US-CHINA: SCIO Publishes Fentanyl White Paper As US Tariffs Hit

(MNI) London - China's state-run Xinhua reports that the State Council Information Office has released a white paper entitled "China's Control of Fentanyl-Like Substances". Allegations against China of fentanyl production/the production of chemicals used to make the drug have been cited as one of the factors behind the imposition of trade tariffs by the Trump administration. The white paper says that China "fully and deeply participates in important decision-making in the field of international drug control". 

• In response to US pressure, the white paper says China "opposes mutual accusations and shirking of responsibilities"
• The latest imposition of 20% tariffs on China has seen a notable reaction. Reuters reports "The U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC) on Tuesday applauded Trump's goal of addressing the illegal trade of fentanyl, but said raising tariffs on Chinese products "is not the way to achieve that goal...Across-the-board tariffs will hurt U.S. businesses, consumers, and farmers and undermine our global competitiveness," USCBC President Sean Stein said in a statement."
• The white paper can be seen as one side of China's response to US President Donald Trump's tactics. The paper seeks to outline what China is doing to combat the fentanyl trade and show the US that Beijing is 'doing something' to address concerns. On the other side are the swift countermeasures against US products, including a 15% tariff on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton and an extra 10% on soybeans, sorghum, pork, beef, fish, fruit and veg and dairy from 10 March.