Chinese and African leaders hold a summit on deepening cooperation in a divided world

BEIJING (AP) — Dozens of African leaders have descended on Beijing for a summit that signals China’s influence in a continent that it hopes will be a key ally in pushing back against a U.S.-led global order. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed to the assembled leaders Thursday that relations with all African countries with diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the “strategic” level. He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. China has become a major player in Africa since the the forum was founded in 2000.