Trump says he expects to lower fentanyl-linked tariffs on China
- - Trump says he expects to lower fentanyl-linked tariffs on China
ReutersOctober 29, 2025 at 4:13 AM
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U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he walks from Marine One to board Air Force One to depart Haneda Airport for South Korea, in Tokyo, Japan, October 29, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) -President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he expects to reduce U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods in exchange for Beijing's commitment to curb exports of fentanyl precursor chemicals.
Early this year Trump imposed 20% tariffs on Chinese imports over what he described as Beijing's failure to curb the flow of precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, which has caused nearly 450,000 U.S. overdose deaths.
Those tariffs have remained in effect despite a fragile trade truce reached by both sides in subsequent talks, as the two superpowers did not make progress on the issue in the absence of decisive action targeting traffickers by China.
For its part, Beijing has always strongly defended its chemical control record and accused Washington of using fentanyl to "blackmail" China.
However, China softened its tone on the fentanyl debate ahead of a meeting between both countries' presidents, expressing sympathy instead of reiterating its usual characterisation of the issue as being an American problem.
"China sympathises with the American people over the fentanyl crisis, and has offered help and provided assistance, which have achieved positive results," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at a regular briefing.
Guo said China remains open to continuing such cooperation with the United States but urged "practical actions" by Washington for bilateral cooperation.
China's envoy to the U.S., Xie Feng, said last month that fentanyl and illegal immigration could become "highlights and growth points" for both countries' cooperation after months of defending Beijing's existing policies on drugs and criticising related U.S. tariffs.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Jarrett Renshaw; Antoni Slodkowski and Colleen Howe; Additional reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Lincoln Feast)
Source: “AOL Breaking”
