Overview
- Beijing announced new export restrictions and license requirements on 13 drug‑making chemicals destined for the United States, Canada and Mexico, saying the measures target fentanyl production networks.
- Reuters reported that FBI Director Kash Patel made an unannounced visit to Beijing last week to discuss fentanyl and law‑enforcement cooperation, a trip neither government has officially acknowledged.
- Following the late‑October summit, President Donald Trump cut fentanyl‑related tariffs on Chinese goods from 20% to 10% as both leaders declared a consensus on countering precursor flows.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has pointed to a planned bilateral working group to detail implementation, though it remains unclear what operational steps were discussed or when they will start.
- China’s narcotics commission issued a notice signaling tougher enforcement, while officials said the new controls apply to North America and that shipments to other destinations can proceed without a license.