Fentanyl likely on US-China trade agenda after long absence: analysts
While the drug was not mentioned publicly after earlier negotiations, recent comments suggest the topic could come back into the spotlight
If the issue is addressed, some experts said the tension between the world’s two largest economies could be further relaxed in August, after a 90-day truce agreed to during May talks in Geneva. Others expressed greater optimism, estimating a return to the 2020 trade deal that ended the escalatory spiral – albeit temporarily.
“It’s reasonable to view the fentanyl issue as a potential ‘third stage’ in US-China negotiations, particularly given how politically salient it has become in Washington,” said Matteo Giovannini, senior finance manager at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and a non-resident associate fellow at the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based think tank.
“While not traditionally a trade matter, the fentanyl crisis has been elevated to a core national security and public health concern in the US, which means it can be leveraged in broader bilateral talks.”
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid. It has become the leading cause of death in the United States for people aged 18 to 45, according to the country’s Drug Enforcement Administration.