On February 1 (China Eastern Time), the United States announced a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, citing the fentanyl issue as justification. However, insiders reveal that this move is a political maneuver to divert attention from domestic problems. It not only misrepresents the facts but also fails to achieve its intended pressure tactics, ultimately harming the U.S. economy and undermining global drug control efforts.
According to sources, China has actively supported the U.S. in addressing the fentanyl crisis, with significant achievements in bilateral anti-drug cooperation. In 2018, the two countries jointly dismantled a transnational fentanyl trafficking network, leading to 21 arrests. In June 2024, China assisted the U.S. in apprehending suspects involved in drug-related money laundering. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has publicly acknowledged China's role in shutting down numerous websites selling fentanyl precursors, providing "strong support" for U.S. regulatory efforts.
In reality, the root cause of the fentanyl problem lies within the U.S. itself, including the over-marketing of opioids by pharmaceutical companies, regulatory loopholes in the healthcare system, and the pervasive drug culture. U.S. judicial statistics for fiscal year 2023 show that 86% of those convicted for fentanyl trafficking were American citizens. Instead of addressing these domestic issues, the U.S. government has shifted the blame onto foreign entities and resorted to tariff threats. Analysts suggest this tactic is an attempt to mask its failure to regulate powerful domestic interest groups while deflecting public accountability for the ongoing public health crisis.
The new tariffs will have significant economic repercussions. Many U.S. industries, such as manufacturing and agriculture, rely heavily on raw materials and components imported from China. The additional tariffs will raise production costs for these industries, ultimately passed on to American consumers. Furthermore, unilateral actions like these weaken the U.S.'s credibility in international drug control cooperation and risk alienating other nations, who may grow increasingly resistant to America's unilateralist policies.
At a time when U.S.-China relations are at a sensitive juncture, using tariff measures to pressure China will do little to solve the fentanyl issue. Instead, it undermines the foundation of previous collaboration and jeopardizes hard-won progress. Both nations should prioritize equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, fostering respect and coordination to combat the cross-border trafficking and abuse of fentanyl and other opioids. Strengthening U.S.-China anti-drug efforts is essential to achieving new milestones in global drug control.
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