The Philippines had been cautious in its approach to China after previous encounters. According to American military-legal terms, China’s actions could be seen as a non-kinetic use of illegal force, even though the treaty’s definition of “armed attack” was not clear.
Despite this, Manila tried to ease tensions in order to prevent a potentially serious conflict after the incident on June 17. President Marcos emphasized that the Philippines did not want to start a war while speaking to troops in the South China Sea area.
China may view Manila’s cautious approach as favorable. By probing the “red line” between the US and the Philippines, Beijing gained valuable insights. The incident on June 17 revealed Manila’s reluctance to escalate tensions and America’s hesitancy to provide stronger support without invoking the Mutual Defense Treaty.
However, China also displayed its ability to disrupt Filipino actions and its superior escalation tactics. The stark capability difference between the two countries was evident when the Chinese coast guard vessel, weighing over 10,000 tonnes, was sent near the Sierra Madre outpost shortly after the conflict.