China’s Ministry of Public Security has voiced strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the United States’ decision to impose a 10 percent additional tariff on imports from the Chinese mainland over fentanyl-related issues.
A spokesperson from the ministry emphasized that China is among the nations with the strictest drug control policies and most rigorous enforcement globally. The spokesperson stated that China consistently fulfills its international drug control obligations and actively engages in international anti-drug cooperation, including with the United States.
In 2019, despite the absence of widespread fentanyl abuse within China, the Chinese mainland became the first country to officially schedule all fentanyl-related substances as a class, responding to a request from the U.S. side. The spokesperson noted that since China implemented this regulation, there have been no reports from the U.S. of such substances being seized originating from China.
The spokesperson highlighted that China and the United States have made significant progress in practical cooperation on drug control in areas such as substance regulation, intelligence sharing, and case collaboration, yielding tangible benefits.
However, the spokesperson pointed out that the root cause of the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. lies within the country itself. Reducing domestic drug demand and strengthening law enforcement cooperation are fundamental solutions. Shifting blame onto other nations does not resolve the issue and undermines the foundation of trust and cooperation in drug control between China and the U.S.
China urges the United States to correct its actions and work to safeguard the progress made in bilateral drug control cooperation, promoting stable, healthy, and sustainable development of relations between the two nations.
