This paper aims at examining U.S. South China Sea policy during the Obama administration. The study's main finding is that Washington has conducted the following approaches in response to Beijing's assertiveness in the South Sea: proposing an initiative for a freeze on provocative acts in the region, backing the Philippines in resolving the South China Sea disputes through international arbitration, and carrying out FON operations. The tug of war between Washington and Beijing over the South Sea Disputes highlights the complex mix of cooperative and competitive elements in the U.S.- China relationship. The Obama administration's South China Sea policy depended on its strategy of rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific Region.