In a notable bipartisan initiative, two U.S. senators have introduced new legislation aimed at combating the influx of fentanyl and its precursors into the United States. This move comes as part of a broader effort to address the issue originating predominantly from China and Mexico. President Donald Trump has cited this issue as one of the reasons behind the imposition of tariffs on imports from these countries.
Trump’s administration has implemented taxes on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, citing their alleged failure to curb the trafficking of fentanyl into the U.S., among other concerns. However, the governments of these nations assert their cooperation on the matter. Remarkably, Trump announced a one-month delay on most tariffs from Mexico following discussions with the Mexican president.
The proposed bill aims to expand the U.S. government’s ability to impose sanctions on Chinese state-owned or state-controlled entities, such as banks, involved in financing foreign opioid trafficking. Additionally, the legislation seeks to enhance the tracking of chemicals that can be used for methamphetamine production.
Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the committee’s leading Democrat, introduced the bill. Risch described China as “the single greatest source of fentanyl and synthetic opioid precursors to Mexican cartels” and accused its government of supporting such activities. He emphasized the deadly impact of opioids crossing the southern border, which claim over 100,000 American lives annually.
Shaheen urged the use of every available tool to block fentanyl distribution, pointing out that China is “the primary supplier of fentanyl precursors fueling this epidemic.” She criticized the country’s efforts in curbing the export of these substances to Mexican criminal groups trafficking fentanyl into the U.S.
Meanwhile, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, dismissed U.S. accusations as unfounded. He stated China’s willingness for pragmatic cooperation with the U.S. but firmly opposed the use of the fentanyl issue to pressure China.
A report by a special House committee on countering the Chinese government highlighted Beijing’s role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis, claiming China subsidizes materials used in manufacturing the drug. The Chinese government counters that it has taken numerous initiatives, including stringent actions against fentanyl-related crimes and promoting global governance of such substances.
In June, a suspect linked to a drug trafficking network involving China, Mexico, and the U.S. was arrested by Chinese authorities, following identification by U.S. law enforcement. This individual purportedly operated an auto sales business in the U.S. engaged in illegal foreign currency trading.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported that fentanyl precursors and pill-manufacturing equipment were trafficked from China to Mexican labs, where they were converted into fentanyl and smuggled into the U.S. The DEA also noted the laundering of drug profits through Chinese underground banking systems.
However, the new U.S. tariffs on Chinese products initiated by the Trump administration may jeopardize further cooperation on this issue. Beijing expressed discontent with linking tariffs to fentanyl smuggling, asserting the U.S. should be accountable for its fentanyl crisis. The Chinese Foreign Ministry emphasized China’s humanitarian motives and goodwill towards addressing the problem.
Increased U.S. tariffs could potentially damage counternarcotics dialogue and collaboration with China, the ministry cautioned. The relationship between the two nations may face further strain if fiscal pressure tactics persist.
