Treasury Secretary: China recognises US role in combatting drug precursor trafficking

US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent has revealed that China acknowledged the critical role of US support in combating the trafficking of drug precursors.

He noted that during recent discussions, China expressed a serious commitment to working with the US to address the global issue of precursor trafficking, which is crucial in the production of illegal drugs, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

Bessent further disclosed that the Chinese delegation included the deputy minister of public security, a prominent figure and expert in the fight against fentanyl, underlining China’s serious approach to the issue.

The discussions were described as lengthy and detailed, focusing on the potential for further collaborative efforts between the US and China to address precursor trafficking. 

On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of tariffs on goods from 185 countries and territories, with Russia notably absent from the list. 

On April 9, Trump revealed that he was suspending the additional import duties, introduced on a reciprocal basis, for a period of 90 days, affecting several countries and territories. The White House clarified that this pause was due to ongoing trade negotiations, during which a universal tariff of 10 per cent would be applied.

At the same time, the US president increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 125 per cent. Including a previously implemented 20 per cent tariff, which was introduced over alleged insufficient efforts by Canada, China, and Mexico to combat fentanyl smuggling into the US, the total tariff on goods from China reached 145 per cent. 

In response, China raised tariffs on all US products to 125 per cent in April as a countermeasure. Trade and economic negotiations between the US and China were held in Switzerland on May 10-11. On May 12, both parties announced a mutual reduction of tariffs to 10 per cent, set to take effect on May 14, 2025.

By Naila Huseynova