U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence on Wednesday that China will soon impose the death penalty for fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking, signaling renewed optimism for a bilateral crackdown on the opioid crisis. Speaking ahead of signing the HALT Fentanyl Act, Trump emphasized collaboration with Beijing to halt the flow of synthetic opioids, which have claimed over 450,000 American lives in the past decade.
Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, remains a top cause of overdose deaths in the U.S., and Washington continues to pressure Beijing to tighten control over precursor chemicals exported from China. Trump’s remarks follow a series of recent moves aimed at reining in the deadly drug trade, including the February imposition of 20% tariffs on Chinese goods linked to fentanyl-related issues.
“I think China’s going to go from doing nothing to issuing the death penalty for those producing fentanyl and sending it here,” Trump told reporters. He added that talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping were progressing and that Beijing was taking “big steps” in response.
In recent weeks, China has added two more fentanyl precursors—4-piperidone and 1-boc-4-piperidone—to its list of controlled substances. Authorities have also ramped up enforcement, seizing over 2 tons of drugs and arresting 262 individuals for trafficking. Over 1,300 prosecutions and 700 arrests for drug-related money laundering have been reported this year, showing a 2.1% increase from last year.
China, however, has pushed back on U.S. demands to publicize its efforts prominently and has accused Washington of politicizing the fentanyl issue. Still, Trump’s latest remarks suggest a possible breakthrough in cooperation as both nations grapple with rising overdose deaths and escalating tensions.