U.S. and Chinese officials resume talks to combat fentanyl production
US and Chinese officials are set to meet on Tuesday to discuss curbing the production of key ingredients for the potent drug fentanyl
In a significant diplomatic move, senior officials from the United States and China are set to engage in talks on Tuesday aimed at curbing the production of key ingredients for the potent drug fentanyl. This marks the first such meeting in years and follows a commitment made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a November summit with U.S. President Joe Biden to address the issue.
The dialogue will be conducted through the counter-narcotics working group, signaling a renewed effort to combat the illicit drug trade. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged the historic nature of the meeting, stating, “For years, bilateral cooperation between the United States and the People’s Republic of China on counternarcotics has been suspended, which has hindered our progress. But that changed during the November 15 meeting.”
The focus of the discussions will be to encourage China’s collaboration in targeting companies involved in the production of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, a synthetic opioid known for its potency, surpassing that of heroin by many times. The U.S. aims to address the issue holistically, including efforts to cut off financial support for the trade.
Fentanyl has been a major contributor to the addiction epidemic in the United States, resulting in an alarming 100,000 overdose deaths annually. This has positioned it as the leading cause of death for individuals aged 18 to 49, according to the official.
Since the November summit, China has taken initial steps to address the problem by shutting down at least one company, blocking certain international payments, and resuming the sharing of information on shipments and trafficking.
The meeting will bring together officials from various U.S. agencies, including justice, homeland security, diplomacy, and counternarcotics. Their agenda revolves around “ongoing coordination to support concrete enforcement actions.”
Chinese President Xi, expressing empathy for fentanyl victims, stated after he met with President Biden in California that China “deeply sympathizes” with those affected by the drug.
Source: Newsroom
