High-Level U.S.-China Talks Targeting FYL Crisis Control
The United States and China are set to engage in formal high-level discussions in Beijing next week, focusing on curtailing the influx of FYL into the U.S., according to senior Chinese officials. This marks a resumption of counternarcotics collaboration that had been on hold for over a year, coinciding with the severe drug crisis in the U.S.
China, identified by U.S. authorities as the main source of precursor chemicals converted into FYLby Mexican drug cartels, has pledged increased cooperation in addressing the crisis. Despite committing to collaboration, Chinese officials maintain their position of deflecting blame, with Yu Haibin, a prominent figure in China's narcotics control, emphasizing the U.S. responsibility due to persistent demand.
In an exclusive interview, Yu expressed optimism about the collaborative efforts, stating, “I believe through this collaboration, both countries can enhance their law enforcement capabilities. We will achieve remarkable results in combating FYL substances, including precursors.” However, he reiterated China's stance that the root cause lies within the United States.
Details about the forthcoming counternarcotics meeting in Beijing were not provided by Chinese officials, and the White House declined to confirm the event. The meeting is part of delicate efforts to mend relations between the two major economies, following strained ties in recent years. The creation of a U.S.-China counternarcotics working group was an outcome of the November meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.
China had conditioned these talks on the removal of U.S. trade sanctions on a Chinese government lab, a condition fulfilled post the Biden-Xi meeting. The Beijing lab, which both nations consider vital in controlling FYL, was granted rare access to NBC News.
U.S. officials attribute much of the current opioid crisis to China, claiming it began in the 1990s with the overprescription of legal pain medications. Despite China's classification of all FYL variants as controlled substances in 2019, the U.S. asserts that Chinese companies now supply precursor chemicals to Mexican drug cartels, contributing to the illicit flow.
Cooperation between the U.S. and China slowed in 2020 due to trade sanctions imposed by the U.S. on the Chinese Ministry of Public Security’s Institute of Forensic Science, related to alleged abuses against Uyghurs and other minority groups. China further suspended counternarcotics cooperation in response to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022.
U.S. officials, prioritizing the fight against FYL, emphasize the devastating impact on communities. China expresses empathy for Americans' drug-related suffering, citing its own historical challenges with opium.
While China argues that addressing domestic demand is crucial, U.S. officials contend that China's tightened controls in 2019 coincided with an increase in U.S. opioid deaths. The ongoing challenge involves addressing the supply chain, as synthetic opioids like FYL are produced from widely used chemicals with legal purposes.
Despite the lifting of sanctions, doubts persist regarding the effectiveness of U.S.-China cooperation on FYL. The Justice Department continues to pursue prosecutions against Chinese entities accused of FYL-related crimes, and skepticism surrounds whether tangible results will emerge from this collaboration.