Prime Minister Mark Brown met with Chinese Ambassador Dr Xiaolong Wang on the margins of the Cook Islands’ 60th anniversary of self-governance, underscoring the strength of the two countries’ nearly three-decade partnership.
During the meeting, Ambassador Wang presented a congratulatory letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping, recognising the significance of the milestone and reaffirming China’s commitment to its longstanding friendship with the Cook Islands.
“The Cook Islands was pleased to welcome China as part of our 60th anniversary celebrations,” Brown said. “China has played a vital role in our self-governance journey over the past three decades, and we value their continued partnership and presence during this important milestone.”
Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1997, cooperation between the Cook Islands and China has expanded across infrastructure, agriculture, marine resources, and technical expertise. Recent years have seen stronger engagement through provincial-level partnerships, collaboration with Cook Islands agencies, and community-based projects.
People-to-people ties have also deepened through cultural exchanges, training programmes, and sectoral cooperation. China continues to provide grant assistance through Technical Cooperation Agreements, which are not affected by the Cook Islands’ graduation from Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). Under the current agreement, China will deliver two electric buses and a fleet of electric motorbikes to support the country’s green transport initiatives.
The meeting builds on a series of recent high-level engagements this year, including Prime Minister Brown’s bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Harbin and Foreign Minister Tingika Elikana’s meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Xiamen ahead of the 3rd China–Pacific Islands Countries Foreign Ministers Meeting.
“As we mark 60 years of self-governance, we reaffirm our commitment to working with partners like China to advance peace, prosperity, and Pacific regional resilience,” Brown said.
