The 122 mm howitzer D-30, produced by China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) is the same weapon as the Russian D-30 and differs from the original only in detail. It is understood that the NORINCO D-30 is in service with the People's Liberation Army.

Chinese designation for the Russian D-30 is the Type 96.

The Chinese version of the 122 mm howitzer D-30 is almost identical to the original Russian version apart from a probably minor changes to meet local manufacturing requirements.

The Chinese D-30 fires an HE projectile weighing 21.76 kg that is identical to the Russian original. However, the Chinese D-30 also fires a locally developed long-range HE projectile using a special charge that produces a maximum range of 18,000 m (standard range is 15,300 m).

The long-range HE projectile is longer and uses a more aerodynamic body. It has a wide knurl at the bottom of the body that serves to increase friction between the driving band and the body surface to prevent sliding and shedding of the drive band under high chamber pressures. The knurl on the driving band edge also improves the chamber gas sealing.

NORINCO has also developed two 122 mm cargo projectiles that can be fired from all versions of the D-30. The standard 122 mm HB cargo projectile contains 33 top attack bomblets and has a maximum range of 18 km, while the 122 mm base bleed cargo projectile has a maximum range of 22 km.

Both of these cargo rounds carry 33 bomblets that are designed to attack the vulnerable upper surfaces of armoured vehicles and are also highly effective against troops in the open.

The projectiles are fitted with a MS15 fuze and the High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) bomblets and can penetrate up to 80 mm of conventional steel armour under ideal static conditions. These new 122 mm projectiles are being offered on the export market.

In 1990, NORINCO stated that it offered the following ammunition for its versions of the Russian D-30 as well as for the original weapon:

• ERFB BB with a maximum range of 22,000 m

• ERFB HB with a maximum range of 18,000 m

• HE/HEAT cargo round with a maximum range of 15,000 m

• HE/incendiary with a maximum range of 15,000 m

• Smoke with a maximum range of 15,000 m

• Illuminating with a maximum range of 15,000 m

On-carriage fire-control instruments mounted on the Chinese D-30 include a Type PG-1M panoramic sight weighing 1.9 kg (with a magnification of ×4 and a 10° field of view), a Type OP4M-45 telescopic sight weighing 5 kg (with a magnification of ×5.5 and an 11° field of view) and a Type K-1 indicator. The latter weighs 1.3 kg and has a 10° field of view.

The 122 mm ordnance of the Chinese version of the Russian D-30 is used in a number of NORINCO self-propelled artillery systems. These include the 122 mm Type 89 (turret mounted) and the 122 mm Type 84 (on top of chassis, open mount).

Details of these self-propelled versions are given in a separate entry. As far as it is known, these have not been exported by NORINCO. The latest 122 mm Type 89 self-propelled howitzer has not so far been offered on the export market.

In 2004 NORINCO was marketing the 122 mm howitzer Type D-30-2, which appears to be very similar to the original system that has been marketed by the company for some years. Specifications do, however, show some differences between the earlier system and the more recent Type D-30-2.