What's happened
President Trump announced plans to lower tariffs on Chinese goods, including fentanyl-related imports, amid ongoing negotiations with China. He aims to address the fentanyl crisis by encouraging China to curb exports, with a potential tariff reduction from 20% to 10%. The meeting with Xi Jinping is scheduled for Thursday at the APEC summit in South Korea.
What's behind the headline?
Trump's move to lower tariffs signals a strategic shift aimed at leveraging economic incentives to combat the fentanyl crisis. The potential tariff reduction could incentivize China to take more aggressive action against fentanyl exports, which are primarily sourced from China and smuggled into the US. However, China's rejection of blame and claims of cooperation complicate the prospects for meaningful change. The timing of this policy adjustment suggests a desire to use diplomacy and economic measures simultaneously, but the effectiveness remains uncertain. If successful, this approach could reduce the flow of fentanyl and save lives, but it risks being perceived as a concession that may weaken US leverage in trade negotiations. The outcome hinges on China's willingness to act and the US's ability to enforce new agreements.
What the papers say
The Independent reports that Trump expects to lower tariffs to help with the fentanyl crisis and plans to meet Xi Jinping at the APEC summit, though Beijing has yet to confirm the talks. The NY Post highlights Trump's consideration of reducing tariffs from 20% to 10%, emphasizing his belief that this will aid efforts against fentanyl. Bloomberg notes Trump's confidence that the tariff reduction will help address the crisis, with the upcoming meeting seen as a pivotal moment. All sources agree that the US aims to use economic diplomacy to influence China's actions on fentanyl exports, but there remains uncertainty about China's response and the actual impact on drug flows.
How we got here
Trump imposed a 20% tariff on Chinese fentanyl-related goods earlier this year to pressure Beijing into cracking down on exports of chemicals used to produce the drug. Despite previous commitments by China to curb fentanyl exports, the flow of the drug has increased, contributing to a surge in overdose deaths in the US. The upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping is seen as a key moment to negotiate further cooperation on this issue.
Go deeper
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More on these topics
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Xi Jinping is a Chinese politician serving as the general secretary of the Communist Party of China, president of the People's Republic of China, and chairman of the Central Military Commission.
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Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.