Many armies in the world have elite special forces units capable of carrying out special operations, tasks, and missions. While the United States is considered to have some of the most effective special forces units in the world, other nations have built up comparable units. China is one, and the number of its special forces has ballooned over the past few decades.

Chinese special forces, like many others across the globe, employ a range of locally and foreign manufactured weapons tailored to their specific operational needs. 

To determine the guns used by Chinese Special Forces, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of weapons used by the Chinese Special Forces produced by Military Factory, an online database of military vehicles, aircraft, and arms. We removed similar guns and guns that are believed to no longer be in use by the Chinese Special Forces and ranked the rest according to when they entered service. Supplemental data on the type of weapon, maximum effective range, and the caliber used by each gun also came from Military Factory.

A majority of these guns are produced in-house by Chinese arms manufacturers, primarily China North Industries Corporation and China South Industries Group. Despite being produced in-house, these guns use a range of ammunition both domestically and internationally produced, everything from NATO to Russian rounds. (These are China’s 8 biggest weapons manufacturers and what they build.)

The primary firearms used by Chinese Special Forces encompass a variety of categories, from assault rifles to submachine guns. The QBB-95 and QBZ-03 series of assault rifles are examples of China’s domestically developed small arms, both manufactured by NORINCO, and chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO rounds. Both of these guns also allow for the integration of modular components so operators can customize their weapons for specific mission requirements.

Additionally, submachine guns like the QCW-05 make up another part of the arsenal. Designed for close-quarters combat and special operations, these compact firearms provide operatives with a lightweight option for stealthy engagements. Their compact size and suppressed firing make them suitable for undercover and covert operations where minimizing noise and visibility are crucial. (Also see, the 30 guns used by Delta Force.)

From domestically developed assault rifles to specialized submachine guns and precision sniper rifles, these are the guns the Chinese Special Forces use.

Click here to see guns used by the Chinese special forces.