Cook Islands dicusses deep-sea mining research with China

Peter Roberts is Australia’s new High Commissioner to Fiji. He will replace Ewen McDonald who is moving to Papua New Guinea. Roberts is currently the Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy, Tokyo. “Australia and Fiji share a deep relationship...

New Volcano Chain Found in Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean

Rarotonga volcanic island from the north, Cook Islands. Credit: Thomei08 / CC BY-SA 4.0 Scientists have discovered a chain of young underwater volcanoes near the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Some of these volcanoes may still be active,...

Need for independent science during plastic treaty negotiations

Poor science heard during the negotiations for a new Plastics Treaty has caused concern for the Scientists Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty. A group of approximately 240 scientists representing over 250 independent scientists across the...

Never-before-seen chain of volcanoes discovered hiding near the Cook Islands

A series of relatively young underwater volcanoes has been discovered under the waves of the Pacific Ocean, some of which may even be active. The volcanoes were found during an expedition to map the seafloor near the Cook Islands in the Central...

Scientific collaboration and knowledge-sharing is essential

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal The United Nations Ocean Conference(UNOC2022) has heard scientific collaboration and knowledge-sharing is essential to protecting humanity’s shared ocean heritage. Speaking at the UNOC2022, Nauru representative...

Cook Islands government accused of misleading public on seabed mining

By Losirene Lacanivalu, Cook Islands News Over 150 people headed out to sea in vessels of all sizes to promote their call for ocean protection. Photo: Supplied / Ocean Ancestors Cook Islands government is misleading the public into believing the...

Cook Islands PM Mark Brown criticises New Zealand oversight on China deal

“There is no need for New Zealand to sit in the room with us while we are going through our comprehensive agreement with China. “We have advised them on the matter, but as far as being consulted and to the level of detail that they were requiring,...

The migratory mysteries of Cook Islands’ Green turtles

Green turtles are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as “threatened” due to a global population decline. The Nature Conservancy/25032822 Turtle tourism has become a popular year-round activity in...

Hōkūlea And Hikianalia To Set Sail For Aotearoa As Part Of The Moananuiākea Voyage

Press Release – Polynesian Voyaging Society Photo/Supplied (Rarotonga, Cook Islands) Two traditional Polynesian voyaging canoes, Hklea and Hikianalia, are preparing to depart Rarotonga for Aotearoa as part of the Moananuikea Voyage, a multi-year...

Online scammers impersonate friends, fake banks in Cook Islands

Vulnerable Cook Islanders are being targeted by online scams involving fake prizes and fraudulent financial documents, leading to financial losses and potential security risks. The Cook Islands Financial Intelligence Unit (CIFIU) has detected two...

What’s behind Aotearoa NZ’s row with the Cook Islands over China?

A diplomatic row broke out in February between Aotearoa New Zealand and the Cook Islands, after the Cook Islands government signed a range of strategic partnership deals with China. NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters accused Cook Islands Prime...

Gate 7 partners with Clicktivated bringing interactive video technology to ANZ tourism market

Gate 7 has today announced an exclusive partnership with Clicktivated, the interactive video platform that enables viewers to engage directly with destinations, products, and experiences as they watch. The partnership sees Gate 7 named...

Landmark Deepsea Environment Moorings Successfully Deployed in the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands has reached a significant milestone with the first-ever deployment of three deep-sea environmental monitoring mooring arrays north of Aitutaki (figure 1). Conducted under approved exploration licenses, this initiative was a joint...

Five Cook Islanders awarded counselling scholarships to boost community support

David Pori, Selane Tairea, and police constable Vaai Basinet are three of the five Punanga Turuturu Itivaine’s USP Diploma of Counselling recipients. MELINA ETCHES/25031004 Five individuals from Rarotonga and Atiu received scholarships from...

Island Hopping: the PRC’s Quest for Strategic Maritime Influence and Resource Security through the Cook Islands Partnership

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Cook Islands signed two agreements in February that extend Beijing’s engagement in the South Pacific to include deep-sea exploration and dual-use maritime infrastructure. Beijing...

Continuing hysteria in NZ over Cook Islands’ deal with China

The New Zealand political and media establishment continued to ratchet up tensions with the Cook Islands over the past week, as more details were released about the small Pacific country’s recent agreement with China. Cook Islands Prime Minister...

After Weeks Of Diplomatic Silence On China Issue, Cook Islands PM Writes To New Zealand

(MENAFN- IANS) Wellington, Feb 26 (IANS) Mark Brown, the Prime Minister of Cook Islands, wrote to his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon, on Wednesday after weeks of diplomatic silence. The two nations had a fallout when Brown signed a...

Opinion: Cook Islands-China deals: ‘The devil is in the detail’

Merita Tuari’i. SUPPLIED/25022420 While the Action Plan 2025-2030 for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and a couple of MoU’s between the Cook Islands and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have been signed, Cook Islands local...

IRSA: China And The Cook Islands: Building The 'Belt And Road' Through Equality, Mutual Benefit, And Win-Win Cooperation

(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) New York, Feb. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to International Relations Study Association(IRSA), on the afternoon of February 14, 2025, during the closing of the 9th Asian Winter Games, Chinese Premier Li...

China secures maritime presence in Cook Islands

A day after China warned its three military ships would be live weapons testing between New Zealand and Australia, the Cook Islands has today released a controversial agreement indicating Beijing has secured a maritime presence there. The...