Chinese officials speak about deepening Beijing's Belt and Road links with African nations, as dozens of leaders gather in the capital for a summit this week. Beijing has said this week's China-Africa forum will be its largest diplomatic event since the Covid-19 pandemic. China, the world's second-largest economy, is Africa's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting $167.8 billion in the first half of this year, according to Chinese state media. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES