A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced three bills on Tuesday aimed at addressing China’s role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis. These measures propose establishing a U.S. task force to disrupt narcotics trafficking and laying the groundwork for sanctions against Chinese entities involved in the trade. China is the primary source of chemical precursors used by Mexican cartels to produce fentanyl, with Chinese money launderers playing a key role in the international drug trade, according to U.S. authorities.
One of the bills, The CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act, introduced by Democratic Representative Jake Auchincloss, would empower the U.S. to cut off Chinese companies from the U.S. banking system, targeting vessels, ports, and online marketplaces that knowingly facilitate the shipment of precursors. Auchincloss described China’s actions as “state-sponsored poisoning” of Americans, placing the blame squarely on the Chinese Communist Party.
Two other bills propose creating a U.S. task force to conduct joint operations against trafficking networks and impose civil penalties on Chinese entities that fail to properly document shipments of illicit narcotics. There is growing support within Republican circles, particularly among allies of President-elect Donald Trump, for holding China accountable for the opioid crisis, a claim Beijing denies. China asserts it has strict drug laws and that the U.S. should focus on curbing domestic narcotics demand. The bills are expected to be reintroduced next year.
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