Summarised by Centrist
A Chinese research vessel’s arrival in the Cook Islands has reignited tensions with New Zealand, which has suspended nearly $30 million in aid after Rarotonga signed a deep-sea mining deal with Beijing without consultation.
The Da Yang Hao docked at Avatiu Harbour on November 8 as part of a “scientific research cruise” mapping and dredging the ocean floor for polymetallic nodules rich in cobalt, nickel, and manganese. These minerals are vital for electric vehicles, batteries, and weapons technology. The voyage follows a cooperation agreement on seabed mining signed earlier this year between the Cook Islands and China, one of several deals that have drawn concern in Wellington.
New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the aid freeze in June and extended it through 2026, citing a breach of trust in the nations’ 100-year constitutional relationship. A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the decision was made “reluctantly and after careful consideration” until “trust is restored.” Former minister Alfred Ngaro called the situation one of the “most serious strains” in the partnership’s history.
The United States also signed a separate seabed research agreement with the Cook Islands in August, underlining the territory’s growing strategic value. Chinese research vessels, including the Da Yang Hao, have previously been accused of covert surveillance in Pacific waters, claims Beijing denies.
Cook Islands officials say the mission is purely scientific.
Read more over at Cook Island News and MSN
