China adds drug precursor chemicals to export control list ahead of Trump-Xi summit

​China added two chemicals on Tuesday ​to its export control ‌list for ​drug precursor chemicals, requiring permits for exports to the US, Mexico and Canada, the commerce ministry ‌said in a statement.

The change came ahead of this week's summit of the Chinese and American leaders in Washington. The Trump administration has repeatedly urged ‌Beijing to do more to stem the flow of precursor chemicals for ‌synthesising the deadly opioid fentanyl into the US.

The two added chemicals are piperidone compounds structurally related to a well-known fentanyl precursor. China previously expanded the list in May and ⁠November, after ​summits in Beijing ⁠and Busan respectively between US President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Early in 2025, ⁠Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese goods over fentanyl concerns, but China says its ​counter-narcotics laws are among the world's strictest and fentanyl is a ⁠US problem. After meeting Xi in October last year, Trump agreed to halve the fentanyl-related tariffs ⁠in ​exchange for Beijing cracking down on illicit fentanyl trade. The tariffs were struck down in February by a US supreme court ruling.

This ⁠year, China's state media have reported at least two drug-related cases involving the ⁠US, including ⁠the arrest of five suspects in the joint investigation of a drug smuggling and trafficking case.