WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — China has agreed to a new plan to curb the flow of fentanyl-related chemicals to the United States, FBI Director Kash Patel announced Wednesday. The move marks a major step in the fight against the deadly opioid crisis that has claimed thousands of American lives.
Patel said the agreement came after his recent trip to Beijing, following President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea last month. The deal focuses on halting the production and export of chemicals used to make fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that has become the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States.
“The People’s Republic of China has fully designated and listed all 13 precursors utilized to make fentanyl,” Patel said at a news briefing. “Furthermore, they have agreed to control seven chemical subsidiaries that are also utilized to produce this lethal drug.”
Patel did not provide more details about enforcement measures or timelines for implementation. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
Earlier this week, China’s Commerce Ministry said it would adjust its catalog of controlled drug-related precursor chemicals. The ministry will now require export licenses for certain substances bound for the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
China also strengthened oversight of chemicals not currently on its control list to prevent them from entering illegal markets. Officials warned that exporters could face criminal penalties for shipping chemicals to what they called “high-risk” countries, including the United States.
The announcement signals Beijing’s intent to cooperate with Washington on a problem that has strained U.S.-China relations for years. The United States has long accused Chinese companies of producing and exporting the substances used to manufacture fentanyl and other opioids.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be up to 50 times stronger than heroin. Even small doses can be fatal. The drug has fueled a surge in overdose deaths across the United States in recent years, with communities in every state feeling its impact.
President Trump has made combating the fentanyl epidemic a top priority. Following his meeting with Xi, Trump said the Chinese leader would work “very hard to stop the flow” of fentanyl into the United States.
In exchange for China’s cooperation, Trump agreed to cut tariffs on Chinese goods from 20% to 10%, easing some of the trade tensions between the two countries. The decision marked a rare moment of collaboration amid ongoing disputes over trade, technology, and security.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the details of the agreement will be finalized through a new bilateral working group. The group will oversee implementation, enforcement, and progress toward reducing illegal fentanyl shipments.
The plan represents a shift in tone for the Trump administration, which had previously maintained that tariffs and other punitive measures would stay in place until China demonstrated concrete action against fentanyl production.
Experts say the new agreement could be an important step forward if both sides follow through on their promises. U.S. officials have repeatedly emphasized that effective enforcement is key to stopping the spread of synthetic opioids.
The fentanyl epidemic has devastated families and communities across the United States. According to federal data, synthetic opioids were responsible for the majority of overdose deaths last year. Law enforcement agencies have struggled to keep up with the flow of illegal substances entering the country through international mail and smuggling routes.
