BEIJING, Dec. 9 -- China supports African countries in development of rapid crisis response forces, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

China is always a constructive participant in Africa's peace and security issues, spokesman Hong Lei said, adding that in recent years, China had provided support and assistance to the African Union (AU) for peacekeeping operations in Mali, Somalia and other African countries.

Rapid response forces and regular armies will help Africans solve their own problems, Hong said.

According to Hong, China and AU discussed peace and security cooperation under the framework of China-AU strategic dialogue in October this year.

China is willing to continue to support the efforts of AU, African sub-regional organizations and African countries to safeguard their own peace and security, Hong said.