Washington has been trying for years to achieve greater cooperation from Beijing. Contacts began in the mid-2010s and allowed for restrictions on certain substances to be established. However, cooperation suffered a significant setback in 2022, when China suspended much of its dialogue with the United States following the visit of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
Beijing also interrupted specific cooperation against fentanyl until both countries resumed dialogue in November 2023. Since then, China has adopted new restrictions, including a measure announced in November 2025 that limited the export to the United States, Mexico, and Canada of 13 fentanyl precursor substances.
China expanded its controls on the export of chemical substances used as precursors for manufacturing synthetic drugs this Tuesday, a decision announced just two days before the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House. The measure comes amid pressure from Washington for Beijing to do more to prevent substances used in the illicit production of fentanyl from reaching the United States.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced on September 22 that it has added two new substances to its list of chemical products subject to export controls. From now on, companies will need to obtain licenses to ship these products to the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The decision will be particularly relevant during Xi's state visit to Washington, scheduled for September 24. This will be the second in-person meeting between the two leaders this year, following their meeting in Beijing in May, when they agreed to move towards a relationship of "strategic stability" based on fairness and reciprocity.
Thanks to pressure from the Trump administration, China implemented stricter controls on the export of fentanyl precursors
However, Beijing's new measure also highlights one of the main difficulties in the bilateral relationship: U.S. pressure for China to take greater responsibility regarding the international trafficking of fentanyl precursors.
China is a significant source of chemical substances that can subsequently be used to manufacture fentanyl and other synthetic drugs. The Trump administration has repeatedly demanded that Xi's government strengthen controls over these exports and pursue companies that supply products intended for criminal networks.
Since Trump's return to the White House, the U.S. president has made the fentanyl crisis a central issue in his policy towards China. Washington has even imposed tariffs related to fentanyl on products from China, Mexico, and Canada, arguing that these countries were not doing enough to curb the flow of drugs into the United States.
The leaders will meet again in Washington, where they will discuss various topics
The impact of the synthetic opioid crisis has been particularly severe in the United States. Fentanyl-related deaths increased sharply over the last decade, peaking at 76,226 fatalities in 2022, more than four times the figure recorded in 2016. In 2024, however, fentanyl-associated deaths dropped to an estimated 48,422, a reversal that U.S. authorities have linked to changes in border policies and other security measures.
The relationship between the United States and China to prevent the trafficking of precursor substances for fentanyl deteriorated after Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan
The new expansion of the list puts Xi under pressure again before his meeting with Trump. Although the decision can be interpreted as a step to strengthen controls, it also shows that Washington continues to consider the measures taken by Beijing so far as insufficient.
The issue will be particularly relevant because Trump and Xi arrive at their meeting with deep differences in trade, strategic, and security matters. So far, neither government has confirmed that the trafficking of fentanyl precursors will be part of the official agenda for the meeting.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, noted after meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in July that he expected a positive visit from Xi, although he acknowledged the significant differences between the two powers. Rubio stated that Washington will continue to defend its national interests but also identified areas where cooperation might exist.
