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Trump and Xi: Meeting against the fentanyl crisis at the APEC summit!
Trump plans to meet with Xi Jinping on the fentanyl crisis and trade issues on the sidelines of the APEC summit. Tariffs threaten if an agreement fails.
Trump and Xi: Meeting against the fentanyl crisis at the APEC summit!
US President Donald Trump plans to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the pressing problem of fentanyl. This synthetic opioid has led to a devastating drug crisis in the United States, with 70,000 people dying of overdose in 2023. Trump has repeatedly blamed Beijing for this dilemma, as China is considered the main source of the chemicals used in fentanyl. Trump states that fentanyl is 50 times more powerful than heroin and is the leading cause of death in people ages 18 to 45. On November 1, Trump will impose additional tariffs of 100 percent on imports from China if a deal is not reached, putting further pressure on negotiations. This information was originally provided by the Kleinen Zeitung.
Trump will travel to South Korea, Malaysia and Japan on Friday evening (Washington time) before heading to Asia for the APEC economic summit on October 31. So far, no specific date has been given for the meeting with Xi. However, it has become known that Trump believes in a trade agreement and has raised the possibility of a deal. Tensions between the two nations had previously been fueled by China's export restrictions on rare earths and the imposition of additional tariffs on Chinese goods. Despite Trump's warnings, Beijing has not yet officially confirmed the meeting and has also responded with "double standards".
China's role in the opioid crisis
The relentless increase in fentanyl use also raises questions about how China can curb the illegal trade. Despite tightened controls in 2019 that led to a decline in direct trade with the U.S., supply routes have shifted, often through Mexico. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has rejected allegations of illegal trafficking, citing the country's strict drug laws.
Recently, the US government under President Joe Biden has prioritized the fight against fentanyl and imposed sanctions on certain Chinese companies. At a summit in November 2023, Biden and Xi agreed to continue counter-narcotics talks, indicating an attempt to improve bilateral cooperation. But experts warn that drug traffickers could adapt quickly, making regulatory action difficult. China's willingness to cooperate in counternarcotics appears to depend directly on the overall bilateral relationship with the US, making the current situation even more complex.