Poly Technologies Explained

Type:State-owned enterprise
Industry:Defense
Parent:China Poly Group

Poly Technologies, sometimes abbreviated as PolyTech, a subsidiary of China Poly Group Corporation, is a trade company with headquarters in Beijing, China. The company deals with missiles and other military products. The company was founded by the Chinese People's Liberation Army in order to provide competition to China North Industries Corporation (Norinco). The company is one of China's largest arms exporters and has been sanctioned by the United States.[1] [2]

As a traditional pillar industry of Poly Group Corp., the international trading business is mainly undertaken by Poly Technologies Inc., both the predecessor of the Poly Group and a backbone enterprise of the Group.

History

Founded in 1984, it is mainly engaged in the import and export business of general merchandise, special equipment, and technology.

Poly Technologies has supplied gunpowder to Russian ammunition manufacturers following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[3]

Military activity

Poly Technologies was involved in the shipment of weapons (specifically SALW  - Small Arms and Light Weapons) to Zimbabwe around the time of the 2008 Election Crisis, and was then refused entry into South African Ports shortly before docking.[4]

Poly Technologies developed the LANU-M1 vehicle-mounted counter-unmanned aerial vehicle system, designed to be mounted on the roofs of vehicles.[5]

In February 2023, the Center for Advanced Defense Studies reported that customs data showed that Poly Technologies shipped navigation equipment to Rosoboronexport for Mil Mi-17 helicopters following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[6]

In June 2023, Import Genius identified Poly Technologies as having supplied Russian ammunition manufacturer Barnaul Cartridge Plant with enough smokeless powder to make at least 80 million rounds of ammunition.

Products

Polytech is notable in North America as an early supplier of semi-automatic AK-47-style weapons to civilians. These modifications of Type 56 assault rifle were available in both 5.56 NATO and 7.62 Soviet ammunition, and have been described as "well-made" by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons.[7]

Other mainly civilian offerings include versions of the Zijiang M99 as well as M14 (M305) and M16 (CQ-A) clones similar to Norinco's. These three are seen in the Canadian list of prohibited firearms.[8]

Business relations

Poly Group has established business relations with hundreds of enterprises and governmental organizations of nearly 100 countries and regions, including many multinational corporations such as Boeing of the United States, Bombardier Inc. of Canada, Chevron - Texaco of the United States, Benz of Germany, Ferrari of Italy, State Corporation 'Rosoboronexport' and Japanese Sagawa Logistic Co., Ltd. It has also established cooperative relations with domestic government departments and many noted companies.

Subsidiaries

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: China's Poly Group: The most important company you've never heard of. Nunns. Cain. February 25, 2013. Public Radio International. en. 2019-07-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20221203141616/https://theworld.org/stories/2013-02-25/chinas-poly-group-most-important-company-youve-never-heard. December 3, 2022.
  2. Web site: 2022-01-21 . US hits Chinese defense companies with sanctions . live . 2022-01-23 . . en. https://archive.today/20230609173736/https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2022/01/21/us-hits-chinese-defense-companies-with-sanctions/. June 9, 2023.
  3. News: Swanson . Ana . Ismay . John . 2023-06-23 . Chinese Firm Sent Large Shipments of Gunpowder to Russian Munitions Factory . en-US . . 2023-06-24 . 0362-4331 . 2023-06-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230624003356/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/23/business/economy/china-russia-ammunition.html . live .
  4. News: Dugger . Celia W. . 2008-04-19 . Zimbabwe Arms Shipped by China Spark an Uproar . en-US . . 2023-02-20 . 0362-4331. https://web.archive.org/web/20230220182308/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/world/africa/19zimbabwe.html. February 20, 2023.
  5. News: Poly Technologies showcases C-UAV system . . May 29, 2018 . Christopher F. . Foss . China’s Poly Technologies has developed the LANU-M1 vehicle-mounted counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) system. The LANU is designed to be installed on the roof of any vehicle and is claimed to provide on-the-move protection against small UAVs.. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703114946/www.janes.com/article/80462/poly-technologies-showcases-c-uav-system. July 3, 2018.
  6. News: 4 February 2023 . China Aids Russia's War in Ukraine, Trade Data Shows . en-US . . 2023-02-04. https://archive.today/20230205163111/https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/china-aids-russias-war-in-ukraine-trade-data-shows-11675466360. February 5, 2023.
  7. Web site: McCollum . Ian . "Polytech AKS - The First Wave of Semiauto Chinese AK Rifles" . Youtube . 2023-02-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230220183026/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePQYkW6_8ds . 2023-02-20 . bot: unknown .
  8. Web site: Definition of Prohibited Firearms - Criminal Law Notebook . criminalnotebook.ca. June 9, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230609174033/http://criminalnotebook.ca/index.php?title=Definition_of_Prohibited_Firearms#Rifle_or_Shotgun_Barrel_Length.