Official: US doesn't see 'zero-sum' competition with China in Africa

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-15 20:44

BEIJING - The United States is looking forward to working with China to further African development, said a senior US official here on Wednesday, who also praised China's "constructive role" in resolving the Darfur issue.

"We do not see a 'zero-sum' competition with China for influence in Africa," said US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer in a speech at Peking University.

She said China's increasing involvement on the African continent was a testament to the growing importance of Africa in today's world. "We look forward to working in partnership with China to achieve our mutual objectives,"

"Our challenge is how our two countries can work together to advance the wider goals of peace, stability, good governance, economic development, rule of law and access to free and transparent markets in Africa."

With regard to areas for Sino-US cooperation, she said there could be opportunities in these aspects: infrastructure, agriculture, health and environmental and labor standards.

"For instance, we have Chinese and American doctors working side by side on the malaria prevention problem in Liberia."

Mentioning cooperation in conflict resolution, she took the Darfur issue as an example. China is playing a "constructive role" in working with the Sudanese government and the international community towards coordination and cooperation.

Frazer was visiting as part of the ongoing U.S.-China Senior Dialogue, which serves to deepen the breadth of exchange between the two countries over Africa.