Will New Zealand’s ‘patronising’ aid freeze push Cook Islands closer to China?

What began as a quiet series of infrastructure deals between the Cook Islands and China has erupted into a diplomatic stand-off, with New Zealand halting millions in aid and Pacific leaders accusing Wellington of “patronising” behaviour. New Zealand’s abrupt suspension of aid has cast a harsh spotlight on the country’s growing unease over China’s expanding Pacific footprint, drawing warnings from regional observers that the move risks appearing “coercive rather than constructive”. Wellington...