China says a visit by Cook Islands' prime minister isn't meant to antagonize others in South Pacific China insisted on Monday that a visit this week by the prime minister of the Cook Islands to Beijing is not meant to conspire against anyone in the South Pacific, despite the trip stirring up a diplomatic spat between the tiny nation and its chief benefactor, New Zealand.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he had repeated in a phone call to Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown that he should discuss with New Zealand the contents of the so-called Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and other agreements that Brown intends to sign in China.
The lack of transparency surrounding such agreements has redoubled concerns, particularly since the Solomon Islands switched its alliances from Taiwan to China and struck a secretive security pact that has raised fears of China’s security forces gaining a foothold in the region long dominated by the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
Brown has said that New Zealand has been advised that the deal with China does not touch on security but that New Zealand does not have to review the exact wording of any documents.
He has said his state visit to Beijing, starting this weekend, would focus on renewable energy and agriculture but that it would also touch on maritime issues and shipping and seabed minerals development, areas New Zealand, Australia, the U.S. and others have been particularly concerned about.
