Trump Says He Expects to Reduce Tariffs on China Over Fentanyl-Related Cooperation

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he expects to lower U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods in exchange for Beijing’s commitment to curb exports of precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl.

Earlier this year, Trump had imposed a 20% tariff on Chinese imports, citing Beijing’s failure to stop the flow of precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl — a powerful synthetic opioid linked to nearly 450,000 overdose deaths in the United States.

Although the two sides later reached a fragile trade understanding, the tariffs remained in place as China failed to take concrete action against traffickers, leaving both superpowers deadlocked on the issue.

For its part, Beijing has strongly defended its chemical control record and accused Washington of using the fentanyl crisis as leverage to pressure China.