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The trip was supposed to be routine.

Instead, it triggered one of the biggest diplomatic crises in Cook Islands history.

As Prime Minister Mark Brown flew toward China, officials in Wellington, New Zealand were desperately trying to find out exactly what he was planning to sign.

New Zealand’s foreign minister had been demanding answers for days. He wasn’t getting them.

That was a problem.

Because the Cook Islands may govern itself, but it remains in free association with New Zealand. Its people carry New Zealand passports. New Zealand helps provide defence, foreign affairs support and millions of dollars in funding every year.

And now its prime minister was about to sign a major strategic agreement with China without telling New Zealand what was in it.

Mark Brown argued he didn’t need New Zealand sitting in the room with him. Wellington disagreed. What followed was a diplomatic meltdown that sparked protests in Rarotonga, a no-confidence vote against Brown, accusations of secrecy, and eventually New Zealand freezing millions of dollars in funding that the island’s people relied on.