The Cook Islands may be small but the ambitions of its leader are mighty. A range of deals Prime Minister Mark Brown signed with China without consulting the public or New Zealand – an ally to which the Cooks is closely tied – has caused increasing irritation and concern.

France, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand—following Washington’s lead—have each staged war games or concluded alliances with Manila targeting China.

China's naval exercise in the Tasman Sea has put Australia and New Zealand on alert, with Canberra calling it "unusual".

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters will touch down in Beijing on Tuesday for a three-day visit as relations between the two countries are strained after Chinese Navy vessels conducted live firing exercises in the Tasman Sea.

The South Pacific country of Cook Islands has unveiled the details of a deal with China to boost cooperation after the pact provoked a rare diplomatic clash with the nation’s chief benefactor, New Zealand,

China's Defense Ministry said Sunday that Australia had made “unreasonable accusations” and deliberately hyped the situation after three planes headed to New Zealand changed course in midflight because of live-fire drills by the Chinese navy.

One can agree that, in military terms, none of these mid-table teams can match enormous countries such as the US, China or perhaps Russia. Equally, some smaller nations such as New Zealand or Singapore may be economically more nimble and efficient.

Commercial pilots were forced to divert from their routes when the Chinese navy gave minimal warning of a live fire exercise in the waters between Australia and New Zealand. The Albanese government wants an explanation from Beijing.

New Zealand's Defense Minister Judith Collins told Radio New Zealand on Monday that the live-fire activities happened on “a couple of hours’ notice” rather than the expected

New Zealand’s foreign minister is meeting senior officials in China just days after New Zealand and Australia said that Chinese warships should have given more warning before live-fire exercises in waters between their countries.