China has fiercely rejected US accusations of lax fentanyl controls, calling them outright “lies” in a fiery white paper released on Tuesday. The move comes as the US doubles down on tariffs against Chinese goods, escalating tensions in the already volatile trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
The white paper’s release coincided with Washington’s latest economic strike—a 20% tariff increase on Chinese imports, up from 10% just a month ago. The Biden administration claims these measures will force Beijing to crack down harder on the trafficking of fentanyl, the deadly opioid fueling America’s overdose crisis.
China, however, is hitting back hard. Within hours of the tariff hike, Beijing announced countermeasures, slapping 10% to 15% tariffs on key US agricultural exports and imposing sanctions on American entities. In a heated press conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian blasted Washington’s move as a “completely illegitimate” tactic to justify more economic pressure on Beijing.
“The United States is determined to use the fentanyl issue as an excuse to once again impose tariffs on Chinese products,” Lin said. “Spreading falsehoods to smear China is both unreasonable and self-destructive.”
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than heroin, has become the leading cause of overdose deaths in the US. American officials insist that China is a key supplier, despite Beijing’s repeated denials and claims of stringent drug control measures.
As tensions boil over, the latest round of tit-for-tat tariffs is set to deepen the economic rift between the two superpowers, with ripple effects likely to be felt across global markets.
