BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The following is a signed article by Zhang Li, deputy director of the Center for Drug Control Theory and Policy Research under People's Public Security University of China.
Drugs pose a global public hazard threatening human health, public safety, and international development and stability. The Chinese nation has long suffered from the devastation caused by drugs. The Chinese government, out of a sense of responsibility to history, the people, and the world, upholds a firm stance on strict drug control. By adhering to a comprehensive and systemic approach that addresses both symptoms and root causes, and promoting full public participation and social collaboration, China has overcome numerous challenges in counter-narcotics practices. Its governance model has set an irreplaceable example for the global fight against narcotics.
In recent years, synthetic drugs, particularly fentanyl-related substances, have surged rapidly, posing increasing threats to the international community and presenting new challenges to global drug control efforts. Against this backdrop, China, guided by humanitarian principles and the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity, has established a comprehensive control system covering all dimensions, chains, and cycles. China actively assists countries severely affected by the fentanyl crisis, including the United States, by sharing drug control experience and engaging in anti-drug cooperation. Through concrete actions, China shoulders its responsibilities as a major country and contributes valuable Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to global drug governance.
I. Looking back on the past century, the fundamental shift in China's drug-related situation highlights the strengths of China's governance
Drugs once left a profound mark on the suffering of the Chinese nation in modern times, with anti-drug efforts constituting a crucial chapter throughout the century-long national struggle and governance epic. Historically, from the large-scale influx of opium in the 19th century that led to widespread addiction, silver outflows, and economic and social hardship, to the Qing government's defeat in the Opium Wars and forced signing of unequal treaties, and later to the frequent conflicts and disorderly administration during the Republic of China period, drug issues were a significant factor behind China's poverty and weakness in modern times. Although Lin Zexu's efforts to destroy opium in Humen, south China's Guangdong Province, in 1839, demonstrated China's firm stance against drugs to the world, and despite intermittent grassroots anti-opium campaigns, drug abuse persisted unchecked. This experience ingrained in the Chinese people the understanding that only strong national power combined with unified national determination can completely eradicate the drug problem.
The anti-drug campaign miracle began with the transformative changes following the founding of the People's Republic of China and the launch of the largest and most effective anti-drug movement in human history led by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.
Shortly after the establishment of New China, the government issued the "Directive on Strict Prohibition of Opium and Drugs," calling on people's governments at all levels and people's organizations to mobilize the public in widespread anti-opium and anti-drug efforts. This decisively reversed the long-standing trend of drug proliferation in the country in modern times. Over the next nearly 30 years, China was widely praised by the international community as a "drug-free country," leaving a significant mark in the history of global drug control.
At the outset of China's reform and opening-up, in response to the resurgence of drug-related problems in certain regions, the Chinese government launched regional anti-drug campaigns focused on source control and strict crackdowns on cross-border drug trafficking in relevant key areas as an important part of the nationwide stringent crackdown on crimes. The government subsequently established the National Narcotics Control Commission, convened national anti-drug work conferences, and held national anti-drug exhibitions to strengthen leadership and social mobilization in counter-narcotics efforts. These measures effectively curbed the spread of drug problems. The Chinese government deployed a nationwide people's war on drugs, promulgated and implemented the Drug Control Law of the People's Republic of China, and actively engaged in international cooperation in the anti-drug field, continuously deepening the fight against drugs.
Into the new era, the Chinese government, taking drug control work as a matter concerning national security, national prosperity, and people's well-being, has fully leveraged political and institutional advantages, improved governance systems, enforced work responsibilities and mobilized the public extensively, to consolidate the positive momentum in the drug-related situation, successfully establishing a drug governance approach with Chinese characteristics.
Relevant experience includes:
-- Adhering to a prevention-first approach and making innovative efforts in anti-drug education. Anti-drug education is consistently prioritized as a fundamental strategy in counter-narcotics work, focusing on youth groups. A new model integrating traditional and new media both online and offline is being developed to promote the incorporation of anti-drug education into legal frameworks, social development, and people's daily life.
-- Persisting with proactive measures and a sustained tough crackdown. Key issues such as overseas drug infiltration and cross-regional trafficking are closely targeted through specialized crackdown campaigns. Intelligence gathering and case investigations are intensified, anti-narcotics tactics and regional joint operations are innovated, cross-border law enforcement cooperation is enhanced, and drug-related criminal rings and networks are comprehensively cracked.
-- Adhering to scientific drug rehabilitation and expanding the achievements in managing drug abuse. China fully utilizes measures such as voluntary drug rehabilitation, community-based rehabilitation, compulsory isolation for drug rehabilitation, community-based recovery, and maintenance therapy. An integrated drug rehabilitation system that combines physiological addiction treatment, physical and mental recovery, employment assistance, and support services has been established to minimize the social harm caused by drugs.
-- Maintaining coordinated implementation and deepening targeted governance of addictive substances, including narcotic and psychotropic drugs. In response to emerging challenges posed by the rapid spread of these addictive substances both outside and in China, the country adopts a comprehensive approach involving monitoring and early warning, legal regulation, administrative oversight, law enforcement, preventive education, and rehabilitation and support to systematically address issues related to narcotics, psychotropic drugs and other addictive substances.
-- Persisting in source control and enforcing stringent regulations on precursor chemicals. Treating the management and control of precursor chemicals as a fundamental measure to curb drug manufacturing at its origin, the authorities have continuously strengthened supervision over the production, distribution, storage, transportation, and import-export processes and promoted the development of an information-based tracking system for precursor chemicals, effectively preventing their illicit diversion.
-- Upholding global governance and pragmatically advancing international anti-drug cooperation. Adhering to the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity and safeguarding the international drug control framework based on the three United Nations drug control conventions, China actively participates in the formulation of international drug control policies and rules, and actively engages in equal and mutually beneficial counter-narcotics cooperation with other countries.
The fundamental shift from widespread opium devastation in the modern era to the current trend of continuous improvement in the drug-related situation reflects the Chinese government's coordinated planning and comprehensive policies in strict narcotics control. It also underscores the Chinese people's unwavering commitment to a governance approach to drug issues with Chinese characteristics. China's governance provides a model and practical experience that can be referenced in the global counter-narcotics fight.
II. Advancing systemic governance to achieve sound and effective control of fentanyl-related substances
In recent years, global drug governance has faced new situations and challenges. The fentanyl crisis in certain countries is an epitome of the growing global spread of synthetic drugs.
While there is no large-scale abuse of fentanyl-related substances within China, and the fentanyl crisis in relevant countries is not caused by China, China has still adopted a package of measures including adding more substances to the control list, strengthening routine supervision, intensifying anti-smuggling efforts, and advocating global joint governance. China has actively promoted international cooperation, and assisted countries including the United States in addressing the threats and challenges brought by fentanyl-related substances, realizing sound and effective governance of fentanyl issues. From institutional design to practical implementation, the "Chinese wisdom" embodied in China's governance has provided a "Chinese solution" for advancing the governance of fentanyl-related substances.
-- Simultaneously ensuring access to rational medication and strict control of the substances. China has approved 4 types of fentanyl-based medicines for marketing, which are widely used in induction and maintenance of surgical anesthesia, postoperative and labor analgesia, cancer pain relief and other treatment scenarios, effectively ensuring the accessibility of rational medication for the people. China has included fentanyl-based medicines in the Catalogue of Medicinal Narcotic Drugs, and exercises strict control over the relevant production, distribution, use and export links. The production link is subject to designated enterprise management and annual planning system, while the distribution link is subject to designated enterprise management and restricted circulation rules. The use and export links are subject to licensing management. These measures enable dynamic monitoring and closed-loop management, effectively preventing the diversion of fentanyl-based medicines.
-- Cracking down on fentanyl-related substance crimes in accordance with the law. China has taken the global lead in implementing category-wide management of fentanyl-related substances. It has innovatively included all eligible substances in the scope of regulation by scientifically defining the core chemical structural characteristics of fentanyl. China has formulated and released a dependence conversion table for fentanyl-related substances, and studied and released opinions on several issues concerning the applicable laws in handling criminal cases involving fentanyl-related substances, providing basis and guarantee for relevant law enforcement and judicial work. Systems such as real-name registration for users of online chemical platforms, information release review, online information patrol, and harmful information disposal and reporting have been strictly implemented. Special campaigns to crack down on new-type drug crimes including the manufacturing and trafficking of fentanyl-related substances have been continuously organized and carried out, to suppress and rectify illegal and criminal activities concerning fentanyl-related substances to the maximum extent.
-- Enforcing strict control over precursors of fentanyl-related substances. China takes full account of the needs of social production and the potential risks of diversion, and has timely included seven types of chemicals that may be used for manufacturing fentanyl-related substances into the regulatory scope of precursor chemicals for narcotics. Efforts are made to advance the establishment of a product identification and traceability supervision system, realize dynamic whole-process monitoring over the production, operation, purchase, transportation, import and export links, and strictly implement examination and approval for licensing as well as international verification. In November 2025, China added 13 types of precursors of fentanyl-related substances to the export control list, added the United States, Mexico and Canada to the Catalogue of Specific Countries (Regions), and issued a notice on preventing the diversion of substances used for producing narcotic drugs and non-scheduled chemicals capable of producing narcotics and related equipment.
-- Accelerating R&D and application of technological means. China has established a nationwide drug laboratory system, providing all-round technical support for the timely detection, accurate identification, comprehensive monitoring and scientific control of fentanyl-related substances. China has innovated proactive detection and early warning mechanisms, set up an unknown substance screening system based on chromatography, mass spectrometry, spectrometry and spectrum analysis technologies, and pioneered the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum monitoring technology. It regularly collects generated NMR spectra and compares them with the parent database to screen for suspicious spectra related to fentanyl-related substances and precursor chemicals. High-throughput laboratory testing methods have been developed to comprehensively monitor substance abuse, and to efficiently identify potential drug abusers. A relatively sound system of drug inspection and identification technical specifications and public security industry standards has been formulated, to continuously improve the qualitative and quantitative detection capacity for fentanyl-related substances.
-- Taking multiple measures to improve overall control effectiveness. China adopts a combination of policy, legal, administrative, economic and social measures to promote industry self-discipline and social participation, so as to effectively prevent the risks and harms of fentanyl-related substances. We focus on key areas with high risks of developing synthetic drugs such as fentanyl-related substances, including bio-pharmaceutical R&D centers and chemical and pharmaceutical parks, and organize specialized forces to conduct in-depth verification. We have produced and distributed a series of publicity posters on preventing new types of drugs including fentanyl-related substances, and carried out centralized professional training to educate and guide relevant practitioners to master testing and identification methods. We have also extensively carried out public drug control publicity campaigns, targeting mainly adolescents, to popularize knowledge about addictive substances such as fentanyl-related substances in a comprehensive, scientific and systematic manner.
III. Remaining committed to mutually beneficial cooperation and advancing global governance on fentanyl-related substances through China's own practices and experience
International cooperation must be built on mutual respect among nations. Although the United States has repeatedly used the issue of fentanyl-related substances as a pretext to criticize and discredit China, undermining bilateral counter-narcotics cooperation, China has consistently approached the matter from a humanitarian perspective and with a commitment to building a community with a shared future for humanity. Through dialogue and consultation, it has actively supported U.S. efforts to address the fentanyl crisis and taken concrete steps to advance bilateral counter-narcotics cooperation, demonstrating the responsibility expected of a major country.
-- Guided by the goal of improving people's well-being, China has remained committed to a path of mutually beneficial cooperation with the United States. China has consistently approached the fentanyl issue from the standpoint of jointly addressing the global drug problem and safeguarding the health and well-being of people around the world, doing all it can to advance governance related to fentanyl-related substances. China has not only pioneered class-wide scheduling of fentanyl-related substances and repeatedly expanded the list of controlled fentanyl substances and their precursors, but has also maintained in-depth communication with the United States on the issue through summit meetings, high-level talks and other channels. The two sides have established interagency counter-narcotics teams and maintained close communication, while law enforcement authorities of both countries have set up regular exchange mechanisms to facilitate intelligence sharing and case cooperation at any time. As counter-narcotics coordination between China and the United States continues to deepen, it has become increasingly clear that China has demonstrated genuine sincerity in helping the United States address the fentanyl crisis.
-- By promoting dialogue and consultation, China has worked to preserve the foundation of counter-narcotics cooperation with the United States. China has consistently upheld the principle of "replacing confrontation with dialogue and accusations with cooperation," striving to bring bilateral counter-narcotics cooperation back onto a rational and pragmatic track. In response to actions by the United States that undermined the basis for cooperation, including the imposition of so-called "fentanyl tariffs," China has firmly opposed such measures while maintaining sufficient strategic composure. On the one hand, it has continued practical cooperation in areas such as intelligence sharing, joint case investigations and technical exchanges; on the other, it has urged the United States to face up to the facts, correct its mistaken practices and return to a cooperative approach based on equality and mutual respect.
-- Guided by the principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution, China has actively advanced global governance on fentanyl-related substances. It has consistently placed counter-narcotics cooperation with the United States within the broader framework of global governance and sought to contribute its own experience to international efforts addressing the fentanyl issue. China firmly advocates an approach to global drug governance based on consultation, cooperation and shared benefits. At multilateral settings such as the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, China has repeatedly called on the international community to uphold the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity and to address fentanyl-related substances as a matter of global drug governance. China has actively developed counter-narcotics partnerships with countries and international organizations around the world and participated in a range of global drug governance initiatives, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's Global Synthetics Monitoring: Analyses, Reporting and Trends (SMART) Programme. It has played an active role in addressing emerging global challenges in drug governance, including those related to fentanyl-related substances. In addition, China has actively engaged in technical exchanges with counter-narcotics authorities in other countries, sharing experience in areas such as the testing and identification of fentanyl-related substances, abuse monitoring and risk assessment. It has also established technical exchange mechanisms on drug testing with relevant U.S. agencies and scientists in related fields.
-- China's approach to governance offers valuable insights for the international community. China has fulfilled, and will continue to fulfill, its responsibilities as a major country by taking concrete actions to advance global cooperation in addressing the drug problem. Moving in the same direction and pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation remains the only effective way forward. The issue of fentanyl-related substances is a test of both the wisdom and the sense of responsibility of China, the United States and the broader international community. China's experience has shown that only by setting aside political prejudice and embracing genuine cooperation can countries effectively respond to the challenges that fentanyl-related substances pose to global drug governance, safeguard the health and well-being of people around the world, and preserve the security and stability of human society. ■
