Summary

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has signed multiple deals with China covering infrastructure, shipbuilding, deep-sea mineral exploration, and other sectors without consulting New Zealand, its traditional ally with “free association” status.

This move has sparked local protests and a no-confidence vote (which Brown survived), while “blindsiding” New Zealand and concerning Australia.

These developments come amid China’s growing influence in the Pacific, exemplified by recent Chinese naval exercises near Australia and New Zealand.

As Trump’s administration appears increasingly unpredictable toward allies, Pacific nations are navigating complex relationships with both China and traditional Western allies amid shifting regional power dynamics.