China, the Cook Islands – and New Zealand’s struggle for Pacific influence
- Posted on February 12, 2025
- By South China Morning Post
- 2 Views
![](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/og_image_scmp_generic/public/d8/images/canvas/2025/02/12/1fb9f2e1-d2e6-4096-bc9a-0e703a2ba9da_5a3a4528.jpg?itok=ccm48GQC&v=1739332815)
China, the Cook Islands – and New Zealand’s struggle for Pacific influence
![](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/og_image_scmp_generic/public/d8/images/canvas/2025/02/12/1fb9f2e1-d2e6-4096-bc9a-0e703a2ba9da_5a3a4528.jpg?itok=ccm48GQC&v=1739332815)
By signing a deal with Beijing, the Cook Islands is asserting its independence – in a stark challenge to New Zealand’s Pacific strategy.