UPDATE 1-U.S. says China's focus on its S.China Sea ops unwarranted

(Adds quotes, background)
By John Geddie and Fathin Ungku
SINGAPORE, May 15 (Reuters) - The head of operations of the
United States Navy said on Wednesday that its freedom of
navigation movements in the disputed South China Sea get more
attention than they deserve.
The U.S. military said two of its warships sailed near
islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Monday last
week, a move that angered Beijing at a time of tense ties
between the world's two biggest economies.
"(The operations) get more attention in the media and also
have, sometimes from China, than they warrant, to be honest,"
John Richardson told reporters on the sidelines of a maritime
defence conference in Singapore.
China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which
trillions of dollars worth of ship-borne trade passes every
year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and
Vietnam also have claims.
In an earlier speech, Richardson said that U.S. naval
operations had been consistent over decades and had not risen
recently.
"I've done the analysis and I can state with confidence that
our level of operations has been consistent over the decades,"
Richardson said, adding that there had been "no spikes
recently".
Beijing denounced what the United States said was an
"innocent passage" near the Gaven and Johnson Reefs in the
Spratly Islands last week, saying it infringed upon Chinese
sovereignty, and "damaged the peace, security and good order of
the relevant seas".
The U.S. freedom of navigation operations are aimed at
challenging what it sees as Chinese activity limiting freedom of
movement in the strategic waters.
In particular, the United States has criticised China's
construction of islands on tiny reefs and shoals and its
installation of military facilities on them, including air
strips and docks.
Richardson told reporters that he's not surprised by
China's reaction any more.
"They've been, I guess, fairly increasingly consistent in
their response to these but if I just got back to first
principles...I just want to make sure that the U.S. Navy's
approach has been consistent. We haven't done anything
increasingly provocative or anything else," Richardson said.