WASHINGTON – A group of families who lost loved ones to fentanyl poisonings has filed a formal petition with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), calling for an investigation into China’s role in the fentanyl crisis. The petition, submitted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, requests an inquiry into China’s policies and practices related to fentanyl exports, with the aim of holding the country accountable.
The families are pushing for significant trade measures, including tariffs of at least $50 billion on Chinese goods, in response to what they see as China’s involvement in fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic.
“The USTR is uniquely positioned to hold the PRC accountable for its role in the fentanyl crisis, which has claimed the lives of over 400,000 Americans,” said Wiley National Security Practice chair Hon. Nazak Nikakhtar in a statement. Wiley filed the petition on behalf of Facing Fentanyl, a nonprofit focused on bringing awareness to the dangers of illicit fentanyl.
The USTR now has 45 days to decide whether to launch an investigation under the Trade Act. As previously reported by Emily’s Hope, the DEA has identified China and Mexico as primary sources of fentanyl trafficked into the U.S. In response, the White House has already imposed sanctions on more than two dozen Chinese individuals and entities involved in the fentanyl trade. However, the DEA is also closing two of its offices in China.
