You're guessing  it was outside the nine dash line, which  runs inconveniently close to the Philippines mainland. I suspect you are actually correct otherwise China would already have said it was within the line.

I believe the Chinese have contested the Hague ruling in the same way the US tends to ignore rulings it doesn't like - sauce for the goose and all that.

That's the problem with Rah-Rah Nationalism like Trump's - other Rah-Rah nationalists will call your bluff.