The Cook Islands’ recent partnership with China for the exploration of seabed minerals has sparked debate both at home and abroad, as environmental groups and regional allies question the move’s long-term implications.
Under a memorandum signed in February 2025, Chinese state-owned enterprises will work with the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) to explore polymetallic nodules—key sources of cobalt, nickel, and manganese essential for clean energy technologies.
Prime Minister Mark Brown defended the agreement, stating at a press briefing in Avarua: “This is about securing our future. We are committed to managing this resource responsibly and with the strictest environmental safeguards.”
The government says the deal includes provisions for independent environmental assessments and the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund to ensure revenues are reinvested in the public good.
However, environmentalists remain sceptical. “We are concerned about the speed at which this is moving,” said marine biologist Jacqueline Evans of the Te Ipukarea Society. “The seabed is a delicate ecosystem we know very little about.”
The Guardian reports that both New Zealand and Australia have privately expressed concerns about the strategic implications of increased Chinese involvement in Pacific infrastructure projects. Critics worry that deep-sea mining ventures, particularly involving Chinese firms, could create geopolitical vulnerabilities.
SBMA Chief Executive Alex Herman stated in Cook Islands News: “We are not rushing to extract. Our priority is governance, data collection and capacity building. This is a long-term process.”
China’s Ambassador to New Zealand, Wang Xiaolong, said in a media statement: “We aim for win-win cooperation while respecting the sovereignty of our Pacific partners.”
The Cook Islands must now carefully balance economic aspirations with environmental responsibility and regional diplomacy as it moves forward with the controversial but potentially lucrative venture.
