A group of bipartisan lawmakers in the United States have put forward three bills to address China’s involvement in the country’s fentanyl crisis. The proposed measures include the establishment of a task force dedicated to disrupting narcotics trafficking and the potential imposition of sanctions on Chinese entities. This move aims to tackle the role of China in the illicit fentanyl trade within the United States.
According to U.S. authorities, Chinese cartels are the primary suppliers of chemical precursors used by Mexican cartels to manufacture fentanyl. Additionally, Chinese money launderers have emerged as significant contributors to the global drug trade.
The House of Representatives’ select committee on China, which comprises all of the sponsors of the bills, has highlighted that the proposed legislation aims to hold China’s ruling Communist Party (CCP) responsible for its role in the fentanyl crisis. Specifically, the legislation targets the CCP’s state subsidies of precursors, which directly contribute to the fueling of the crisis.
Democratic Representative Jake Auchincloss introduced a bill called The CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act. This bill aims to give the U.S. the authority to block Chinese companies from accessing the U.S. banking system. It specifically targets vessels, ports, and online marketplaces that knowingly or recklessly aid in the transportation of illegal synthetic narcotics.
“This legislation is an alarming instance of state-sponsored poisoning aimed directly at the American people,” Auchincloss exclaimed passionately during the event. He firmly asserted, “The root cause of this deplorable situation lies solely with the mainland of the People’s Republic of China.”
According to the committee, there are two additional bills in consideration. One bill proposes the establishment of a task force comprising various U.S. agencies. The purpose of this task force would be to collaborate on operations aimed at disrupting trafficking networks. The second bill suggests the imposition of civil penalties on Chinese entities that do not accurately declare or adhere to formal entry channels when shipping precursors to the United States.
There is a growing consensus among Republicans close to President-elect Donald Trump that
Beijing denies orchestrating the synthetic opioid epidemic to harm Americans, despite evidence pointing to their involvement.
China claims to have some of the most stringent drug laws globally and emphasizes the need for the United States to address the issue of narcotics demand within its borders.
During a regular news conference on Wednesday, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, stated that China’s anti-drugs authorities have consistently taken strong measures against incidents involving the disappearance of drug-making chemicals.
The bills will likely need to be reintroduced next year after the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, as there is little time remaining in the current congressional term.
In an article this month, Raja Krishnamoorthi, the leading Democrat on the select committee, emphasized the need to take a tough stance on Beijing regarding fentanyl.