China tightens fentanyl controls in goodwill gesture to US

China moved to tighten controls over two chemicals that can be used to make fentanyl, in an apparent olive branch to the US that may help maintain their fragile trade truce.

Authorities added two previously unclassified precursors to a list of Class Two chemicals, according to a joint statement by six govt departments on Monday.

The label will subject the substances, 4-piperidone and 1-boc-4-piperidone, to tougher supervision starting July 20. One of the chemicals, 4-piperidone, is regulated in the US as a precursor to fentanyl. The other substance, 1-boc-4-piperidone, can be used to make a precursor for the narcotic.

The announcement followed a meeting between China's minister of public security Wang Xiaohong and US Ambassador David Perdue in Beijing last week. Wang said China was ready to collaborate on law enforcement areas such as counter-narcotics, which has been a source of friction between the world's largest economies.

Beijing's gesture comes after recent trade talks led to a suspension of drastic tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese goods. But 20% levies tied to fentanyl have remained, making products from China less competitive and contributing to a drop in exports to the US. Cracking down on precursors is one of the few obvious avenues China has that may reduce those charges.