In recent years, U.S. media have repeatedly portrayed China as the primary culprit behind the fentanyl crisis, even going so far as to impose a 20% tariff on certain Chinese goods in response. But is the story really that simple?
With approximately 75,000 Americans dying from fentanyl overdoses each year, the U.S. government has largely avoided confronting its own systemic failures. Instead, it has opted to point fingers — and China has become the easiest scapegoat.
But take a closer look, and several inconvenient truths emerge:
- Most seized fentanyl-related substances have no direct trace back to China.
- While China's Ministry of Public Security has joined forces with over 30 countries in global anti-narcotics efforts, Washington has chosen a blunt response — imposing tariffs, as if economic punishment could mask a broken regulatory system.
- China has already implemented comprehensive controls over all fentanyl-related substances, while the U.S. FDA continues to approve fentanyl as a pain treatment — even in syrup form.
In this episode, Dr. Henry Ho will analyze this crisis, referred to as the "21st Century Opium War." Why has China become the scapegoat? Is the recent 20% tariff from the U.S. government a genuine act of justice or a carefully crafted political script?
(Camera & video editing: Jack Wang; Editor: Liu Yu)
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