Biden eases restrictions to attain China`s assistance battling drug predicament
Date
11/19/2023 2:36:54 AM
(MENAFN) In a significant diplomatic move, the Biden administration has lifted trade restrictions on China's forensic science institute, signaling a strategic effort to enlist Beijing's support in curbing the trafficking of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals into the United States. The decision to remove the Chinese Ministry of Public Security's Institute of Forensic Science from the sanctions list was officially documented in a notice posted by various United States agencies to the federal Register.
This development unfolded a day after President Joe Biden's much-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a suburb of San Francisco. During this summit, the two leaders reached an agreement to reestablish collaboration between their respective governments in the ongoing battle against the trafficking of synthetic opioids and other illicit drugs.
The blacklisting of the Chinese forensic institute in 2020 was initially enacted by the United States as a punitive measure against Beijing for alleged human rights abuses targeting the Uighur ethnic minority. This move effectively restricted American suppliers from exporting a wide range of goods to the institute. Former Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, criticized this decision, highlighting the paradox of seeking China's assistance in addressing the US drug crisis while simultaneously sanctioning an entity crucial to combating fentanyl trafficking.
US officials have consistently attributed a portion of the country's opioid crisis, which saw nearly 110,000 overdose deaths in 2022 alone, to China. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who recently visited Beijing, asserted that Chinese companies were exacerbating the crisis by supplying key ingredients for the production of synthetic opioids in Mexico. Chinese officials, however, countered this claim, contending that the core of the issue lies in the United States' inability to effectively address illegal drug use domestically.
As the Biden administration pivots toward a collaborative approach with China in tackling the global opioid epidemic, the decision to ease sanctions on the Chinese forensic institute marks a crucial step in fostering international cooperation to address the multifaceted challenges posed by drug trafficking and abuse.
MENAFN19112023000045015687ID1107451547
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.