What are the concerns about China's growing influence in the Cook Islands?

The controversy in the Cook Islands highlights Western apprehension over China's expanding influence in the Pacific. Over the past three years, Beijing has signed numerous trade, financial, and security agreements across the region, directly challenging traditional Western allies' dominance in Oceania. Experts warn that the Cook Islands deal represents another strategic move in China's geopolitical agenda. Located between Hawaii and New Zealand in the South Pacific, the Cook Islands' partnership with China—which includes deep sea mining and economic cooperation—is viewed as part of a calculated effort that could potentially shift the balance of power in the Pacific region.