MANILA -- The Philippines on Monday accused Beijing of promoting a "false narrative" of its "illegitimate" claims in the disputed South China Sea, marking Manila's latest move in a weekslong feud that has strained diplomatic ties.
Philippine and Chinese embassy officials have been locked in a war of words since last month over the presence of nearly 200 Chinese ships which were first detected in the Whitsun Reef before spreading out to other areas in the disputed waters.
