Chinese analysts say US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's ongoing seven-nation visit to Africa reflects the US' growing reliance on African oil and gas. But they also say the continent doesn't represent a "zero-sum" game between US and China interests, but a win-win opportunity for both.

Xia Yishan, an expert at China Energy Strategy Research Center with the China Institute of International Studies, said the US has been watching China's cooperation with Africa on oil development in the last few years.

But Xia insisted that China's increasing investment in Africa's oil industry is not a headache for the US.

"It is not a 'zero-sum' game under the current international circumstances," said Xia.

Xia said oil exploitation by both countries will help make the best use of Africa's resource, the exploitation of which has been limited by its poor economy and less advanced facilities, and will help in short-term and long-term to keep the international oil supply stable.

Liu Naiya, a senior researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who has done extensive research on relationships between Africa and big countries, said the US is gradually shifting its oil and natural gas imports from the Middle East to African countries because of security concerns.

"The shift reminds China of its national interest in the continent," said Liu.

He Wenping, director of African Studies Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that for historical reasons and geographical reasons, the US once paid little attention to the oil-supply potential of Africa, as most part of Africa used to be European colonies. But now it is all about pragmatic national interests to the US. China has done well co-operating with Africa in oil exploitation, and the US follows suit.

He said the West, typically the US, once criticized China for oil policy in Africa, saying unfairly that the country is applying "neo-colonialism policy" in Africa for the increased investment in oil exploitation. But he said the cooperation between China and Africa is based on principles of being equal, supplementary and reciprocal, let alone China's help to Africa in agriculture and infrastructure.

Statistics show that oil exports to the US from Africa total more than three times what China receives in net volume. Oil exports from Africa to China account for 33 percent of China's overseas oil imports, while African oil represents only 19 percent of total US imports.

Liu Naiya said China will not need to reshape its diplomatic policy toward Africa once the Western powers such as the US streamline their policies toward African countries.

"The China-Africa relationship has entered into such a harmonious level that it has set an example for the rest of the world," said Liu. "Many countries, including the US, are rethinking their relationship with African countries based on Sino-African achievements."

Liu said many countries have followed the example set by China and have moved away from sanctions against some African countries. "They also believed that negotiation and mutual respect are the basic tools in dealing with African countries," said Liu.

Liu said Western countries should not bind aid to political conditions when dealing with African countries.

An official with Beijing-based International Poverty Reduction Center in China said China and Africa have already shaped multi-level relationships covering nearly all aspects of life of both sides during past decades.

"Our relationship has gone beyond energy trade and has penetrated into people's livelihood, for example, poverty alleviation," said the official surnamed Wang. "Compared with Western powers, we helped them change their daily life and that's our strength."

(China Daily August 11, 2009)