In a historic move against the illegal drug trade, China just sentenced nine people to death. These men were convicted for manufacturing and trafficking fentanyl related compounds in Hebei Province. We are encouraged by the cooperative law enforcement efforts between the U.S. and China to combat the emerging fentanyl epidemic. Their partnership was instrumental in achieving this landmark decision. Even with these efforts, the Trump administration did not recognize China’s actions as a substantial move toward curbing fentanyl flows into the U.S. This lack of focus raised tensions across drug enforcement and policy, as well as trade.
Chinese officials have maintained that their recent actions to control fentanyl precursors are not explicitly tied to relations with the United States. That position has been blasted from all sides. One aspect they’re especially worried about is the recent allegations from the U.S. government that Chinese Communist Party subsidizes the production and export of illegal fentanyl precursors. Beijing has angrily denied these accusations, as Beijing has vehemently denied that the U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods are justified.
China acts essentially as the world’s largest source of precursor chemicals. These chemicals are being used to produce illegal fentanyl and other synthetic drugs in Mexico and around the world. In 2024, China’s Ministry of Public Security seized more than 1,400 tons of these chemicals. They closed 151 associated criminal cases over that time. China is clearly struggling to balance its present role—and not just in the synthetic opioid trade—in the global drug trade. This struggle profoundly shapes its domestic policies and its international relations.
A New Approach to Drug Control
Over the past few years, China has gained increasing control over a number of synthetic drugs such as nitazenes, harsh fentanyl analogues. Just this year, Chinese authorities went further, placing 55 synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals on their controlled substance lists. These measures indicate a proactive approach by Beijing to address the ongoing opioid crisis and curb the production of harmful substances.
Hua Zhendong, deputy director of a drug analysis division under the Ministry of Public Security. He was absolutely right to stress how important global collaboration is. We are always open to pragmatic cooperation with the US on the basis of equality and mutual respect. We would strenuously object to the US arm twisting and bullying China. Blackmailing under the cover of the fentanyl challenge is intolerable,” he said.
Zhendong recognized when control measures alone could not be enough. “You really can’t solve the fentanyl problem through control alone… the most fundamental issue is still reducing demand,” he said. Enforcement has always been more complicated than this perspective makes it seem. To truly get ahead of supply, we need to do even more and address consumption directly.
The Broader Implications of Fentanyl Cooperation
China’s moves to crack down on fentanyl smuggling happen amid widely publicized icy bilateral ties with Washington. Chinese officials have been careful not to explicitly link their actions to U.S.-China relations. One thing is certain is that the level of cooperation on drug control is a very clear reflection of their wider diplomatic relationship.
Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center think tank. She underscored that China’s recent moves represent an unprecedented willingness on the part of China to work with the U.S. on this fundamental pivot. “Since the 20% tariff is specifically linked to cooperation on fentanyl, the Chinese might be hoping for a package deal that includes trade, counternarcotics, among other things,” she explained.
Vanda Felbab-Brown of the Brookings Institution called these efforts “just clever maneuvering.” She underscored that the Trump administration reset negotiations without taking Shenzhen China’s prior commitments into account. This omission further created an opening for the PRC to offer comparable commitments, which it could then use to its advantage in trade negotiations with a future Biden administration.
David Luckey, a senior researcher at RAND, highlighted the necessity of effective enforcement. “I would suggest better still would be actually preventing Chinese companies from selling and distributing these harmful chemicals and drugs to criminal organizations in Mexico.” His statement illustrates the deep-seated fears about the source systemic issues propelling the drug trafficking networks.
