Yellen, US and China must maintain direct communications - News.com.au. Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang expressed the hope that Washington and Beijing can "be partners and not adversaries" The Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army is holding "joint naval and air combat patrols in the South China Sea" today, on the same day as the first and unprecedented joint exercises of the US, Japan, the Philippines and Australia off the coast of Palawan, Philippine island opposite the disputed Spratly archipelago.