BEIJING, Jan. 16 -- China's moves to secure crude oil supplies in Africa for its growing economy do not threaten U.S. energy needs, a senior U.S. State Department official said Friday, the Reuters reported.

    The United States and China are both looking to Africa to help diversify their oil supplies.

    China's foreign minister, Li Zhaoxing, is visiting six African nations to increase China's diplomatic and economic presence in the region.

    China's top offshore oil producer agreed recently to pay $2.3 billion for a stake in a Nigerian oil and gas field, its largest-ever overseas acquisition.

    "I don't think China seeking oil in Africa is a threat to the United States' interests," said Jendayi Frazer, U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs.

    Cooperation helps realize sustainable development in Africa

    Resources cooperation between China and Africa will help Africa realize sustainable development, Chinese experts on African studies were quoted by the Xinhua News Agency as saying.

    In China's first-ever African Policy Paper released Thursday, China highlighted its readiness to facilitate information sharing and cooperation with Africa in resources development.

    "To translate Africa's advantages in resources to competitive strength, and to realize sustainable development in Africa is our aim in the resources cooperation," said Wang Yingying, a researcher on African studies with the China Institute of International Studies.

    Despite their remarkable economic growth in recent years, African countries are still vulnerable in their economy as the majority of their exports are unprocessed raw materials, Wang said.

    China has helped African countries build processing factories and provided technical and management training courses in a bid toincrease the added value of their exported commodities, thus increasing the competitiveness of their products.

    The Chinese government encourages and supports competent Chinese enterprises to cooperate with African nations in developing and exploiting rationally their resources.