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US lawmakers have reintroduced legislation aimed at tightening sanctions on China-based entities accused of supporting the production, trafficking and sale of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, intensifying pressure on Beijing over its alleged role in America's opioid crisis.
The bipartisan CCP Fentanyl Sanctions Act was reintroduced by the House Select Committee on China, Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Ranking Member Ro Khanna (D-CA), committee member Dan Newhouse (R-WA), and Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA). The legislation seeks to target Chinese chemical manufacturers, online vendors and other entities that lawmakers say profit from the illicit synthetic narcotics trade. The lawmakers cited a 2024 Select Committee report alleging that the Chinese Communist Party subsidised the production of fentanyl precursor chemicals that were subsequently sold to Mexican cartels. "The Chinese Communist Party has long had a role in facilitating the fentanyl crisis," Moolenaar said, arguing that the bill would hold individuals and entities involved in the trade accountable. The proposed legislation would build on Executive Order 14059, which established sanctions authorities against actors involved in the global illicit drug trade. It would also expand sanctions to cover Chinese vessels and ports that knowingly or recklessly facilitate the transportation of illicit synthetic narcotics. In addition, the bill proposes targeting Chinese online marketplaces and other entities accused of facilitating the sale of synthetic narcotics. It would give the US president authority to restrict correspondent and payable-through accounts of foreign financial institutions found to have knowingly facilitated transactions for synthetic narcotics traffickers. Khanna said the measure was intended to disrupt the flow of fentanyl and precursor chemicals into the United States, while Newhouse called for stronger action against Chinese entities allegedly backing the trade. Auchincloss said Chinese chemical manufacturers exporting fentanyl-related substances to the US should face sanctions and anti-money-laundering measures. The legislation marks another bipartisan effort in Washington to increase economic and financial pressure on Chinese entities accused of contributing to the fentanyl crisis.(ANI)
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