Relationship dossier
Cook Islands
Vietnam
Relationship assessment
Cook Islands–Vietnam ties have a recent diplomatic foundation and a visa-exemption arrangement for diplomatic passport holders.
Cook Islands toward Vietnam
+15The Cook Islands government established diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 2023 and joined Vietnam in signing a visa-exemption arrangement for diplomatic passport holders during Prime Minister Mark Brown’s visit.
Vietnam toward Cook Islands
+15The Vietnamese government established diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands in 2023 and joined the Cook Islands in signing a visa-exemption arrangement for diplomatic passport holders during Prime Minister Mark Brown’s visit.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship has a recent formal foundation, with diplomatic relations and a practical visa arrangement for diplomatic passport holders. Its broader institutional and cooperative scope is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Cook Islands and Vietnam established diplomatic relations in 2023. During Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown’s visit to Vietnam, the governments signed a visa-exemption arrangement for holders of diplomatic passports. These steps provide a concrete basis for a modest assessment, although the broader scope and practical depth of bilateral cooperation are unclear.
Key developments
The Cook Islands and Vietnam established diplomatic relations.
During Prime Minister Mark Brown’s visit to Vietnam, the governments signed a visa-exemption arrangement for diplomatic passport holders.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of follow-on cooperation under the diplomatic and visa arrangements is unclear.
- The scope of other bilateral agreements or government initiatives is unclear.