US president-elect Donald Trump announced last week that he will impose an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese goods after taking office, blaming China for the US’ fentanyl problem. As a seasoned law enforcement officer with over 36 years of experience, I have never considered imposing tariffs a viable solution for law enforcement challenges in any country. In reality, Trump’s tariff plan could be driven by a desire to reduce domestic taxes to benefit US businesses while attempting to balance the budget by imposing tariffs on imports. Fentanyl is merely an excuse.
Fentanyl is indeed a significant issue in the US. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 75,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year, mainly attributed to fentanyl.
The universal solution to any country’s drug problem involves: strengthening law enforcement to deter suppliers; educating the public about the dangers of drugs; and implementing rehabilitation measures to reduce addiction. Hong Kong has successfully controlled its drug problem through this three-pronged strategy.
The US should evaluate its government’s effectiveness in these three areas. The ready availability of illicit fentanyl in US communities is alarming, with counterfeit pills proliferating and easily purchasable through social media. If these drugs are readily accessible, effective enforcement should be achievable, provided determination and punishments are sufficiently painful as a deterrent. This raises questions about the effectiveness of US law enforcement. Is corruption contributing to the protection of the illicit supply chain? Given the notorious reputation of some local US police forces and the seemingly untouchable organized criminal gangs, this seems highly probable.
The US rehabilitation program for fentanyl addicts is often criticized for its limited accessibility, as treatment facilities are not readily available, particularly in rural areas, primarily because of insufficient funding. This lack of resources has resulted in inadequate training for treatment providers in managing the complexities of fentanyl dependence. Many programs emphasize short-term recovery rather than long-term management, leading to high relapse rates. Additionally, the treatment landscape is fragmented, with various agencies and programs failing to coordinate care effectively, resulting in service gaps.
A study by the US National Institute on Drug Abuse warns that illicit fentanyl pills are often made to resemble legitimate prescription medications. It is crucial to educate the public about the dangers of accepting pills from friends, purchasing them on social media, or obtaining them from any source other than licensed pharmacies, as they could contain fentanyl and be potentially deadly. Public health campaigns are urgently needed to prevent these pills from reaching young people and to reduce overdose risks among those who unknowingly consume fentanyl-laced pills. Still, it appears that public education on drug abuse prevention is lacking in the US.
Thus, ineffective governance is at the heart of the US fentanyl crisis. By imposing tariffs on Chinese goods, the US is merely attempting to deflect responsibility for its failure to combat the illegal drug trade domestically. Shifting blame to other countries will not resolve the root causes of the fentanyl problem.
Blaming China will not resolve the US’ fentanyl crisis. Imposing tariffs arbitrarily to distract from the US’ failure in addressing drug abuse will only draw attention to its hypocrisy and incompetence. It risks being counterproductive as it may lead to China refusing to cooperate with the US, thus aggravating the fentanyl problem
Of course, international law enforcement cooperation is essential in addressing cross-border smuggling. As a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson recently said, the US should value China’s goodwill and protect the hard-won progress in US-China cooperation on drug control. China has one of the world’s strictest counternarcotics policies and enforcement. As early as 2019, China was the first country in the world to officially schedule all fentanyl-related substances under its Supplementary List of Controlled Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances with Non-medical Use in its anti-drug law, a key move in preventing the illicit manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of the substance, even though there is no fentanyl abuse in China. The Chinese government has consistently fought against drugs, with severe penalties, including the death sentence for serious offenses. In 2022, drug-related crimes in China reached a 10-year low, dropping to 35,000 from over 160,000 in 2015, thanks to robust anti-drug measures. There is a sustained decrease in the scale of drug supply, consumption and abuse in China. In other words, China has done all it can to curb the illicit drug trade.
China has engaged in extensive and productive counternarcotics cooperation with the US. According to US Customs and Border Protection, no fentanyl-related substances have been seized from China since these regulations were introduced and implemented by the government. In a spirit of humanitarianism, China has sought to assist the US in combating this drug abuse scourge. China’s sincerity and willingness to help are self-evident, as they are not tied to any quid pro quo.
As the Chinese spokesperson remarked, “China remains ready to continue counternarcotics cooperation with the US based on equality, mutual benefit and mutual respect. We hope the US will not take China’s goodwill for granted and will work to maintain the hard-won positive dynamics in counternarcotics cooperation.”
The way forward is to strengthen law enforcement collaboration. A joint China-US anti-fentanyl task force could be established to share intelligence and conduct joint operations. Law enforcement representatives can be located in each other’s country to enhance communication and cooperation, working together with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to coordinate international efforts against fentanyl abuse.
Blaming China will not resolve the US’ fentanyl crisis. Imposing tariffs arbitrarily to distract from the US’ failure in addressing drug abuse will only draw attention to its hypocrisy and incompetence. It risks being counterproductive as it may lead to China refusing to cooperate with the US, thus aggravating the fentanyl problem.
The author is an adjunct professor of HKU Space and a retired deputy commissioner of the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption. He is the recipient of the 2022 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
