US urged to reflect on its drug control

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin speaks during a regular news briefing in Beijing on Friday, April 17, 2023. [Photo/fmprc.gov.cn]

Beijing strongly condemns Washington's indictments and sanctions against Chinese entities and individuals allegedly involved in the trade of precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl, and has lodged solemn representations with the United States, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday.

"The move, which further hinders Sino-US cooperation in countering narcotics, will benefit no one," Wang said, adding that China will continue to do what is necessary to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and individuals.

On Friday, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against two China-based chemical companies and four Chinese citizens for allegedly supplying precursor chemicals to drug cartels in Mexico for the production of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, intended for the US.

The announcement came on the same day as the US Justice Department charged the four Chinese citizens with supplying those chemicals.

At a regular news briefing in Beijing, Wang said the fentanyl precursor chemicals are just general chemicals, and the responsibility of preventing general chemicals from being channeled for drugmaking purposes lies on the importer.

"The fact that the US indicted and sanctioned Chinese companies and individuals because of a normal chemical trade between China and another country fully exposes the US' hegemony and defiance of the international rule of law," he said, adding that China has been trying its best to help the US address its fentanyl issue in the spirit of humanitarianism.

However, in disregard of China's goodwill, the US has been shirking its responsibilities and shifting the blame on China instead of reflecting on its own problems, Wang said.