A warm welcome for Hillary Clinton as she arrives in the Cook Islands.<br/> <br />The U.S. Secretary of State is here to attend the Pacific Islands Forum.<br/> <br />As Beijing courts these island nations, Clinton has a chance to personally emphasize the benefits of allying with the U.S.<br/> <br />Washington hopes the forum can become a regional alliance to combat climate change, encourage economic development and protect marine stocks from overfishing.<br/> <br />Clinton will next travel to Indonesia, Brunei, East Timor and China.<br/> <br />A key topic of discussion is expected to be the South China Sea, where competing territorial claims by Beijing and its neighbours have created Asia's biggest potential military flashpoint.
