China North Industries Group Corporation Limited,[3] doing business internationally as Norinco Group (North Industries Corporation), and known within China as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (Chinese: 中国兵器工业集团有限公司[4]), is a Chinese state-owned defense corporation that manufactures a diverse range of commercial and military products. Norinco Group is one of the world's largest defense contractors.[5][6][7]
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Norinco Group | |
Native name | 中国兵器工业集团有限公司 |
Type | State-owned enterprise |
Industry | Defense industry Aerospace industry |
Founded | August 1988 |
Headquarters | Xicheng District, Beijing , China |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Jiao Kaihe (Chairman) Liu Dashan (President)[1] |
Products | Munitions tank and artillery shells, firearms, grenade launchers, artillery, mortars, autocannons, rotary cannons, turrets, remote controlled weapon stations, CIWS, anti-aircraft cannons, Explosives combat vehicles, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles Radars Electro-optical devices missiles, cruise missiles, MLRSs, rockets |
Revenue | ![]() |
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Number of employees | 276,600 (2015) |
Parent | SASAC |
Website | en.norincogroup.com.cn |
China North Industries Group Corporation Limited | |||||||
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Simplified Chinese | 中国北方工业集团有限公司 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | 中國北方工業集團有限公司 | ||||||
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China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited | |||||||
Simplified Chinese | 中国兵器工业集团有限公司 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | 中國兵器工業集團有限公司 | ||||||
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Norinco | |||||||
Simplified Chinese | 北方工业 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | 北方工業 | ||||||
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The company's subsidiary, China North Industries Corporation (Chinese: 中国北方工业有限公司[8]), or simply Norinco,[9] markets Norinco Group's products internationally, and is also involved in domestic civil construction and military defense projects.[10][11]
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]
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.
Another opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, said recently that 150 armored vehicles bought from Chinese defense conglomerate China North Industries Group Corp, or Norinco, had arrived at Venezuela's Puerto Cabello and were expected to be quickly transported to Caracas for what he called "repression". A document seen by Reuters on Sunday showed that Norinco recently shipped 165 vehicles to Venezuela.
The HZ21 military bridging system is deployed by China and referred to by CHIC as a 'fast bridge'. It is transported and launched over the rear of a forward control 8×8 cross-country truck.