CNN news 2016-05-28 加文本

CNN news 2016-05-28

First up, the G7, in short for group of seven. Its annual meeting is going on right now in the nation of Japan. The G7 is a membership of seven major world economies, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. It used to be known as the G8 and included Russia. But after that country`s controversial annexation of Crimea in 2014, the other nations suspended Russia`s membership.

G7 leaders meet each year to talk about the global economy and international security. As part of that, a big focus this year is going to be on terrorism, as well as last Thursday`s mysterious crash of an Egypt air flight in the Mediterranean Sea. Other topics for the leaders include uncertainty in the global economy, climate change and infectious diseases.

Earlier this week, we discussed the Obama administration`s decision to remove a ban on U.S. weapon sales to Vietnam. One aspect we haven`t talked about, though, the economic one. Vietnam has dramatically increased its military spending in recent years, during a time of territorial disputes with China.

In 2005, Vietnam spent an estimated $1 billion on defense. Last year, that had increased to more than $4 billion. The vast majority of its military purchases had been made from Russia.

But with the U.S. arms embargo lifted, analysts think Vietnam will look across the Pacific for military equipment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, cnn CORRESPONDENT: Bloody conflicts and ongoing military tensions mean that countries from nearly every corner of the planet are looking to increase their arsenals. And who is the world`s largest arms exporter is right in the middle of it all? It`s the United States, dealing in weapons ranging from assault rifles to fighter jets and armored tanks.

So, who is on the receiving end? With escalating situations in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, it may not surprise you that the U.S. sells most of its weapons to its Middle Eastern allies. Saudi Arabia was the top recipient of U.S. arms. Between 2011 and 2015, they had purchased everything from American made F15 fighters, M1 Abrams tanks, Apache attack helicopters and Patriot missile batteries.

The United Arab Emirates, Turkey and many other countries are also big customers. Now, these governments are essentially being given the arms as the U.S. government contributes billions to foreign military financing. Roughly $5.7 billion is planned for 2017. Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and Iraq are the top recipients of this U.S. largesse.

This trade is not just in the Middle East. Taiwan and South Korea are also big customers, largely in response to China and North Korea, and funding for African militaries will more than double in 2017, from 2015 levels. Likely the consequence of increased terrorist activity in places like Mali, Somalia, and Nigeria.

All told, the United States was responsible for 33 percent of worldwide weapons exports between 2011 and 2015.

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