US Congress Legalizes Sanctions on 'China-Origin Fentanyl'... A New Flashpoint in US-China Tensions

The U.S. Congress has begun the legislative process to sanction China over the smuggling of fentanyl, known as the 'zombie drug.' As the U.S. signals a tough stance against China, considered a major supplier of fentanyl precursors, fentanyl sanctions appear to be expanding into a new front in U.S.-China tensions.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate Majority Leader, held a press conference on the 16th (local time) and announced plans to introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this week that would sanction Chinese authorities, the main producers of fentanyl precursors. The Senate will begin discussions on the NDAA for fiscal year 2024 starting on the 18th.

Leader Schumer warned of a strong response, declaring fentanyl trafficking a national emergency and holding China accountable. He stated, "The fentanyl distributed in the United States is produced within China with the approval and tacit consent of the Chinese government," and fiercely criticized, "China is responsible for the fentanyl addiction that has caused tens of thousands of American deaths due to overdose."

Fentanyl, known as the 'zombie drug' or 'death drug' due to its strong hallucinogenic and addictive properties, is currently produced in China and illegally distributed to the U.S. via Mexico. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), two-thirds of the 108,000 Americans who died from drug overdoses last year died from fentanyl.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

A court in Hebei, China, convicted nine Chinese nationals in 2019 for smuggling fentanyl to the U.S., and both countries had been cracking down on fentanyl producers in China years ago. However, cooperation has ceased amid escalating U.S.-China tensions. Some U.S. media outlets have accused China of deliberately loosening fentanyl sanctions to aid its distribution in the U.S., likening the fentanyl-related U.S.-China conflict to a 'New Opium War.' Fox News predicted, "An ominous standoff between the U.S. and China over fentanyl cooperation will continue."

There is also analysis that fentanyl sanctions will open a new front in U.S.-China tensions. The British Guardian pointed out, "In negotiations over fentanyl sanctions, all roads for China are subordinated to geopolitical issues." It is analyzed that Chinese authorities will use fentanyl cooperation as a strategic tool in U.S.-China negotiations to achieve their diplomatic goals. Ray Donovan, former DEA Global Operations Chief, stated, "China leads the production of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, and the Chinese chemical industry is the least regulated industry within China," pointing to the lax management and supervision by Chinese authorities.

Previously, China reportedly drew a line by stating that the U.S. fentanyl crisis is a domestic issue when the U.S. requested China to curb fentanyl inflow. The Guardian reported that during visits by Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to China, fentanyl was a major agenda item in bilateral talks, but the U.S. gained little from the negotiations.

Shortly after Secretary Blinken's visit to China, the U.S. Department of Justice responded by indicting four Chinese companies, including the Wuhan-based chemical firm Amabio Biotech, and eight Chinese nationals on charges related to the production, distribution, and sale of fentanyl precursors. This is the first time U.S. authorities have indicted Chinese companies and individuals for smuggling fentanyl precursors into the U.S. In response to the U.S. indictments and arrests, China demanded the immediate release of its nationals and strongly condemned the "illegal detention" of its citizens.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.