US should cherish good momentum created in its counternarcotics cooperation with China: China Daily editorial

Carrying out counternarcotics cooperation is one of the important common understandings reached between the leaders of China and the United States during their meeting in San Francisco in November.

Subsequently, China intensified its campaigns against the smuggling, illicit manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of fentanyl-related substances to try and help the US get a grip on its fentanyl problem. It has, for example, been working to clean up information about online sales of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, and strictly prevent the smuggling and trafficking of the relevant chemical substances.

The United States has responded by lifting sanctions on the Institute of Forensic Science of the Ministry of Public Security and the National Narcotics Laboratory of China, which severely impacted and limited China's counternarcotics capabilities. China has responded to the requests of the US that it follow up on the clues it has provided in certain cases and taken action.

The counternarcotics authorities of China and the US are also resuming regular communication. The two sides are also in close communication on setting up a working group for counternarcotics cooperation.

To address US concerns and help boost overall China-US relations, in May 2019, China placed the entire class of fentanyl-type drugs and two key fentanyl precursors under a controlled regulatory regime, the first country to do so, which played an important role in preventing the illicit manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of the substance. The US has been a major beneficiary of this move.

The world knows it clearly that the Chinese government has always been tough on drug-related crimes. The root cause of the US' fentanyl crisis lies at home. The fundamental solution is to reduce domestic demand. The US needs to reflect on itself, strengthen its regulation of prescription drugs, step up public awareness campaigns about the harm of narcotics, so as to reduce the domestic demand for drugs.

The progress in resuming China-US counternarcotics cooperation has not come easy and it should be cherished by both sides. The US cannot expect cooperation from another country while harming the latter's interests. Accusing others and shifting the blame simply won't work if the US wants to ease its fentanyl crisis.

In terms of counternarcotics, China has the strongest determination, most thorough policies and one of the best records in the world. It is hoped that the US side can show sincerity, work with China in the same direction and continue to carry out practical counternarcotics cooperation based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.