3 May 2004

China gives US$2.5m to Cook Islands

7:09 am on 3 May 2004

China has given the Cook Islands government two-and-a-half million US dollars in return for aknowledging Taiwan as part of China.

The Cook Islands News reports that the two governments are to agree in the near future on how the money will be spent.

The Cooks' prime minister, Doctor Robert Woonton, met his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao in Beijing last week.

Doctor Woonton said he'd been humbled by the recognition that China had shown the Cook Islands.

He said Cook Islands flags were flown alongside Chinese flags in Beijing's Tiananmen Square during his visit.

Robert Woonton said China's only requirement in return for the money was that it recognise China's claims over Taiwan as legitimate.