New Zealand has halted millions of dollars in funding to the Cook Islands over the “breadth and content” of agreements the smaller Pacific nation made with China, officials from the New Zealand Foreign Minister's office said Thursday.

New Zealand has what is known as a "free association" relationship with the Cook Islands, and helps the latter with defence and foreign affairs. In the last three years, Wellington provided NZ$194m in funding to the Cook Islands, according to government figures.

The agreements prompted major donor New Zealand to halt aid funding to close partner the Cook Islands, citing a “lack of consultation”. The Cook Islands has a “free association” relationship with its former colonial ruler New Zealand,