Beijing accused of fuelling America's fentanyl crisis with subsidies

The Chinese government is taking calculated measures to spark an epidemic of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in the United States, as stated by a commission of the U.S. Congress. These measures include offering subsidies for producing the ingredients required to manufacture this drug.

Investigators working for the commission discovered that Chinese manufacturers of fentanyl precursors might receive tax incentives if they export their products abroad, according to PAP, citing Voice of America. This information was acquired through a government portal in Beijing, which facilitates the application for such incentives.

The former U.S. Attorney General, William Barr, in his testimony before the commission, claimed this information is solid evidence that the Chinese government is subsidizing the production of fentanyl precursors. In November, the leaders of both countries, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, agreed to restart bilateral collaboration aimed at curbing the drug trade and the supply of ingredients required for drug manufacture.

The chairman of the commission, Republican Mike Gallagher, voiced his concerns about the actions of the Communist Party of China. - Beijing aims to increase the influx of fentanyl into our nation. It desires the epidemic to unleash chaos and destruction - he declared.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington refuted these accusations in a statement to Reuters Agency. It stated, "China does not face a fentanyl issue, China does not cause the fentanyl crisis in the United States, and indiscriminately blaming China won't resolve the USA's issue."

In the United States, fentanyl is responsible for most deaths from drug overdoses. It is frequently mixed with other drugs, enhancing its lethal potential. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is a hundred times stronger than morphine and leads to addiction much more swiftly than heroin. A mere 2.5-gram pinch of the pure drug is deadly.

Source: PAP