Journalist Howard French writes about China’s recent provocations in the South China Sea in the November edition of The Atlantic. His article “China’s Dangerous Game,” uses various scenarios to analyze how China views the Pacific as a strategic “chessboard” - with the pieces being Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Japan. French is former New York Times bureau chief in Shanghai and author of the book, China’s Second Continent: How a Million Migrants are Building a New Empire in Africa. He’ll tell us what he thinks motivates China’s strategy in Asia Pacific and how it might all play out. (photo: U.S. Marines prepare to maneuver their AAVs (Amphibious Assault Vehicles) following the joint U.S.-Philippines naval exercise, dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), Monday, June 30, 2014 at the Naval Education and Training Center at San Antonio township, Zambales province in northwestern Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez))