Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with leaders of 17 African countries in Johannesburg, South Africa, Dec 5, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

JOHANNESBURG - China firmly supports Africa's pursuit of independent sustainable development and backs African countries to address regional affairs in an independent way, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday.

Xi, who is co-chairing a major China-Africa summit here, made the remarks when holding a group meeting with leaders of 17 African countries.

China supports African countries' efforts in exploring a development path in line with their own national conditions, said the president.

To that end, Xi said, China stands ready to play a constructive role in promoting political settlement of Africa's hot-spot issues, beef up cooperation with African countries on peace-keeping capability, and share its experience on reform, opening-up and economic boom with them.

China is willing to encourage more Chinese companies to actively participate in the process of industrialization and modernization of the remote continent, he added.

It is in the interest of both sides that China and Africa will strengthen unity and cooperation and achieve common development, Xi said.

China and Africa now are facing a rare historic opportunity of cooperation and development, he said, noting China has set its new development prospect in the coming years and the two sides have respective advantages in cooperation.

China, Xi stressed, stands ready to work with African countries to earnestly implement the outcomes of the two-day summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will be concluded later Saturday, so as to better achieve common development.