China, US to Collaborate on Fentanyl; Beijing Seeks ‘Positive Energy’ – Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters) – The United States and China inaugurated a joint counter-narcotics working group on Tuesday, marking the first clear indication of collaboration to address the fentanyl crisis since late 2019, when their bilateral relations began to deteriorate.

This initiative follows a pivotal summit in San Francisco in November, where President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping reached a critical agreement to combat fentanyl production and export, representing a significant breakthrough in their cooperation.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin, has become a major public health challenge in the U.S., which identifies China as the main supplier of precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production by drug cartels in Mexico. China, however, disputes this characterization.

During a joint press conference in Beijing, China’s Minister of Public Security, Wang Xiaohong, emphasized that their discussions were thorough and pragmatic, leading to a shared understanding of their action plan. He expressed hope that both nations could address each other’s concerns and strengthen their collaboration to foster stable and constructive relations.

In Washington, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby stated that both countries committed to enhancing law enforcement coordination to combat the distribution of precursor chemicals related to opioids. He noted the need to tackle illicit financing and improve information sharing, calling this a promising beginning, albeit with much work still ahead. Another round of meetings is scheduled for Wednesday.

TENSIONS

Bilateral relations have been strained in recent years over various contentious issues, including the origins of COVID-19, trade tariffs, Taiwan, and human rights concerns, making it difficult for Washington to persuade Beijing to re-engage in efforts to halt the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.

In a rare instance of U.S.-China cooperation on drug-related crime in November 2019, law enforcement agencies from both nations jointly disclosed their success in dismantling a fentanyl smuggling operation. However, collaborations in this area dwindled with the onset of the pandemic and escalating geopolitical tensions, with relations falling to their lowest point in decades.

At the media briefing in Beijing, Jen Daskal, a deputy homeland security adviser, noted that Biden had dispatched a "significant delegation" to highlight the importance of combating fentanyl for the American populace.

During his meeting with Xi last year, Biden shared a poignant account of a friend’s child who succumbed to a fentanyl overdose. Daskal described this narrative as deeply personal for the President, while regrettably reflecting a broader tragedy affecting many families in the United States.