US‑China tension escalates over fentanyl tariff dispute
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian urged U.S. authorities on Tuesday to stop "shifting the blame" regarding fentanyl onto China. Lin also criticized the United States for maintaining "unreasonable" punitive tariffs related to this drug.
Lin's remarks followed an announcement that Beijing and Washington have agreed on a 90-day reduction of mutual punitive tariffs. Starting on May 14, the tariffs on imports from the U.S. to China will be 10 percent, while goods imported from China to the United States will be subject to 30-percent tariffs. This includes a 20 percent rate imposed by the Donald Trump administration to pressure Chinese authorities in the fight against fentanyl trafficking.
China: Fentanyl-related tariffs are unreasonable
This potent synthetic opioid causes tens of thousands of deaths annually in the U.S.
The spokesperson for China's foreign ministry accused the U.S. administration of ignoring "China's goodwill" and imposing these tariffs. During a press briefing, he emphasized that the situation poses a significant obstacle to productive collaboration between China and the United States on drug-related issues and seriously affects China's national interests. He also stressed that if the U.S. is genuinely interested in working with China, it should refrain from accusations and instead pursue discussions grounded in mutual respect, equality, and shared benefits.
Lin also confirmed that the ministries responsible for trade talks have already published relevant communications in response to questions about further negotiations.
The U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced on Monday that Washington and Beijing will "work constructively" on the issue of fentanyl, whose chemical precursors are partly produced in China. The United States accuses China of not doing enough to combat the illegal production and export of these components. Beijing regularly refutes these accusations, providing information on the measures taken.
