US and China leaders meet to limit illegal supply of fentanyl

Senior U.S. and Chinese officials will meet in Beijing this week to discuss ways to stop the supply of fentanyl from China to the Americas, the White House announced Sunday.

Tuesday and Wednesday’s meeting will mark the launch of the U.S.-China Counternarcotics Task Force, a working group that aims to “combat illicit drug production and trafficking globally.”

“The U.S.-China Counternarcotics Task Force provides a platform to facilitate continued coordination to address the illicit manufacturing, financing, and distribution of illicit drugs and support bilateral enforcement efforts,” the White House said. .

The White House said a delegation heading to China this week, led by Vice President for Homeland Security Jen Dascal, will include senior officials from the State Department, Treasury Department and Justice Department.

The meeting is the Biden administration’s next step in a months-long process to work with the Chinese government to eliminate fentanyl smuggling from China. After years of not cooperating, the two governments began open communication on drug control in November.

At the time, President Biden said he was skeptical of China’s involvement in the effort.

“The United States is working with China to target fentanyl ingredients. As a result of recent diplomacy, China has already taken steps to shut down companies dealing in illegal trade in precursor chemicals,” he said in November. stated. “We don’t just need to believe this is happening, we need to confirm it. And that’s what will save lives.”

Most of the fentanyl circulating in the United States comes from Chinese precursor chemicals, and a significant portion of the chemicals are smuggled to Mexico, where the drug is manufactured.

The Treasury Department launched a similar task force in Mexico last month.

Many U.S. politicians blame the Chinese government for fentanyl overdose deaths, while Chinese leaders point to the problem as evidence of government failure.

The increased cooperation in anti-drug trafficking efforts could signal a geniality in relations after months of tense exchanges.