Located in Beijing, Xinshidai was established in 1980 originally under the auspices of the Commission of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND). Formerly, it was the Foreign Affairs Bureau of COSTIND. Previously, New Era Corporation was jointly administrated by the General Staff Department of the PLA and COSTIND. Xinshidai is a massive corporation in the import-export trade, in specialized products, defense industries, and civilian products. New Era Corporation is a state owned enterprise legally registered and operates in China.

New Era is one of China's two primary organizations involved in the arms trade (the other is Poly Technologies). New Era is an intermediate level supervisory body for missile sales. It has jurisdiction over six major Chinese defense industry trading companies and plans and coordinates import/export by members.

New Era also conducts scientific cooperation and exchanges, exhibitions, and cooperation in advanced technology.

The following corporations are affiliated with the New Era Corporation:

• China Aero-Technology Import-Export Corporation (CATIC);
• China Electronics Import-Export Corporation (CEIEC);
• China Great Wall Industrial Corporation (CGWIC);
• China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO);
• China Nuclear Energy Industrial Corporation (CNEIC);
• China Precision Machinery Import Export Corporation (CPMIEC);
• China Satellite Launch Agents, LTD.;
• China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC);
• Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology (NINT);
• Shanghai Institute of Nuclear Research;
• Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics;
• Southwest Institutes.

Sanctions

New Era Corporation was placed a list of foreign companies sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2004 for missile technology proliferation under Executive Order 12938. The sanction expired in September 2006. In 23 October 2008, the U.S. government placed New Era on a list of foreign countries to be sanctioned for selling sensitive technology, and alleging the spread of weapons of mass destruction to Iran, North Korea, and Syria.

Sources:
[1] Wendy Frieman, Nonproliferation Review, Spring-Summer 1996, p. 17.
[2] Yan Kong, "China's Arms Trade Bureaucracy," Jane's Intelligence Review, February 1994, p. 80.
[3] China Today: Defense Science and Technology, vol. 2 (Beijing: National Defense University Press, 1993).
[4] Robert Hewson, "Chinese airpower reaps benefits of long road to self-sufficency," International Defense Review, 13 September 2007, in Janes Defense, www.janes.com.
[5] "U.S. broke law with new company sanctions: Russia," CBC news, 24 October 2008, in CBC news, www.cbc.ca.