Coastwatchers 2.0 / Commentary

The newly designed Declaration of Defence and Security between New Zealand and the Cook Islands marks a reset, but not yet a solution.

China’s influence operations in Samoa have been patient, persistent, and, as the election proved, profoundly effective.

In the Pacific, infrastructure is influence – but China appears to be alone in recognizing that.

New Zealand’s recent decision to pause nearly $30 million in direct budget support to the Cook Islands is not a punishment. It is a necessary act of accountability.

Former Prime Ministers Helen Clark and John Key attending China’s World War II victory parade risks validating a world view at odds with NZ’s.

Washington’s efforts to rebuild ties with Pacific Island nations risk unraveling as the Trump administration cuts aid, weakens regional engagement and creates new opportunities for China to expand its influence.

China embeds its military ambitions within Pacific Island nations by developing dual-use infrastructure such as ports, wharves, fisheries, aviation hubs, and ICT networks.

The Cook Islands has found itself in the global spotlight recently, and not for reasons that inspire confidence, writes Professor Anne-Marie Brady.

We need a commission of inquiry into police conduct on foreign interference, writes Professor Anne Marie Brady.

The rules-based international order that once underpinned global stability is being vaporised by the ruthless actions of the US, Russia, and China.