US State Department: No response from Beijing on China rejoining global anti-drug efforts.

China’s Reluctance to Join Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats

China has not responded to an invitation to be part of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, probably due to its strained diplomatic relations with the United States, officials said.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the United States is joining over 80 countries and dozens of international agencies to fight synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Mr. Blinken delivered the opening remarks for the coalition’s July 7 virtual meetings for world leaders to share resources, strategies, and information in the battle to control synthetic drugs.

China is a major source of the precursors used in producing fentanyl, a major problem in the United States.

In an online press conference about the coalition meetings the day before, Todd D. Robinson, Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, said the Chinese had previously worked closely with the United States and that the door remains open to resume that cooperation.

“We’ve had successful cooperation in the past with the PRC (People’s Republic of China) on counternarcotics. They have not engaged with us on this issue in recent months, we continue to actively seek their cooperation,” Mr. Robinson said.

He added that China is still talking with other coalition countries and could be persuaded by them to do its part.

“Just because the PRC is not talking to the United States, they are talking to other countries. And that’s part of the reason we’re trying to bring this coalition together is to engage other countries,” Mr. Robinson said.

“This is not just about the United States and the PRC.”

The lack of open channels between the nations has reportedly prompted international jitters, with Beijing’s reluctance to engage in regular military-to-military talks with Washington alarming China’s neighbors.

The Russia-Ukraine war has thrown the relationship between Russia, the United States, and China into high relief, drawing international attention. Mr. Robinson said addressing the synthetic opioid problem could help bridge the gap.

“This is a global problem that’s going to require a global response. We think having other countries engage with the PRC will eventually bear fruit,” he said.

Mexico, home of cartels that produce and smuggle fentanyl into the U.S., is expected to participate.

“Mexico is on board,” Mr. Robinson said.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Blinken outlined the scope of the problem in the United States. He said that in America alone, fentanyl is the top killer of people between ages 18 and 49. In the past year, 110,000 people died of a drug overdose. Two-thirds of them involved synthetic opioids.

He said the drugs claimed more lives than guns and automobile crashes combined.

“America is not alone in facing this challenge,” Mr. Blinken said.

According to Mr. Blinken, drug cartels and organized crime operations have adopted and co-opted legitimate business processes to do their work. He said they are adept at adjusting to market conditions, including the efforts by law enforcement to shut them down.

“This illicit trade is built on the pillars of legitimate commerce,” Mr. Blinken said.

US to Present Three-Step Plan

He said the United States would present a three-step plan for the coalition to consider. This would include disrupting the trafficking of precursors to stop the manufacturing of the drugs, working with other countries to detect emerging threats, and enhancing international cooperation to dismantle drug cartels and criminal networks.