[1] On 11 June 1901, the boundaries of the Realm of New Zealand was extended to include Rarotonga, Aitutaki, the southern and northern Cook Islands, and Niue.
[1] During the First World War, hundreds of Cook Islanders participated in the New Zealand (Māori) Pioneer Battalion, which fought alongside British forces in Egypt, Palestine and France.
University of Otago political scientist Professor Robert Patman said the proposed legislation could have implications for New Zealand's constitutional arrangements with the Cook Islands.
[8][9] In late December 2024, New Zealand raised concerns with the Cook Islands government about its shipping registry being used to help the Russian shadow fleet circumvent international sanctions following the 2024 Estlink 2 incident.
[11] Cook Islands Prime Minister Brown accepted an invitation by Ma to visit Beijing in February 2024 to sign a partnership agreement focusing on economic, social, health, infrastructural development and climate change response.
[13][14] NZ Foreign Minister Peters expressed concern that the partnership agreement with China lacked transparency and could have implications for the Cook Islands' constitutional arrangements with New Zealand.
Environmentalists Alanna Smith and Louisa Castledine expressed concern about the environmental impact of potential Chinese deep sea mining operations in the Cook Islands and the lack of transparency and public consultation.