China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, doing business internationally as Norinco Group (North Industries Corporation), and known within China as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (), is a Chinese

state-owned State ownership, also called government ownership and public ownership, is the ownership of an industry, asset, or enterprise by the state or a public body representing a community, as opposed to an individual or private party. Public ownersh ...

defense corporation that manufactures a diverse range of commercial and military products. Norinco Group is one of the world's largest defense contractors. The company's subsidiary, China North Industries Corporation (), or simply Norinco, markets Norinco Group's products internationally, and is also involved in domestic

civil construction Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and com ...

and military defense projects.

History

Established in 1980 with the approval of the

State Council of China The State Council, constitutionally synonymous with the Central People's Government since 1954 (particularly in relation to local governments), is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the p ...

, Norinco is an enterprise group engaged in both products and capital operation, integrated with research and development, manufacturing, marketing and services. Norinco mainly deals with defense products, petroleum & mineral resources development, international engineering contracting, optronic products, civilian explosives and chemical products, sporting arms and equipment, vehicles and logistics operation, etc. Norinco has been ranked among the forefront of China's 500 largest state-owned enterprises in terms of total assets and revenue.

U.S. sanctions

In 1993, the import of most Norinco firearms and ammunition into the United States was blocked under new trade rules when China's permanent normal trade relations status was renewed. The prohibition did not apply to sporting shotguns or shotgun

ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...

, however. In 1994,

U.S. Customs The United States Customs Service was the very first federal law enforcement agency of the U.S. federal government. Established on July 31, 1789, it collected import tariffs, performed other selected border security duties, as well as conducted ...

agents conducted a

sting operation In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person attempting to commit a crime. A typical sting will have an undercover law enforcement officer, detective, or co-operative member of the public play a role a ...

named Operation Dragon Fire against

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

-based importers of Norinco firearms as well as Poly Technologies. Seven officials were arrested after agreeing to smuggle 2,000 fully automatic Chinese-made variants of AK-47s to undercover agents the officials believed may have been connected to the mafia. At least one official, Hammond Ku, attempted to sell Chinese-produced tanks and rocket launchers to the undercover agents. In August 2003, the Bush Administration imposed sanctions on Norinco for allegedly selling missile-related goods to

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

. These sanctions led to a prohibition on imports into the US of the remaining types of firearms and ammunition not covered by the 1993 ban. In November 2020,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

issued an executive order prohibiting any American company or individual from owning shares in companies that the

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...

has listed as having links to the

People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...

, which included Norinco Group. In June 2021, President Joe Biden issued Executive Order 14032 expanding the scope of the national emergency declared in order 13959.

International customers

Some of Norinco's international customers include

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, and the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

, where it negotiated arms-for-minerals deals, as well as

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

Products

Norinco produces

firearm A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...

grenade launcher A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially-designed large-caliber projectile, often with an explosive, smoke or gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary grenade cartridges. The mos ...

light Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 tera ...

and armored vehicles,

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...

s, aircraft, UAVs,

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

, fuel air bombs, precision strike systems,

missile In military terminology, a missile is a guided airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight usually by a jet engine or rocket motor. Missiles are thus also called guided missiles or guided rockets (when a previously unguided rocket i ...

s, air defence and

anti-missile Missile defense is a system, weapon, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception, and also the destruction of attacking missiles. Conceived as a defense against nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), ...

systems, air-launched weapons,

amphibious assault Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conducted ...

weapons and equipment, night vision products, long-range suppression weapon systems, machinery,

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

s, optoelectronic products, engineering equipment, oil field equipment, chemicals,

light industrial Light industry are industries that usually are less capital-intensive than heavy industry and are more consumer-oriented than business-oriented, as they typically produce smaller consumer goods. Most light industry products are produced for e ...

products,

explosives An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An expl ...

and blast materials, infantry equipment, high-effect destruction systems,

anti-riot Riot police are police who are organized, deployed, trained or equipped to confront crowds, protests or riots. Riot police may be regular police who act in the role of riot police in particular situations or they may be separate units organize ...

equipment, civil and military

firearms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes c ...

and

Military

Assault and battle rifles

* CQ, clone of M16A1 variant of

M16 rifle The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-roun ...

** CQ-A, clone of

M4A1 The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle. The M4 is extensively us ...

variant of

M4 carbine The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle. The M4 is extensively ...

** CQ-B, clone of M16A4 variant of

* Model 320 Clone of the UZI model B with Wood Stock, 9mm, 32 round Magazine, 16" Barrel Semi Auto. *M14, M14S or M305B, 7.62x51 clone of

M1A The Springfield Armory M1A is a semi-automatic rifle made by Springfield Armory, Inc., beginning in 1974, based on the M14 rifle, for the civilian and law enforcement markets in the United States. "M1A" is a proprietary name for Springfield Armo ...

, a civilian version of the M14 rifle ** M305A, 7.62x39 version of M14 rifle * Type 56 Carbine, clone of Russian

SKS The SKS (russian: Самозарядный карабин системы Симонова, Samozaryadny Karabin sistemy Simonova, 1945, self-loading carbine of (the) Simonov system, 1945) is a semi-automatic rifle designed by Soviet small arms ...

semi-automatic rifle A semi-automatic rifle is an autoloading rifle that fires a single cartridge with each pull of the trigger, and uses part of the fired cartridge's energy to eject the case and load another cartridge into the chamber. For comparison, a bolt-act ...

* Type 56 assault rifle, clone of AK-47 ** MAK-90, a civilian, semi-automatic version of the AK-47 ** NHM-90, 1994–2004 gun ban model, w/1.5mm stamped receiver, thumbhole stock, no bayonet lug, non-flash hider * Type 81 assault rifle *

Type 86S The Norinco Type 86S () is an AKM-type bullpup rifle that was produced by Norinco. Many major parts are interchangeable with other standard Kalashnikov rifles. The Type 86S was designed for export into the United States, where civilian ownershi ...

bullpup assault rifle **

QBZ-95 The Type 95 automatic rifle () or QBZ-95 is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured by Norinco, and issued since 1995 as the service rifle for the People's Liberation Army, People's Armed Police and various paramilitary law enforcemen ...

(Type 95), an assault rifle *** QBB-95, a

squad automatic weapon A squad automatic weapon (SAW), also known as a section automatic weapon or light support weapon (LSW), is a man-portable automatic firearm attached to infantry squads or sections as a source of rapid direct firepower. Weapons fulfilling this ...

/heavy barrel version of the QBZ-95 *** QBZ-97 (Type 97), a rifle, export version of QBZ-95 that uses

5.56×45mm NATO The 5.56×45mm NATO (official NATO nomenclature 5.56 NATO, but often pronounced "five-five-six") is a rimless bottlenecked intermediate cartridge family developed in the late 1970s in Belgium by FN Herstal. It consists of the SS109, L110, and ...

ammunition *

QBZ-03 The QBZ-03 (Mandarin: Qīngwuqi Bùqiāng Zìdòng—"light rifle automatic") assault rifle, also known as the Type 03, is a Chinese gas operated, selective-fire assault rifle designed and developed for the 5.8×42mm DBP87 round. Unlike the b ...

(Type 03), an assault rifle * NAR-556/NAR-751 A new multi-caliber rifle solely for export, with

, 7.62x39mm, and 7.62x51mm NATO conversion kits available. There is also the option of including a single shot 40mm grenade launcher similar in design to the Heckler & Koch

M320 GLM M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is the U.S. military's designation for a new single-shot 40 mm grenade launcher system to replace the M203 for the U.S. Army, while other services initially kept using the older M203. The M320 uses the same H ...

. * QBZ-191, the latest standard Chinese infantry rifle.

Grenade launchers

* Type 87 (also known as QLZ87) 35 mm automatic

(AGL)

Anti-tank weapons

* Type 69 RPG anti-armor rocket launcher, clone of RPG-7 *

Type 98 anti-tank rocket The Type 98 (PF-98) is a 120mm unguided anti-tank rocket system developed by Norinco for the People's Liberation Army as a successor to the Type 65 and Type 78 recoilless guns. It is also known by its nickname, "Queen Bee". It can be equipped wit ...

120 mm anti-tank rocket system

Machine guns

* Type 67 * Type 80 clone of PKM

Autocannons

* 23-2K, a version of the

Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 The Nudelman-Richter NR-23 is a Soviet autocannon widely used in military aircraft of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. It was designed by A. E. Nudelman and A. A. Richter to replace the wartime Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 and Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23, ...

autocannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary shells, as opposed to the smaller-caliber kinetic projectiles (bull ...

Hunting rifles

* JW-14, semi automatic .22lr hunting rifle * JW-15, bolt action .22lr hunting rifles, close copy of the BRNO model 2 (

CZ 452 The CZ 452 also known as BRNO Model Two ''.22'' Rifle is a series of magazine-fed bolt-action rimfire repeating rifles manufactured by the Czech firearms manufacturer Česká Zbrojovka Uherský Brod (abbreviated "CZ-UB", English: ''Czech Weapons ...

). ** JW-23, .22WMR variant ** JW-25, or TU-KKW, bolt action training/hunting rifle, variant of the JW-15, patterned after Mauser KKW *** JW-25a, or TU-G33/40, patterned after G33/40. ** JW-27, variant of the JW-15 with a 2-piece stock. ** JW-103/JW-105, modernized variant in 7.62 Soviet and .223 Rem * JW-20, Semi automatic .22lr takedown hunting rifle, close copy of the Browning takedown * JW-21, Lever action .22lr hunting rifle

Pistols

* Type 52, clone of Walther PPK *

Type 54 The Type 54 () and its variants (Type 51, M20, TU-90 and Model 213 pistols) are Chinese copies of the Soviet type Tokarev TT-33. Type 54 pistols are also known colloquially as "Black Star" pistols (Traditional Chinese:黑星手槍, Simplified Ch ...

, clone of TT-33 semi-automatic pistol ** Model M-201C a civilian version of the Type 54 also chambered in 9×19mm with the addition of a manual safety like FEG Tokagypt 58 ** Model 213, a civilian version of the Type 54 also chambered in 9×19mm with the addition of a manual safety like FEG Tokagypt 58 ** NP-17, Model M-201C in Two-Tone * Type 59, clone of

Makarov pistol The Makarov pistol or PM ( rus, Пистоле́т Мака́рова, r=Pistolét Makárova, p=pʲɪstɐˈlʲet mɐˈkarəvə, t=Makarov's Pistol) is a Soviet semi-automatic pistol. Under the project leadership of Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov, it ...

* Type 64, pistol * Type 77, pistol * NP50, clone of Smith & Wesson model 64 *

NRP9 Police Revolver The Norinco NRP9 was introduced at IWA OutdoorClassics, IWA in 2014. It is a double-action revolver with a transfer bar and external manual safety. The NRP9 is chambered in a proprietary cartridge similar to .38 S&W, which is designed to prevent un ...

, .38 Special revolver * NP-216, 9x19mm revolver *

QSZ-92 The QSZ-92 () is a semi-automatic pistol designed by Norinco. History The development of the QSZ-92 pistol began circa 1994 and it is now being adopted by the People's Liberation Army's forces. The export variants (9×19 mm versions) include the ...

(Type 92), pistol ** NP-42, civilian export version of

* NZ-75, clone of CZ 75 pistol ** NZ-85B, clone of

CZ 85 The CZ 85 is a semi-automatic pistol chambered for 9×19mm Parabellum.The Complete Encyclopedia of Pistols and Revolvers, A.E. Hartink, page 108 It was manufactured in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) by Česká Zbrojovka. It is an update ...

pistol ** NP-40, clone of

pistol in .40S&W * NP-22 (rename by importer NP226 or NC226) a SIG Sauer P226 pistol first version (West German) clone with internal shell ejector ** NP-34 (rename by importer NP228 or NC228), clone of West German SIG Sauer P228 pistol, with internal shell ejector. Accessory rail was added in later models with revamped slide to make it look like p229. ** NP-56 45ACP,

SIG Sauer P220 The SIG Sauer P220 is a semi-automatic pistol. Designed in 1975 by the SIG Arms AG division of Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (now SIG Holding AG), and produced by J. P. Sauer & Sohn, in Eckernförde; it is currently manufactured by both ...

Rail pistol Clone in .45ACP ** NP-58, SIG Sauer P226 Rail pistol Clone in .40 S&W ** NP-762, Sig P226 clone but in caliber 7.62x25 ** NP-7, clone of Glock 17 pistol,9x19mm ** NP-7C, clone of Glock 19 pistol,9x19mm * M-1911A1, clone of Colt M1911A1 pistol (blue version) ** M-1911A1-P, Government Model version with Mil-spec (USGI) M-1911A1 clone; with the Phosphate finish ** M-1911A1-TT, Two-Tone version of M-1911A1 ** 1911A1-Sport-B, Sport version of M-1911A1, with Three dot sighting system, Extended slide release, Front slide serrations, Ambidextrous safety, Raised anti glare rib on slide, Large beavertail grip safety, Lite weight competition hammer, Lightened target trigger, Full length guide rod, The finish is non-reflective satin blue and Extended mag release. ** 1911A1-Sport-TT, Two-Tone version of 1911A1-Sport-B ** M-1911A1C, Combat Commander style pistol ** NP-28, Colt M1911A1 clone in 9x19mm Parabellum with double-column magazine (10 rounds) ** NP-29, Colt M1911A1 clone in 9x19mm Parabellum. ** NP-30, tactical version of Colt M1911A1 pistol clone with double column magazines, beavertail grip safety, extended slide release, flat mainspring housing, and extended ambidextrous safety ** NP-44, Colt M1911A1 clone in .45 ACP with double-column magazine (14 rounds) ** M1911A1 C, Colt M1911A1 Clone in .38 special * M93, Colt Woodsman clone *

NP-18 The NP-18 is a Norinco copy of the Hungarian made pistol '' FEG P9R''. Like the FEG P9R, it combines the design and operation of the Browning Hi-Power with the trigger mechanism of the Smith & Wesson double action trigger. Design The Norinco N ...

, clone of FEG P9R

Shotguns

* YL-1887L, clone of

Winchester Model 1887/1901 The Winchester Model 1887 (Dellosso Shotgun) and Winchester Model 1901 are lever-action shotguns originally designed by famed American gun designer John Browning and produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company during the late 19th and early 2 ...

lever-action shotgun * YL-1897, clone of Winchester Model 1897

pump-action Pump action or slide action is a repeating firearm action that is operated manually by moving a sliding handguard on the gun's forestock. When shooting, the sliding forend is pulled rearward to eject any expended cartridge Cartridge may refe ...

shotgun * YL-12, clone of

Ithaca 37 The Ithaca 37 (or Model 37) is a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for the civilian, law enforcement and military markets. Based on a 1915 patent by firearms designer John Browning for a shotgun initially marketed as the Remington Model 1 ...

pump-action shotgun * HP9-1, also known as the Norinco 982, clone of

Remington 870 The Remington Model 870 is a pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, LLC. It is widely used by the public for shooting sports, hunting and self-defense, as well as by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide. De ...

, a pump-action shotgun *

Norinco China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, doing business internationally as Norinco Group (North Industries Corporation), and known within China as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (), is a Chinese state-owned defense ...

Puma 12 Shotgun, a bullpup semi-auto magazine fed. *

QBS-09 semi-automatic shotgun, semi-automatic combat shotgun.

Sniper rifles

* NDM-86, a version of the Dragunov Sniper Rifle that fires

.308 The .308 Winchester is a smokeless powder rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge widely used for hunting, target shooting, police, military, and personal protection applications globally. It is similar but not identical to the 7.62×51mm NATO ...

Win. ammo or traditional 7.62×54mmR depending on model * QBU-88 (Type 88), sniper rifle

Submachine guns

* NR-08, clone of Heckler & Koch MP5.

Vehicles

* Type 15 Light Tank * Type 63 Light Amphibious Tank *

Type 69 tank The Type 69 () and Type 79 () are Chinese second generation main battle tanks. Both were developments of the Type 59 medium tank (a locally produced Soviet T-54A) with technologies derived from T-62. They were the first indigenously developed ...

* Type 99 Main Battle Tank, a third generation

main battle tank A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the role of armor-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more powerful engines, better suspension sys ...

WZ-523 The WZ-523 (''NATO reporting name M1984'') is a six-wheeled Chinese armored personnel carrier designed to be amphibious. Built on the chassis of the Hanyang HY472 truck, it can carry a crew of three and seat up to eight additional passengers. Two ...

Wheeled APC * VT-4, a third-generation main battle tank * HZ21 Fast Bridge mobile bridging system *

Lynx (ATV) A lynx (; plural lynx or lynxes) is any of the four species (the Canada lynx, Iberian lynx, Eurasian lynx, or bobcat) within the medium-sized wild cat genus ''Lynx''. The name ''lynx'' originated in Middle English via Latin fr ...

Wheeled ATV

Riot control

Weapons

* 38mm Anti-Riot Revolver Launcher, tear gas grenade launcher * LW2 38mm Anti-Riot Launcher, tear gas grenade launcher * 64mm/38mm Tear Gas Grenade Launcher, mounted multiple tear gas grenade launcher * ZM-87, a portable laser disturber NORINCO VN-4 4x4 VEN

Vehicles

* VN-3, armored personnel carrier * VN-4, armored personnel carrier

Books

References

External links

* *
Norinco HomepageNorinco Equipment
a subsidiary of Norinco. (site contains an online English catalogue) {{authority control Government-owned companies of China Firearm manufacturers of China Military vehicle manufacturers Defence companies of the People's Republic of China Chinese companies established in 1980 Chinese brands Manufacturing companies established in 1980

History

U.S. sanctions

International customers

Products

Military

Assault and battle rifles

Grenade launchers

Anti-tank weapons

Machine guns

Autocannons

Hunting rifles

Pistols

Shotguns

Sniper rifles

Submachine guns

Vehicles

Riot control

Weapons

Vehicles

See also

Books

References

External links