China moves to tighten Fentanyl controls amid trade tensions with Trump’s govt

China has taken new steps to control the export of synthetic opioid precursors as tensions with the United States escalate over the deadly fentanyl crisis, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives annually across America.

The move follows US President Donald Trump’s decision earlier this year to impose a 20% tariff on all Chinese imports part of a broader crackdown on Beijing’s alleged role in sustaining the flow of fentanyl into the country. Despite initial pushback, Chinese authorities now appear to be signaling a willingness to expand cooperation.

Late last month, Beijing added two additional fentanyl precursors to its list of controlled substances, aligning with international standards. Days earlier, it extended similar control to nitazenes, another class of potent synthetic opioids. Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong also told US Ambassador to China David Perdue that Beijing was open to strengthening “practical cooperation” on drug control.

Although China maintains that it has already made “tremendous” efforts to tackle the issue, officials continue to reject Washington’s use of pressure tactics. “We stand ready for practical cooperation with the US based on equality and mutual respect. That said, we firmly oppose the US pressuring, threatening and blackmailing China under the pretext of the fentanyl issue,” a Chinese spokesperson said in March.

While the Biden administration previously acknowledged Beijing’s efforts in 2019 to list fentanyl as a controlled substance—a move that led to a decline in direct shipments from China—Trump’s renewed tariffs have reignited tensions. Critics argue the new administration failed to credit China’s ongoing compliance with international regulations, instead resetting diplomatic progress.

In recent years, drug traffickers have shifted tactics. Rather than shipping fentanyl directly, Chinese suppliers now send precursor chemicals to cartel-run labs in Mexico, where the drug is manufactured and smuggled into the US. Despite China’s added restrictions on these chemicals, experts say more needs to be done.

“Scheduling drugs and precursors… is one step of many needed in China,” said David Luckey, a senior researcher at RAND Corporation. “Better still would be actually preventing Chinese companies from selling and distributing these harmful chemicals and drugs to criminal organizations in Mexico.”

In March, the US State Department acknowledged “significant steps” by China in curbing exports of controlled chemicals, including cracking down on online suppliers, making arrests, and placing 55 synthetic drugs and precursors under tighter control. China’s Ministry of Public Security reported seizing over 1,400 tons of precursors in 2024, along with 151 related criminal cases.

However, enforcement gaps remain. Chinese scientists warn that tracking these chemicals is a “cat-and-mouse” game due to the ease with which traffickers modify substances to evade detection. “You really can’t solve the fentanyl problem through control alone… the most fundamental issue is still reducing demand,” said Hua Zhendong, a drug analyst under the Ministry of Public Security.

Observers also note that Trump’s hardline approach—especially his decision to lump China’s drug controls into broader trade disputes—may stall cooperation. “If Washington does not publicly recognize Chinese steps and show responsiveness to Beijing’s concerns, then bilateral law enforcement cooperation likely will falter,” warned Ryan Hass of the Brookings Institution.

Beijing has also reacted strongly to a US Congressional report alleging that the Chinese government subsidized the export of illicit fentanyl materials. In March, China released a detailed 7,000-word white paper defending its record and reiterating that the opioid crisis is a US domestic problem.

Nonetheless, China appears eager to avoid being labeled a global drug supplier. Analysts say the country is using recent actions as bargaining chips to gain ground in trade talks and potentially pave the way for a Trump visit to China this year.

“Since the 20% tariff is specifically linked to cooperation on fentanyl, the Chinese might be hoping for a package deal,” said Yun Sun of the Stimson Center. “They need to work out good progress.”

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