Beijing is weighing options to address the Trump administration’s concerns over China’s involvement in the fentanyl trade, potentially paving the way for renewed trade negotiations, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
According to unnamed sources cited by the paper, China’s Minister for Public Security, Wang Xiaohong, has recently sought clarity on what the Trump administration expects from China regarding the regulation of chemical precursors used in fentanyl production.
The report indicated that one proposal under consideration involves Wang either traveling to the United States for talks with senior Trump officials or meeting them in a neutral location.
However, the sources emphasized that the discussions are still in early stages, and China is hoping for a softening of Washington’s aggressive trade stance.
The report followed a statement from China’s Commerce Ministry, which said it was reviewing a U.S. offer to resume discussions over Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, while cautioning Washington against using “extortion and coercion” in its approach.
Trump has linked the US trade war with China, which has roiled global markets and upended supply chains, to the fentanyl crisis killing large numbers of Americans.
Washington says Chinese chemical manufacturers and exporters provide most precursor chemicals used by drug cartels to produce synthetic opioids, the cause of nearly 450,000 U.S. overdose deaths. China has long defended its tough drug laws and record of cracking down on smugglers, and says the U.S. must get a handle on its own addiction woes.
Trump said on Wednesday he believed there was a ”very good chance” his administration could do a deal with China, hours after Chinese President Xi Jinping called on officials to take action to adjust to changes in the international environment, without explicitly mentioning the United States.
Sources told Reuters last month that the Trump administration had engaged in direct talks with Chinese counterparts, mostly between the top staff at the Chinese embassy in Washington and the U.S. National Security Council.
However, the sources said the talks had not yielded results and American negotiators have accused the Chinese of failing to negotiate in good faith.
On Friday, the Trump administration ended U.S. duty-free access for low-value shipments from China and Hong Kong, removing the ”de minimis” exemptions used by Shein, Temu and other e-commerce firms, as well as by traffickers of fentanyl and other illicit goods.
With inputs from agencies