Explainer What is the Cook Islands deal with China and what has worried NZ

WELLINGTON - Growing ties between Cook Islands and China, including a new comprehensive partnership agreement action plan detailed this week, have raised concerns in New Zealand, which has a close constitutional relationship with its tiny Pacific neighbour.

WHAT ARE THE COOK ISLANDS?

The Cook Islands are a group of 15 small islands and atolls halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii, scattered across 2 million square km of resource-rich Pacific Ocean.

Since 1965, the Cook Islands has been a country in free association with New Zealand. Its citizens have New Zealand passports and all the perks of that – access to New Zealands healthcare and education system and the ability to work there. It is permitted an independent foreign policy, but the two countries are required to consult on security, defence and foreign policy issues.

Its population of 15,040 is dwarfed by more than 90,000 who identify as Cook Island Maori and who live in New Zealand.

Now designated a high-income country so no longer eligible for international Official Development Assistance, the small economy relies on tourism - mostly from New Zealand - which collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

China and the Cook Islands established diplomatic relations in 1997 and in 2018 upgraded it to a comprehensive regional strategic partnership with other Pacific island states.

WHAT IS THE AGREEMENT?

The agreement signed by Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and Chinese Premier Li Qiang outlines a number of areas the two countries will improve cooperation including education, the economy, infrastructure, fisheries, disaster management and seabed mining.

Anna Powles, associate professor at Centre for Defence and Security Studies at Massey University, highlighted enhanced cooperation in areas of hydrography and geospatial research, which has direct military applications.

It also aims for improved cultural ties, but no debt or explicit security ties are included