Luxon emphasized that the dispute lies with the Cook Islands government, not China, stating that the Cook Islands have obligations to disclose partnership agreements with New Zealand. He highlighted the importance of transparency in international agreements, especially in matters concerning defence and security.
The Cook Islands, operating in free association with New Zealand, faced scrutiny from New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for failing to provide satisfactory answers about the agreement. Luxon reiterated that the issue is between New Zealand and the Cook Islands, not involving China.
Despite the funding pause, Luxon acknowledged the significant contributions of Cook Islanders to New Zealand and emphasized that the concern lies with the lack of transparency from the Cook Islands government. He is currently in China for his first official visit and is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping.
The decision to pause funding was communicated to the Cook Islands government in early June but only became public after media reports surfaced in the Cook Islands. Luxon expressed pride in the Cook Islanders and clarified that the issue is with the government’s transparency, not the citizens.
On his first day in Shanghai, Luxon participated in promotional events before engaging in diplomatic discussions. He announced a new government certification scheme during a visit to “New Zealand Central,” facilitating the sale of Kiwi-made cosmetics in China.
