees wanting further discussion, and there were calls for follow-up events as part of the Cook Islands’ upcoming 60^th anniversary celebrations. This wish for informed dialogue with government policies reflects a broader need: as the Cook Islands extends its foreign policy and foreign relationships, it must do so with transparency, inclusivity, and respect for the people’s voices. Only then can it serve the Cook Islands national interests, while maintaining democracy, sovereignty and custom in an increasingly contested Pacific region.

• Professor Anne-Marie Brady teaches Chinese politics and New Zealand foreign policy at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand.
• Correction: This opinion piece previously misidentified Te Puna Vai Mārama, the Cook Islands Centre for Research, as the event host. The correct host was Te Vairanga Kite Pakari, the Cook Islands Research Association.