President-elect Donald J. Trump’s proposed tariffs aimed at curbing fentanyl trafficking from China may jeopardize ongoing bilateral cooperation in fighting the opioid crisis.
Fentanyl and Tariffs: Trump's Diplomatic Dilemma with China
Fentanyl and Tariffs: Trump's Diplomatic Dilemma with China
Tensions rise as President-elect Trump threatens tariffs over fentanyl imports from China, risking counternarcotics efforts.
In a challenging political landscape, President-elect Donald J. Trump's announcement on Monday to impose new tariffs on China highlights a pressing issue: the influx of fentanyl — a powerful synthetic opioid — into the United States, largely sourced from Chinese chemicals. Although some collaborative steps have been taken previously, the looming trade tensions may complicate future efforts.
Over the past year, talks initiated between President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping led to China enhancing its oversight on precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. This cooperation becomes crucial as drug cartels in Mexico utilize these chemicals to produce fentanyl and smuggle it across borders, contributing to the opioid crisis that claims tens of thousands of American lives each year.
Nonetheless, experts caution that further progress is necessary and that new tariffs could hinder recent achievements. Chinese manufacturers often create new, uncontrolled precursor chemicals, making the fight against fentanyl complex. Vanda Felbab-Brown of the Brookings Institution argues, “An imposition of tariffs is not going to do anything regarding the flow of fentanyl. In fact, it might undermine the counternarcotics cooperation that the U.S. and China have been pursuing.”
As the nations navigate these turbulent waters, the need for better collaboration between law enforcement agencies in both countries becomes increasingly crucial to mitigate the opioid crisis impacting the U.S. and to find a sustainable resolution to the ongoing fentanyl trade.
Over the past year, talks initiated between President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping led to China enhancing its oversight on precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. This cooperation becomes crucial as drug cartels in Mexico utilize these chemicals to produce fentanyl and smuggle it across borders, contributing to the opioid crisis that claims tens of thousands of American lives each year.
Nonetheless, experts caution that further progress is necessary and that new tariffs could hinder recent achievements. Chinese manufacturers often create new, uncontrolled precursor chemicals, making the fight against fentanyl complex. Vanda Felbab-Brown of the Brookings Institution argues, “An imposition of tariffs is not going to do anything regarding the flow of fentanyl. In fact, it might undermine the counternarcotics cooperation that the U.S. and China have been pursuing.”
As the nations navigate these turbulent waters, the need for better collaboration between law enforcement agencies in both countries becomes increasingly crucial to mitigate the opioid crisis impacting the U.S. and to find a sustainable resolution to the ongoing fentanyl trade.
