Norinco

China North Industries Group Corporation Limited,^[3] doing business internationally as Norinco Group (an abbreviation of "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 commercial and military products. Norinco Group is one of the world's largest defense contractors.^[5][6]

China North Industries Group Corporation

Norinco Group Headquarters in 2020
Trade name	Norinco Group
Native name	中国兵器工业集团有限公司
Company type	State-owned enterprise
Traded as	SZSE: 000065 (A ordinary)
Industry	Defense industry Aerospace industry
Founded	1980
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, missiles, cruise missiles, MLRSs) Combat vehicles, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles Radars Electro-optical devices
Revenue	US$82.6 billion[2] (2023)
Net income	US$ 1.7 billion[2] (2023)
Number of employees	216,339 (2023)
Website	en.norincogroup.com.cn

China North Industries Group Corporation Limited
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
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó Běifāng Gōngyè Jítuán Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī
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
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó Bīngqì Gōngyè Jítuán Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī
Norinco
Simplified Chinese	北方工业
Traditional Chinese	北方工業
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Běifāng Gōngyè

The company's subsidiary, China North Industries Corporation (Chinese: 中国北方工业有限公司^[7]), or simply Norinco,^[8] markets Norinco Group's products internationally, and is also involved in domestic civil construction and military defense projects.^[9][10]

Some of Norinco's international customers include Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it negotiated arms-for-minerals deals, as well as Venezuela.^[11][12]

History

Established in 1980 with the approval of the State Council of the People's Republic 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 and mineral resources development, international engineering contracting, optronic products, civilian explosives and chemical products, sporting arms and equipment, vehicles and logistics operation.

U.S. sanctions

Further information: United States sanctions against China

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 American Mafia. At least one official, Hammond Ku, attempted to sell Chinese-produced tanks and rocket launchers to the undercover agents.^[13][14]

In August 2003, the Bush administration imposed sanctions on Norinco for allegedly selling missile-related goods to Iran.^[15] 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.^[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, Joe Biden issued Executive Order 14032 expanding the scope of the national emergency declared in order 13959.^[20]

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Further information: China and the Russian invasion of Ukraine

In March 2023, Politico reported that Norinco shipped assault rifles, drone parts, and body armor to Russia between June and December 2022.^[21][22]

Israel–Hamas war

Further information: Israel–Hamas war

Media reports indicate that Hamas has over thousands of Norinco assault rifles used for the war.^[23][24][25]

See also

• List of modern armament manufacturers
• China South Industries Group

References

1. "Leadership". Norinco Group. Archived from the original on 2019-09-06. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
2. "China North Industries Group | 2022 Global 500". Fortune. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
3. "Home". Norinco Group. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
4. "中国兵器工业集团有限公司 集团简介". Norinco Group. Archived from the original on 2024-05-08. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
5. "China's NORINCO, AVIC Among Top 10 Defense Companies Worldwide; SIPRI". Defense World. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
6. "China North Industries Corporation (Norinco)". Italian Aerospace Network. Archived from the original on 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
7. "中国北方工业有限公司 公司简介". Norinco. Archived from the original on 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
8. "About NORINCO". Norinco. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
9. "Defense Products--北方工业". Norinco. Archived from the original on 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
10. "NORINCO (Company) Aircraft List". Norinco. Archived from the original on 2018-08-05. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
11. The Anti-Protest Gear Used in Venezuela. The New York Times. YouTube. December 23, 2017. Archived from the original on August 5, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018 – via YouTube.
12. Chinea, Eyanir; Gupta, Girish (June 11, 2017). Cooney, Peter (ed.). "Venezuela Maduro says children used in protest violence, will write to pope". Reuters. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018. 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.
13. Serrill, Michael (24 June 2001). "Anatomy of a Sting". Time. Time Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019.
14. Ostrow, Ronald (24 May 1996). "U.S. Agents Say Chinese Tanks, Rockets Offered". LA Times. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
15. "BBC NEWS - Business - US punishes firms in Iran and China". 2003-05-23. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
16. "China". Archived from the original on 21 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
17. Chen, Shawna (November 12, 2020). "Trump bans Americans from investing in 31 companies with links to Chinese military". Axios. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
18. Pamuk, Humeyra; Alper, Alexandra; Ali, Idrees (2020-11-12). "Trump bans U.S. investments in firms linked to Chinese military". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
19. Swanson, Ana (2020-11-12). "Trump Bars Investment in Chinese Firms With Military Ties". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2020-11-13. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
20. "Executive Order on Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Certain Companies of the People's Republic of China". The White House. 2021-06-03. Archived from the original on 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
21. Banco, Eric; Aarup, Sarah Anne (16 March 2023). "'Hunting rifles' — really? China ships assault weapons and body armor to Russia". Politico. Archived from the original on 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
22. Williams, Matthias; O'Donnell, John (April 16, 2023). "Ukraine says it is finding more Chinese components in Russian weapons". Reuters. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
23. Swan, Melanie (2024-01-05). "Hamas 'using massive stockpile of Chinese weaponry' in Gaza". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
24. Kelly, Suzanne (2023-11-30). "A Look Inside Hamas's Weapons Arsenal". The Cipher Brief. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
25. Simpson, Cam (June 19, 2007). "As Guns Flood Gaza Strip, Palestinian Citizens Stock Up". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 30, 2024.

External links

• Official website