Just blocks from the upcoming meeting of U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco, lies a neighborhood where drug use and sales are commonplace. This reality contrasts starkly with the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, where the U.S. opioid crisis is expected to be a topic of discussion when Biden and Xi meet one-on-one on Wednesday. The United States seeks China’s cooperation to halt the illicit flow of “precursor” chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times more potent than heroin, which is increasingly mixed with other drugs with deadly consequences.
San Francisco, in particular, has experienced 619 opioid overdose deaths in the first nine months of this year, a significant increase compared to the 647 deaths in the entire 2022, as reported by the city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. These statistics reflect the gravity of the crisis that has left local residents like Mike Odeh, who works in a nearby liquor store, saying, “It’s out of control.” Despite efforts to clean up the streets ahead of APEC, drug use in the city is a common sight, including the use of fentanyl.
Moreover, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the rate of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl more than tripled from 2016 through 2021. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is hopeful that the Biden-Xi summit will lead to decisive action to combat the fentanyl trade. This optimism was echoed by a source familiar with the plans, as the U.S. is prepared to lift restrictions on China’s Institute of Forensic Science to facilitate this cooperation.
Washington’s move to impose sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the illegal drug trade, including China-based networks, underscores the urgency of addressing the global fentanyl supply chain that leads to American fatalities. Beyond China, U.S. President Biden is also poised to discuss drug-related issues with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador during the APEC meeting, highlighting the transnational nature of the fentanyl crisis.
The complex dynamics surrounding the opioid crisis and fentanyl trade call for comprehensive international collaboration, including addressing regulatory and corporate responsibility. As San Francisco grapples with drug-related crime, law enforcement efforts, treatment prioritization, and federal intervention are central to managing this crisis.
Thus, the meeting between Biden and Xi, along with the subsequent discussion with President Lopez Obrador, is critical to tackling the multifaceted challenges posed by the opioid crisis and fentanyl trade, with the hope of implementing tangible solutions for affected communities.
(Additional reporting by Michael Martina; Writing by Sayantani Ghosh and Michelle Nichols; Editing by Josie Kao)
