Fentanyl · Full chronicle and history

Xi Jinping and Trump met at the White House. Xinhua News Agency released an 856-word summary of the talks, while the White House subsequently issued a 15-point list of outcomes. There are significant differences in the statements from both sides regarding issues such as rare earths, energy, and fentanyl.

The Supreme Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate, and Ministry of Public Security have jointly issued and implemented opinions on the application of law in criminal cases involving fentanyl-related substances, with policies being implemented by the judicial system prior to the heads of state meeting.

President Trump attended the Second Meeting of the Shield of the Americas at UN Headquarters, discussing the fight against fentanyl smuggling, resource protection, and security cooperation in Latin America.

The Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Public Security and other five ministries jointly issued Announcement No. 40, adding export controls on two fentanyl-related chemicals for the United States, Canada and Mexico.

China's Ministry of Commerce and four other departments announced the addition of two precursor chemicals to the export control catalog. Starting immediately, exports to the United States, Mexico, and Canada will require a license application, a move seen as a response to the Trump administration's demands for the control of fentanyl precursors.

On September 17, U.S. President Trump signed a document designating China as the world's largest producer of synthetic drug precursor chemicals, demanding that Beijing expand the scope of controlled substances and prosecute raw material suppliers in order to curb the outflow of fentanyl ahead of the Xi-Trump summit on September 24.

Bipartisan US lawmakers reintroduced the CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act on Tuesday, aiming to expand sanctions against Chinese chemical manufacturers, online platforms, and financial institutions that fuel the fentanyl crisis.

FBI Director Cash issued a report on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's comprehensive efforts to crack down on the fentanyl supply chain, resulting in the seizure of over 3,200 kilograms of fentanyl and the arrest of thousands of suspects.

A Mexican citizen admitted in a U.S. court to obtaining precursor chemicals from China and manufacturing and trafficking fentanyl, fueling the drug epidemic across the country.

On July 14, 2026, Canadian media revealed that the Communications Security Establishment carried out a disruptive cyber countermeasure operation against an overseas cybercrime ring engaged in the cross-border trafficking of fentanyl chemical precursors.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration held the first Fentanyl-Free America Summit in Orlando, Florida, from July 13 to 16, discussing combating the fentanyl supply chain and strengthening prevention.

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged Chinese national Zhang Zhidong with operating a fentanyl chemical supply and money laundering network spanning China, Mexico, and the United States; Zhang Zhidong has pleaded not guilty, and the case has not yet entered trial.

April 10, 2025, the White House clarified that the newly imposed 125% “reciprocal tariff” on China, combined with the previously imposed 20% tariff due to fentanyl, brings US tariffs on most Chinese goods to a total of 145%.