Full coverage: The South China Sea Issue

Though the United States has stated it's not taking sides in competing territorial and maritime claims by China and the Philippines over the South China Sea, it is still seen to have played a big part in the arbitration process by providing legal support and publicly expressing its endorsement.

Staying neutral.

The US has long maintained that it is neutral when it comes to territorial disputes -China is one claimant- while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei are among the other claimants. The US Secretary of State reiterated this stance in January.

"Let me emphasize again. The United States does not take sides on the sovereignty questions underlining the territorial disputes. We ask that all parties clarify their claims under international law; that they exercise restraint and that they adhere to peaceful and diplomatic ways of addressing disagreements," said John Kerry, US Secretary of State.

But as part of Washington's pivot to Asia, the US has reinvigorated a security alliance with the Philippines, and is helping it modernize its navy. It is also rotating more ships to Singapore and marines to Australia as well as inking new defense guidelines with its ally Japan which could see joint patrols in the South China Sea.

Manila’s current arbitration case was drawn up and is being argued by US attorneys Paul Reichler and Bernard Oxman along with two professors from the UK.

In December 2014, the US State Department issued a 26-page memorandum concluding that unless China revised its claim, it’s not in accordance with the law of the sea.

Senior American officials have claimed that the US will strive to uphold the rule of law in the South China Sea. This April the US also urged ASEAN unity on the ruling. So how is China responding?

"The Philippines stubbornly initiated and forced forward the South China Sea arbitration case, and such action is unlawful, unfaithful and unreasonable."

"It is interesting that the US cannot stop talking about the arbitration case and UNCLOS. If the US really wants to uphold order and stability in the South China Sea, why hasn't it joined UNCLOS yet?" said Hua Chunying, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.

The US is accusing China of militarization in the South China Sea while it has repeatedly sent military vessels and aircrafts on surveillance missions which China sees as acts of provocation. Beijing hopes Washington will honor its commitment of not taking sides on the South China Sea issue. The arbitration case could still be a good place for the US to start.