UPDATE 1-China adds chemicals to narcotics precursor list after Trump visit

China had dismissed Washington's accusations over the deadly opioid, saying the issue was a U.S. problem whose responsibility rested ⁠with Washington. Chinese and U.S. anti-narcotics authorities arrested five suspects this month and seized ⁠a batch ⁠of drugs in a joint investigation of a drug smuggling and trafficking case, state media said.

China ​added three chemicals on Friday to ​its list of controlled ‌precursor ​chemicals curbing their export to Canada, Mexico and the United States, a week after U.S. and Chinese ‌leaders held a summit in Beijing.

The National Narcotics Control Commission also issued a notice warning of eight chemicals that could be used to make synthetic ‌drugs. It ordered those engaging in related business and export trade activities ‌to "strictly comply with domestic and foreign laws and regulations".

The moves mirrored Beijing's anti-narcotics curbs adopted in November, days after a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart ⁠Xi ​Jinping in South ⁠Korea. At those talks, the United States agreed to trim tariffs on China in exchange ⁠in part for Beijing cracking down on the illicit fentanyl trade.

Washington had repeatedly ​accused Beijing of failing to stem the flow of precursor chemicals ⁠for fentanyl, with Trump imposing fentanyl-related tariffs on Beijing in early 2025 that the U.S. Supreme ⁠Court ​struck down in February. China had dismissed Washington's accusations over the deadly opioid, saying the issue was a U.S. problem whose responsibility rested ⁠with Washington.

Chinese and U.S. anti-narcotics authorities arrested five suspects this month and seized ⁠a batch ⁠of drugs in a joint investigation of a drug smuggling and trafficking case, state media said.