The Philippines’ economic managers met on Monday with a delegation from top trading partner China, led by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, to prepare the groundwork for at least five deals that are expected to be signed during President Xi Jinping’s November visit, Business World reports. Manila has gone the extra mile to please its new-found strategic partner by reassuring Beijing that it will not join Washington’s reported plans to conduct large-scale drills in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait in November, according to The Straits Times. On Tuesday, 13 Philippine banks, together with Bank of China, launched a trading community to make transacting using the Chinese currency cheaper and easier.