New Zealand has suspended funding to the Cook Islands over the Pacific archipelago’s deepening relationship with China and demanded greater efforts by its historic ally to rebuild trust.
The move by Winston Peters, New Zealand’s foreign minister, marked the latest instance of what analysts have called Wellington’s more assertive approach to smaller Pacific island nations in response to China’s growing diplomatic and economic influence in the region.
That push had rattled the traditional powers in the Pacific, including the US and Australia, which struck deals last year with Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea and Nauru and increased foreign aid in the Pacific. China, meanwhile, hosted 11 foreign ministers from the island nations at a summit last month.
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