US President Barack Obama delivers a speech at a stadium in Nairobi on July 26. [Photo/Agencies]

During his recent tour of Africa, US President Barack Obama trumpeted the United States' contribution to the building of African democracy, at the same time, directly or indirectly distorting China's fruitful cooperation with Africa.

However, the rosy results of cooperation with the US that Obama presented, such as helping African countries raise their living standards and create more jobs, are exactly what China has been helping to achieve.

From the aid offered to the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway in the 1970s to its active role in the fight against the Ebola virus in 2014, China has made consistent efforts to honor its friendship with Africa.

Different from the policies Western countries have adopted toward Africa, China has always held an open and inclusive attitude toward cooperation with African countries, actively backing up cooperation between international organizations or other parties and Africa.

Africa needs support and help from the whole of the international community, and China is willing to work together with other countries to realize development for the continent.

In recent years, some Westerners have criticized China's win-win projects in Africa. China's normal economic activities have been denounced as "neo-colonialism" and the "plundering of African resources that damages the local environment".

However, African people can speak for themselves, and during a recent visit to China, Sam Kutesa, president of the 69th UN General Assembly, pointed out that China's friendly ties with Africa are a product of history and African people know who their real friend is.

African people have the right to decide who they prefer to cooperate with. The long friendship between China and African countries cannot be estranged by any seed of discord sown by others.

The above is a People's Daily article published on Monday.