President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are gearing up to unveil a joint agreement targeting the manufacture and export of fentanyl. This significant announcement is expected to occur today during the leaders’ meeting in San Francisco.
Under the terms of the anticipated deal, China will actively pursue measures against chemical companies involved in the production and distribution of fentanyl, addressing a critical issue contributing to the global opioid crisis. The focus will be on stemming the flow of both the synthetic opioid and its source materials.
In reciprocity, the Biden administration has agreed to lift restrictions on China’s forensic police institute, an entity previously accused by the U.S. of engaging in human rights abuses, particularly in relation to the repression of the ethnic Uyghur population in China.
The intricacies of this agreement highlight the complexities of diplomatic negotiations, where cooperation on one front involves concessions on another. However, experts are quick to caution that the stability of this deal may be precarious, given the existing fragility of ties between Beijing and Washington. The potential collapse of the agreement underscores the delicate nature of international relations and the challenges associated with finding common ground on sensitive issues.
