US moves to fight fentanyl trafficking in cooperation with China

The United States-People’s Republic of China Counternarcotics Working Group (CNWG) continues to make progress in combating trafficking of fentanyl and other illegal drugs.

Launched in January 2024 following President Biden and President Xi’s decision to resume bilateral counternarcotics cooperation, the group has coordinated bilateral efforts to combat the global manufacturing and trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, including fentanyl.

The White House reported on the group’s recent progress in a press release.

As part of the CNWG, officials from both countries reviewed progress on bilateral counternarcotics efforts, including:

• the June 18 announcement by the People’s Republic of China regarding the arrest of an individual charged in the U.S. with participating in a money laundering scheme on behalf of the Sinaloa cartel

• The June 18 announcement on the classification of key internationally controlled nitazenes

• the July 15 announcement to further regulate veterinary anesthetics and psychotropic drugs, including xylazines

They also discussed updates on the People’s Republic of China’s action to classify precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit fentanyl which are controlled internationally.

China announces regulations on essential precursors for producing fentanyl

Following the CNWG meeting, the People’s Republic of China announced on August 5 that it will begin regulating three essential fentanyl precursors, a valuable step forward.

The US government on Tuesday hailed as “a valuable step forward” the Chinese government’s announcement to establish greater controls and regulations for three chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl.

The measure implies The third “significant” initiative taken by the Chinese government since U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping brought closer diplomatic ties last November at a meeting in San Francisco, California, acting National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement.

The White House has strengthened its collaboration with China in the fight against fentanyl trafficking.

Last week, senior officials from both governments met in Washington to discuss “coordination” between the U.S. and China to stifle financing for networks importing fentanyl precursors into North America.

They also discussed the actions that the Asian government can take to “shut down” the companies supplying these chemicals, according to the US officials.

In addition to pressure on China to expand the list of substances considered illicit, the Biden administration is seeking to expand the channels of information exchange between both countries on this issue and disrupt the illicit financing of transnational criminal organizations.

The United States sees the fight against fentanyl as the “most vital issue for the security” of its citizens, according to the State Department’s Latin America representative, Brian Nichols, during a congressional hearing in late June.

According to the Biden administration, Mexican cartels manufacture this synthetic opioid from chemical precursors that they acquire from China and then traffic them in the United States, a country that is suffering from the worst opioid crisis in its history.

On July 1, border authorities seized 4 million blue fentanyl pills, weighing more than 1,000 pounds, marking the largest seizure of the drug in CBP history, and it was carried out on the southwestern border of the United States.

Keep reading:
• US and China resume talks against fentanyl and drug trafficking
• China calls on US to strengthen security cooperation on cross-border drugs and crime
• US and China resume dialogue on fentanyl