Politics

Trump And Xi Discuss Combating Opioid Epidemic

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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President Donald Trump said Thursday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to place a “special emphasis” on the drug fentanyl, which China allegedly exports.

“The United States and China also face many challenges within our borders. Every year, drug trafficking destroys millions and millions of lives,” Trump said at a press conference with President Xi. “Today, President Xi and I discussed ways we can enhance coordination to better counter the deadly drug trade and to stop the lethal flow of poisonous drugs into our countries and into our communities. A special emphasis will be placed on the new phenomena: fentanyl — destroying lives by the millions. We’re going to be focusing on it very strongly, the President and myself.”

U.S. President Donald Trump takes part in a welcoming ceremony with China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, November 9, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

U.S. President Donald Trump takes part in a welcoming ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, November 9, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Fentanyl is an opioid that has caused thousands of overdoses due to its high strength. Trump mentioned combating it last month when he declared the high amount of drug overdoses a National Public Health Emergency.

“The U.S. Postal Service and the Department of Homeland Security are strengthening the inspection of packages coming into our country to hold back the flood of cheap and deadly fentanyl, a synthetic opioid manufactured in China and 50 times stronger than heroin,” Trump said. “And in two weeks, I will be in China with President Xi, and I will mention this as a top priority. And he will do something about it.”