topic for 10th of July

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topic1. Everything you need to know about weapons China sells to Africa

When defense officials from China and the African nations on Tuesday wrap up a high-level security forum, both sides are expected to vow to enhance defense relations, boosting a bond between the two parties that already includes surging Chinese arms sales to Africa.

China's participation in peace keeping missions and its setting up of a military base in Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, have strengthened defense ties built on top of the increasingly strong economic relationship China has been developing with Africa since the turn of the millennium.

Some one million Chinese citizens today live in Africa while 200,000 Africans work in China.

From 2013 to 2017, China's arms exports to Africa surged 55 per cent from the previous five-year period of 2008 to 2012, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

While Africa's overall arms imports decreased 22 per cent over the same period, China's share of total African arms imports rose 8.6 per cent to 17 per cent.

Meanwhile, Russian arms exports to Africa fell by 32 per cent, accounting for 39 per cent of total imports to the region. The US accounted for 11 per cent of arms exports to Africa.

As defense relations between the parties strengthen, here is a look at the weapons China sells to Africa.

The Red Arrow is an advanced anti-tank missile system deployed by the People's Liberation Army.

Battle Tanks/Armored Vehicles

China exported 24 battle tanks to Tanzania and 30 to Chad in 2013, according to the latest available data from the United Nation Register of Conventional Arms (UNROCA).

China exports a few home-designed model battle tanks overseas. Its main model, the VT4 battle tank, is a third-generation vehicle built by for overseas export by state-owned arms maker China North Industries Group, officially abbreviated as Norinco.

The VT4 has a 125 millimetre smoothbore cannon capable of firing guided missiles. A remote weapon station on the turret is armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.

Last year, Norinco expanded its line of tanks for the overseas market by developing the GL-5 armoured vehicle. The GL-5 system includes four radar systems and fixed projectile launchers attached to a tank turret for 360-degree coverage.

Armoured combat vehicles also are one of China's top weapons exports to African countries, with Ghana and Namibia importing 76 and 21, respectively, in 2009 and Kenya importing 32 in 2007. Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, Chad and Gabon also have bought armoured combat vehicles from China.

The ST1 8x8 wheeled tank destroyer is another of China's armoured vehicles for export. It boasts one Nato standard 105mm rifled gun that fires a full range of ammunition.

The JF-17 Thunder is China's major jet in its export market.

Combat Aircraft/ Drone

Combat aircraft and drones also are among China's major arms export items.

Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, Bolivia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ghana all have been buyers of China-built combat aircraft, drone combat aircraft or drones, according to the latest UNROCA data.

JF-17 Thunder is China's major jet in its export market. The single-engined jet was developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China.

It can deploy air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, powered either by a Guizhou WS-13 or Klimov RD-93 afterburning turbofan, with a top speed of Mach 1.6.

Meanwhile, China has banned the export of its J-20 stealth fighter to the global market.

It is unclear how many unmanned combat aerial vehicles China actually has exported overseas, but what is certain is it wants to export more drones to dominate the market.

As a result of US drone export policy requiring all drone exports to go through a strict government approval process, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, among others, have turned to China to build their drone fleets.

Missile systems

Morocco, Sudan and Yemen have imported missiles and missile launchers from China, according to UNROCA.

Chinese arms reportedly have been used during conflicts in Congo and Sudan. In July 2014, Norinco delivered 100 guided missile systems to South Sudan.

The Red Arrow 9 anti-tank missile system and GP6 155mm laser-homing artillery weapon systems are Norinco's major exports.

The Red Arrow is an advanced, third-generation anti-tank missile system deployed by the People's Liberation Army. It has a maximum range of 5.5km with an armour penetration of 1,200mm.

The GP6 laser-homing artillery weapon system is designed to engage tanks and be used in infantry fighting. It is capable of destroying targets within a range of six to 25 kilometres.

Congo, Ghana, Sudan, Cameroon, Tanzania, Niger and Rwanda have imported calibre artillery systems from China.

topic 2 Carbon tax that could put money in your pocket

The indications of a warming world are numerous and hard to miss. Last year was the third-warmest year on record for both the planet and the United States ― exceeded only by 2015 and 2016.

In June, scientists reported that Antarctica has lost 3 trillion tons of ice since 1992 ― yielding "enough water to cover Texas to a depth of nearly 13 feet," the Associated Press reported.

The indications of inaction on the subject are also abundant and visible. Last year, Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris agreement on greenhouse gas emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency has moved to ease regulations on power plants and motor vehicles that were integral to the Obama administration's efforts to slow climate change.

Bipartisan action ― once a normal response to environmental harms ― is not on the agenda for Congress or the White House. But a growing group of farsighted pragmatists are nonetheless trying to find a middle ground between the entrenched adversaries.

They have a proposal for combating global warming with something for both sides. And though getting current Republican and Democratic officeholders to unite behind it seems impossible, the advocates have managed to win the support of such environmental groups as the Nature Conservancy and Conservation International as well as oil giants Exxon Mobil, Shell and BP.

Former Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott and former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen are part of a new organization called Americans for Carbon Dividends. They support a plan offered last year by the Climate Leadership Council, a group featuring such GOP stalwarts as former Secretary of State George Schultz and Council of Economic Advisers chairman N. Gregory Mankiw.

The idea is to impose a tax on carbon dioxide emissions, starting at $40 per ton and gradually increasing. That would raise the price of a gallon of gasoline by about 38 cents. The tax would foster conservation, make alternative energy sources such as solar and nuclear power more competitive and give consumers and companies time to adapt without painful disruptions. Economists generally agree that a levy of this type would produce the most benefit for the least cost.

Some on the right dispute the wisdom of any government action to reduce carbon output, seeing global warming as wildly overhyped if not entirely fictitious. Others simply think it would be dangerous to give the government the power to regulate so many economic activities. They are suspicious of a carbon tax because it would provide a big new source of revenue, potentially funding an expansion of government.

But the people supporting this particular carbon tax have an answer for that objection. They want to rebate the money to citizens as "carbon dividends" ― which would amount to about $2,000 per family of four at the start. All the revenue would be returned to the public.

Why collect money only to give it back? The intent is to change consumer behavior when it comes to energy use without creating a pot of money for elected officials to squander. Individuals who conserve would come out ahead, while those who drive gas-guzzlers with abandon would pay in more than they get back.

In this scenario, the tax would also replace the current regulations on emissions and energy use, dramatically reducing the role of government bureaucrats. "Less government, less pollution" is the theme.

The next president may be more eager than Trump to combat global warming. With a carbon tax in place, though, carbon emissions would be reduced without expensive new federal dictates.

Right now, most people in Washington show little interest in finding sensible solutions that can attract support across the political spectrum. If and when that changes, the carbon dividends plan should be high on the list.

The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.