The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has accused the United States of shifting the blame and shirking responsibility in regards to the opioid crisis. China has stated that they will take necessary countermeasures after US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Chinese goods in response to the smuggling of fentanyl. Trump has proposed an additional 10 percent duty on Chinese imports, which would come on top of a 10 percent duty imposed earlier this month. China’s Ministry of Commerce argues that Chinese laws on drugs are among the strictest in the world and urges the US to resolve disputes through equal dialogue. Over 74,000 people died from synthetic opioid overdoses in the US in 2023, and China is the primary source of the chemicals used to make fentanyl trafficked by Mexican cartels. China has cooperated with the US in tackling the supply of fentanyl.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/2/28/china-pledges-countermeasures-after-trump-announces-new-10-tariff?traffic_source=rss