Norinco: the Chinese state defence group that also makes vehicles

Norinco Group is the name under which a Chinese state-owned corporation sells military and commercial products abroad. Established in 1980 with the approval of the State Council, it is one of the world’s largest defence contractors, and its catalogue ranges from weapons and explosives to sporting arms, vehicles and logistics operations.

Norinco at a glance

Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on Norinco; the group has no separate model pages, so the article covers the company and its product lines.

History of the Norinco

Founded in 1980

Norinco was established in 1980 with the approval of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. It is an enterprise group engaged in both production and capital operation, combining research and development, manufacturing, marketing and services. Its main business is defence products, but the group also works in petroleum and mineral resources development, international engineering contracting, optronic products, civilian explosives and chemical products, sporting arms and equipment, vehicles, and logistics.

The company and its trading arm

The group is formally China North Industries Group Corporation Limited. Its subsidiary, China North Industries Corporation, trades simply as Norinco and is the arm that markets the group’s products internationally; it is also involved in domestic civil construction and military defence projects. Within China the parent is known as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited. Its international customers have included Iran, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it negotiated arms-for-minerals deals, as well as Venezuela.

Firearms and the American market

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. In 1994 US Customs agents ran a sting operation called Dragon Fire against Atlanta-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 the AK-47 to undercover agents they believed might have been connected to the American Mafia. At least one official, Hammond Ku, also tried to sell Chinese-produced tanks and rocket launchers to the agents.

Sanctions and later reports

In August 2003 the Bush administration imposed sanctions on Norinco for allegedly selling missile-related goods to Iran, which led to a ban on imports into the US of the remaining types of firearms and ammunition not covered by the 1993 rules. In November 2020 an executive order prohibited American companies and individuals from owning shares in companies the US Department of Defense listed as having links to the People’s Liberation Army, and Norinco Group was among them; in June 2021 a further executive order expanded the scope of that national emergency. In March 2023 Politico reported that Norinco had shipped assault rifles, drone parts and body armour to Russia between June and December 2022, and that the company is a major supplier of nitrocellulose, a key ingredient in gunpowder, for the Russian military. Media reports also indicate that Hamas used thousands of Norinco-made assault rifles in the war in Gaza, and that Norinco-manufactured bombs were used by the Rapid Support Forces in the civil war in Sudan.

Design and features

• State ownership: a corporation group approved by China’s State Council and one of the world’s largest defence contractors.
• Two sides of the business: military products and sporting arms on one hand, petroleum, minerals, engineering, chemicals and vehicles on the other.
• Export through a trading arm: the China North Industries Corporation subsidiary handles international sales.
• A long sanctions record: US restrictions on firearms imports since 1993, sanctions in 2003 and investment bans from 2020.

Norinco versions

• Defence products: the group’s core military business.
• Sporting arms and equipment: the line behind the Norinco rifles and carbines sold on civilian markets.
• Vehicles and logistics: transport equipment and logistics operations listed among the group’s activities.
• Optronic products: optical and electronic equipment for military and civil use.
• Civilian explosives and chemicals: industrial explosives and chemical products.
• Petroleum and mineral resources: resource development and international engineering contracting.

More military vehicles are in the GAZ collection and in the Bedford collection. All entries on the marque are in the Norinco collection.

Video: Norinco T97 NSR Review

Video on YouTube.

Sources

• Norinco, English Wikipedia: history, activities, sanctions, reports