Chinese President Xi Jinping said in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday that the African people are best positioned to decide what kind of development path best suits the continent.

Advancing modernization through integration is the independent choice made by the African countries and people, Xi said. On the path to modernization, China has all along been a firm supporter, and has walked side by side with Africa, the president added.

Over the years, China has helped Africa build a large amount of connectivity infrastructure, carried out extensive cooperation with the African Union (AU) and sub-regional organizations, and assisted the construction of several signature Pan-African projects, including the AU Conference Center and the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention, he noted.