Fentanyl has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans, becoming a public health catastrophe that has torn apart countless families and communities. It has also gradually evolved into one of the most sensitive and controversial issues in China–U.S. relations. In this episode, Prof. Da Wei, Director of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University, sits down with Ms. Shan Yehua, Deputy Secretary-General of China’s National Narcotics Control Commission and Deputy Director-General of the Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. Together, they delve into the root causes of the fentanyl crisis, common misunderstandings, China’s role in precursor chemicals control, and the current state and future prospects of China-U.S. counternarcotics cooperation.

02:20The Origins of the Fentanyl Crisis

08:59The Drug Tragedy in American Society

11:00The Complexity of the Global Fentanyl Illicit Supply Chain

16:26U.S. Claims vs. China’s Counters

20:00China’s Regulatory and Enforcement Measures

28:22Key to Resolving the Fentanyl Crisis in the U.S.

36:11The Importance of China–U.S. Counternarcotics Cooperation

38:33The History and Current State of China–U.S. Counternarcotics Cooperation

45:59The Future of Counternarcotics Cooperation