Established in 1980 with the approval of the State Council of China, 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.^{[citation needed]}

U.S. sanctionsEdit

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, however. In 1994, U.S. Customs agents conducted a sting operation named Operation 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 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.^[12][13]

In August 2003, the Bush Administration imposed sanctions on Norinco for allegedly selling missile-related goods to Iran.^[14] 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.^[15][16]

In November 2020, Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting any American company or individual from owning shares in companies that the United States Department of Defense has listed as having links to the People's Liberation Army, which included Norinco Group.^[17][18][19] In June 2021, President Joe Biden issued Executive Order 14032 expanding the scope of the national emergency declared in order 13959.^[20]

Some of Norinco's international customers include Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Canada,^[21] and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it negotiated arms-for-minerals deals, as well as Venezuela.^[22][23]

Norinco produces firearms, grenade launchers, light and armored vehicles, tanks, aircraft, UAVs, artillery, fuel air bombs, precision strike systems, missiles, air defence and anti-missile systems, air-launched weapons, amphibious assault weapons and equipment, night vision products, long-range suppression weapon systems, machinery, radars, optoelectronic products, engineering equipment, oil field equipment, chemicals, light industrial products, explosives and blast materials, infantry equipment, high-effect destruction systems, anti-riot equipment, civil and military firearms and ammunition.

MilitaryEdit

Assault and battle riflesEdit

• CQ, clone of M16A1 variant of M16 rifle
  • CQ-A, clone of M4A1 variant of M4 carbine
  • CQ-B, clone of M16A4 variant of M16 rifle
• 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, a civilian version of the M14 rifle
  • M305A, 7.62x39 version of M14 rifle
• Type 56 Carbine, clone of Russian SKS semi-automatic rifle
• Type 56 assault rifle, clone of AK-47
  • MAK-90, a civilian, semi-automatic version of the AK-47^[24]
  • 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 bullpup assault rifle
  • QBZ-95 (Type 95), an assault rifle
    • QBB-95, a squad automatic weapon/heavy barrel version of the QBZ-95
    • QBZ-97 (Type 97), a rifle, export version of QBZ-95 that uses 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition
• QBZ-03 (Type 03), an assault rifle
• NAR-556/NAR-751 A new multi-caliber rifle solely for export, with 5.56×45mm NATO, 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.^[25][26]
• QBZ-191, the latest standard Chinese infantry rifle.

Grenade launchersEdit

• Type 87 (also known as QLZ87) 35 mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL)

Anti-tank weaponsEdit

• Type 69 RPG anti-armor rocket launcher, clone of RPG-7
• Type 98 anti-tank rocket 120 mm anti-tank rocket system

Machine gunsEdit

• Type 67
• Type 80 clone of PKM

AutocannonsEdit

• 23-2K, a version of the Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 autocannon

Hunting riflesEdit

• JW-14, semi automatic .22lr hunting rifle
• JW-15, bolt action .22lr hunting rifles, close copy of the BRNO model 2 (CZ 452).
  • 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

PistolsEdit

• Type 52, clone of Walther PPK
• Type 54, 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
• Type 64, pistol
• Type 77, pistol
• NP50, clone of Smith & Wesson model 64
• NRP9 Police Revolver, .38 Special revolver
• NP-216, 9x19mm revolver
• QSZ-92 (Type 92), pistol
  • NP-42, civilian export version of QSZ-92
• NZ-75, clone of CZ 75 pistol
  • NZ-85B, clone of CZ 85 pistol
  • NP-40, clone of CZ 85 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 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, clone of FEG P9R

ShotgunsEdit

• YL-1887L, clone of Winchester Model 1887/1901 lever-action shotgun
• YL-1897, clone of Winchester Model 1897 pump-action shotgun
• YL-12, clone of Ithaca 37 pump-action shotgun
• HP9-1, also known as the Norinco 982, clone of Remington 870, a pump-action shotgun
• Norinco Puma 12 Shotgun, a bullpup semi-auto magazine fed.
• Norinco QBS-09 semi-automatic shotgun, semi-automatic combat shotgun.

Sniper riflesEdit

• NDM-86, a version of the Dragunov Sniper Rifle that fires .308 Win. ammo or traditional 7.62×54mmR depending on model
• QBU-88 (Type 88), sniper rifle

Submachine gunsEdit

• NR-08, clone of Heckler & Koch MP5.

VehiclesEdit

• Type 15 Light Tank
• Type 63 Light Amphibious Tank
• Type 69 tank
• Type 99 Main Battle Tank, a third generation main battle tank
• WZ-523 Wheeled APC
• VT-4, a third-generation main battle tank
• HZ21 Fast Bridge mobile bridging system^[27]
• Lynx (ATV) Wheeled ATV^[28]

Riot controlEdit

WeaponsEdit

• 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

VehiclesEdit

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

• List of modern armament manufacturers

• Martell, Peter (2019). First Raise a Flag: How South Sudan Won the Longest War but Lost the Peace. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190083380.

• Official website (in Chinese)
• Official website (in English)
• Norinco Homepage
• Norinco Equipment, a subsidiary of Norinco. (site contains an online English catalogue)