Mark Brown in China. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister, Cook Islands
China confirmed details of its meeting with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown for the first time on Thursday, saying Beijing "stands ready to have an in-depth exchange" with the island nation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters during his regular press conference that Brown's itinerary, from 10-16 February, will include attending the closing ceremony of the Asian Winter Games in Harbin as well as meeting with Premier of the State Council Li Qiang.
Guo also confirmed that Brown and his delegation have visited Shanghai and Shandong as part of the state visit.
"The Cook Islands is China's cooperation partner in the South Pacific," he said.
"Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have respected each other, treated each other as equals, and sought common development."
Guo told reporters that the relationship between the two countries was elevated to comprehensive strategic partnership in 2018.
"Our friendly cooperation is rooted in profound public support and delivers tangibly to the two peoples.
"Through Prime Minister Brown's visit, China stands ready to have an in-depth exchange of views with the Cook Islands on our relations and work for new progress in bilateral relations."
Brown said on Wednesday that he was aware of the strong interest in the outcomes of his visit, which has created significant debate on the relationship with Cook Islands and New Zealand.
He has said that the "comprehensive strategic partnership" deal with China is expected to be signed today (Friday), and does not include a security component.
Cook Islanders are divided over Brown's decision to keep Aotearoa in the dark about the contents of the agreement it intends to sign with Beijing.
While on one hand, the New Zealand government has been urged not to overreact, on the other the Cook Islands opposition want Brown and his government out.
Locals in Rorotonga have accused New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters of being a "bully", while others are planning to protest against Brown's leadership.
A local resident Tim Buchanan said Peters has "been a bit bullying".
He believes Peters has overacted and the whole issue had been "majorly" blown out of proportion.
"It does not involve our national security, it does not involve borrowing a shit load of money, so what is your concern about?
"Why do we need to consult him? We have been a sovereign nation for 60 years, and all of a sudden he's up in arms and wanted to know everything that we're doing"
Brown previously told RNZ Pacific that he had assured Wellington "over and over" that there "will be no impact on our relationship and there certainly will be no surprises".
However, New Zealand said it should have seen the text prior to Brown leaving for China.
Cook Islands opposition MP and leader of the Cook Islands United Party Teariki Heather filed a vote filed a vote of no confidence motion against the Prime Minister Photo: Caleb Fotheringham
Vote of no confidence
Cook Islands opposition MP Teariki Heather said he does not want anything to change with New Zealand.
"The response from the government and Winston Peters and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, that's really what concerns us, because they are furious," Heather, who is the leader of Cook Islands United Party, said.
Heather has filed a no confidence motion against the Prime Minister and has been the main organiser for a protest against Brown's leadership that will take place on Monday morning local time.
He is expecting about 1000 people to turn up, about one in every 15 people who reside in the country.
Leader of the opposition Tina Browne is backing the motion and will be at the protest which is also about the Prime Ministers push for a local passport, which he has since dropped.
With only eight Opposition members in the 24-seat parliament, Browne said the motion of no confidence is not about the numbers.
"It is about what are we the politicians, the members of parliament, going to do about the two issues and for us, the best way to demonstrate our disapproval is to vote against it in Parliament, whether the members of parliament join us or not that's entirely up to them."
The 2001 document argument
Browne said after reading the constitution and the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration, she agrees with Peters that the Cook Islands should have first consulted New Zealand on the China deal.
"Our prime minister has stated that the agreement does not affect anything that he is obligated to consult with New Zealand. I'm very suspicious of that because if there is nothing offensive, why the secrecy then.
"I would have thought, irrespective, putting aside everything, that our 60 year relationship with New Zealand, who's been our main partner warrants us to keep that line open for consultation and that's even if it wasn't in [the Joint Centenary Declaration]."
Other locals have been concerned by the lack of transparency from their government to the Cook Islands people.
But Cook Islands' Foreign Minister Tingika Elikana said that is not how these deals are done.
"I think the people have to understand that in regards to agreements of this nature, there's a lot of negotiations until the final day when it is signed and the Prime Minister is very open that the agreements will be made available publicly and then people can look at it."
Cook Islands Foreign Minister Tingika Elikana Photo: Caleb Fotheringham
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the government will wait to see what is in the agreement before deciding if any punishment should be imposed.
With the waiting, Elikana said he is concerned.
"We are worried but we want to see what will be their response and we've always reiterated that our relationship is important to us and our citizenship is really important to us, and we will try our best to remain and retain that," Elikana said.
He did not speculate about the vote of no confidence motion.
"I think we just leave it to the day but I'm very confident in our team and very confident in our Prime Minister."
'Cook Islands does a lot for New Zealand'
Cultural leader and carver Mike Tavioni said he does not know why everyone is so afraid of the Asia superpower.
"I do not know why there is an issue with the Cook Islands and New Zealand, as long as Mark [Brown] does not commit this country to a deal with China with strings attached to it," he said.
Tavioni said the Cook Islands does a lot for New Zealand also, with about 80,000 Cook Islanders living and contributing to New Zealand's economy.
"The thing about consulting, asking for permission, it does not go down well because our relationship with Aotearoa should be taken into consideration."
