On Saturday, Beijing urged Washington to stop using fentanyl-related issues as a pretext to sanctions and indicting Chinese enterprises and nationals, and demanded immediate release of those who were illegally arrested.
The Foreign Ministry made the comment after the United States Department of Justice on Friday announced indictments charging China-based companies and their employees with crimes related to fentanyl production, distribution and sales resulting from precursor chemicals.
The indictments mark the first time the U.S. has sought to prosecute any of the Chinese companies.
The U.S. practice is typical arbitrary detention and unilateral sanction, which is illegal, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.
The move seriously harms the basic human rights of the Chinese nationals and the interests of the Chinese companies, a spokesperson said in the statement.
China strongly condemns this move and has lodged serious demarches and a strong protest to the U.S. side, the spokesperson said.
China scheduled fentanyl-related substance as a class—the first country to do so in the world—which has played an important role in preventing the illicit manufacturing, trafficking, and abuse of fentanyl, according to the statement.
The long-arm jurisdiction and bullying practice by the U.S. trampled on international laws and undercut the foundation for China-U.S. cooperation on counter-narcotics, the spokesperson said.
These illegal U.S. moves of oppression and coercion to address its concerns over the drug problem will not work and benefits no one, the spokesperson said.
China urges the U.S. to stop shifting the blame, stop smearing and attacking China, immediately lift all sanctions on Chinese counter-narcotics law enforcement institutions, and stop offering awards to hunt Chinese companies or nationals, the spokesperson said.
China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly defend the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and nationals, the spokesperson added.
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