On November 10th, China announced new export restrictions on 13 chemicals, including those used to make the deadly drug fentanyl. This comes after a meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi on October 30. The US agreed to lower its fentanyl-related tariffs from 20% to 10% as part of the understanding that China would crack down on the export of these chemicals to the US, Canada and Mexico.
Reuters reported that FBI Director Kash Patel made an unannounced visit to China last week. Director Patel discussed with Chinese authorities how to stem the tide of fentanyl onto American streets. The meeting was quiet and deliberately downplayed. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian claimed he was not aware of the trip. China’s Ministry of Public Security and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing did not respond to requests by Reuters for comment.
In an announcement from the Ministry of Commerce and five other departments, China will now require “exports of chemicals listed…to the United States, Mexico and Canada shall apply for a license in accordance with the Interim Administration Regulations for the Export of Precursor Chemicals to Specific Countries, and no license shall be required for exports to other countries.”
President Trump announced in an October 30th post on Truth Social, “Very significantly, China has strongly stated that they will work diligently with us to stop the flow of Fentanyl into our Country. They will help us end the Fentanyl Crisis.”
The impact of these negotiations on fentanyl production has yet to be determined. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce agreeing to increased regulation of fentanyl-related chemicals is undoubtably a good thing. However, there are ways for China to circumvent these agreements. For example, exporting the ingredients used to produce the 13 restricted chemicals, many which are not regulated.
President Trump did not remove the fentanyl-related tariff; he reduced it from 20% to 10%. It is highly plausible that elimination of the tariff is contingent upon China’s full cooperation on removing fentanyl from American streets.
Fentanyl remains a major killer of Americans. In 2023, the last year in which data is available, 72,776 fentanyl overdose deaths were reported. Each year, fentanyl kills more Americans than the 58,220 American military personnel that were killed in the Vietnam War.
