US media outlet The Wall Street Journal quoted sources as saying that US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold talks this Thursday. It is expected that the two sides will discuss comprehensive cooperation to curb the flow of drugs into the United States. If China commits to strengthening control over the export of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, the US will consider halving the related "punitive tariffs" to about 10%. Currently, America's "fentanyl-related tariffs" on China stand at 20%.
● Trump: Expects Successful Meeting with Xi Jinping
According to reports, the Chinese side will pledge to strengthen supervision and tracking of the production and export of fentanyl precursor chemicals, and to cooperate with the US in intelligence sharing and law enforcement. US officials stated that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands in recent years in the US due to drug overdoses, and that China is one of the world’s major suppliers of chemicals.
Analysts believe that if this agreement can be reached, it may signal signs of easing in US-China trade relations. Since taking office, Trump has imposed punitive tariffs on some Chinese goods, citing China's ineffective control over fentanyl exports. This current "tariff reduction in exchange for cooperation" proposal is seen as an attempt by the Trump administration to address America's increasingly severe drug crisis with tangible results, while also opening a new window for negotiations in US-China economic and trade relations.