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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
China vows tougher action against smuggling of strategic minerals
Find out what's new on ST website and app. China began imposing export curbs in 2023 on supplies vital to sectors ranging from chipmaking to defence. SHANGHAI – China vowed on July 19 to step up a crackdown and toughen law enforcement against smuggling of strategic minerals seen as vital to national security and critical for development. The remarks by the Commerce Ministry came a day after the State Security Ministry accused foreign spy agencies of having tried to 'steal' rare earths and pledged to crack down on infiltration and espionage targeting the critical sector. The world's largest supplier of dozens of strategic minerals, China began imposing export curbs in 2023 on supplies vital to sectors ranging from chipmaking and the energy transition to defence. The Commerce Ministry's remarks, describing smuggling and export of strategic minerals as a severe problem to be combated, came at a meeting of officials responsible for export control coordination and other government bodies. 'Cases of smuggling by a small number of criminals for their own selfish interests and collusion between domestic and foreign parties are still occurring,' it said in a statement. Evasive methods such as false declarations and third-country transshipment were taking on increasingly covert forms, it added, urging government bodies to prevent illegal outflows of strategic minerals and related technologies. China has adopted a 'zero-tolerance' approach to smuggling and export of strategic minerals, which it will fight with a heavy hand, through special efforts to toughen law enforcement, the ministry said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Mindef, SAF units among those dealing with attack on S'pore's critical information infrastructure Singapore Bukit Panjang LRT disruption: Train service resumes after power fault affects 13-station line Asia Autogate glitch causes chaos at KLIA and Johor checkpoints, foreign passport holders affected Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore Singapore 'I thought it was an April Fool's joke': Teen addicted to Kpods on news that friend died Singapore Who decides when you can't? A guide on planning for end-of-life care Singapore Why hiring more teachers makes sense, even with falling student numbers Singapore New auto pet wash service in Buona Vista draws flak, but company stands by its safety In May, China said it would strengthen controls on the entire supply chains of strategic mineral exports while tightening its grip on materials deemed crucial to national interest. Earlier, Beijing launched a special campaign to tackle smuggling of strategic minerals such as gallium, germanium, antimony, tungsten and some rare earths. REUTERS
CNA
26-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
China takes action on key US fentanyl demands
BEIJING: China has taken a series of actions in the past week on counter-narcotics, in a sign of cooperation with US demands for stronger action on the synthetic opioid fentanyl, a key irritant in the bilateral relationship. US President Donald Trump imposed 20 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports in February over Beijing's alleged failure to curb the flow of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, which has caused nearly 450,000 US overdose deaths. Those tariffs have remained in effect despite a fragile trade truce reached in Geneva in May. Beijing has defended its drug control record and accused Washington of using fentanyl to "blackmail" China. Both sides were in a stalemate over the issue for months, despite China sending its vice public security minister to the Geneva talks. China has balked at some of Washington's demands, which include publicising the crackdown on precursors on the front page of the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily, educating Party members and tightening regulation of specific chemicals, among other actions. On Thursday, China's State Security Ministry accused a "certain country" of "deliberately launching unwarranted attacks on China over the fentanyl issue", in a veiled swipe at the US But last Friday, Beijing added two precursors to a list of controlled chemicals starting Jul 20, according to a government statement. The chemicals, 4-piperidone and 1-boc-4-piperidone, were "considered fundamental to resolving the fentanyl issue," raising hopes that the 20 per cent tariffs could be eventually lifted, according to a source familiar with US government thinking. The move came after US Ambassador David Perdue had a rare meeting with China's Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong last Thursday in Beijing, at which Wang expressed willingness to work with Washington on drug control, according to a Chinese statement. China's Foreign Ministry said the action on precursors was an "independent measure" taken by Beijing in line with the UN Drug Convention and "demonstrates China's attitude of actively participating in global drug governance". Working-level conversations on fentanyl remain ongoing and Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the topic in a Jun 5 phone call. Chinese immigration officials seized 2.42 tonnes of drugs and arrested 262 suspects for drug smuggling so far this year, state media reported Thursday, as Beijing vowed to crack down on drug trafficking and "intensify anti-drug propaganda" in border areas and ports. In addition, Chinese officials announced on Wednesday they had prosecuted more than 1,300 people and arrested over 700 more nationwide for drug-related money laundering offences between January and May this year, a 2.1 per cent year-on-year increase. Beijing will "cut off the criminal interest chain and destroy the economic foundation of drug crimes," Miao Shengming, a senior official at the Supreme People's Procuratorate said during a press conference. On Monday, a court in the southeastern province of Fujian handed a suspended death sentence to former drug control official Liu Yuejin for bribery, state media reported. Liu, a former director of the Ministry of Public Security's narcotics control bureau, was convicted of illegally receiving bribes worth over 121 million yuan (US$17 million) between 1992 and 2020. The US Embassy in Beijing did not respond to a request for comment. The Chinese government statements did not mention the US. Chinese scholars acknowledge that fentanyl's central position in the US-China trade war comes with a lot of political baggage for Beijing. "The US views the fentanyl issue as a sign of poor governance on China's part and has exerted pressure on China as a result, politicising the issue of drug control," said Liu Weidong, a US-China expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Reuters
26-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
China takes action on key US fentanyl demands
BEIJING, June 26 (Reuters) - China has taken a series of actions in the past week on counter-narcotics, in a sign of cooperation with U.S. demands for stronger action on the synthetic opioid fentanyl, a key irritant in the bilateral relationship. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 20% tariffs on Chinese imports in February over Beijing's alleged failure to curb the flow of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, which has caused nearly 450,000 U.S. overdose deaths. Those tariffs have remained in effect despite a fragile trade truce reached in Geneva in May. Beijing has defended its drug control record and accused Washington of using fentanyl to "blackmail" China. Both sides were in a stalemate over the issue for months, despite China sending its vice public security minister to the Geneva talks. China has balked at some of Washington's demands which include publicising the crackdown on precursors on the front page of the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily, educating Party members and tightening regulation of specific chemicals, among other actions. On Thursday, China's State Security Ministry accused a "certain country" of "deliberately launching unwarranted attacks on China over the fentanyl issue", in a veiled swipe at the U.S. But last Friday, Beijing added two precursors to a list of controlled chemicals starting July 20, according to a government statement. The chemicals, 4-piperidone and 1-boc-4-piperidone, were "considered fundamental to resolving the fentanyl issue," raising hopes that the 20% tariffs could be eventually lifted, according to a source familiar with U.S. government thinking. The move came after U.S. Ambassador David Perdue had a rare meeting with China's Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong last Thursday in Beijing, at which Wang expressed willingness to work with Washington on drug control, according to a Chinese statement. China's Foreign Ministry said the action on precursors was an "independent measure" taken by Beijing in line with the UN Drug Convention and "demonstrates China's attitude of actively participating in global drug governance." Working-level conversations on fentanyl remain ongoing and Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the topic in a June 5 phone call. Chinese immigration officials seized 2.42 tons of drugs and arrested 262 suspects for drug smuggling so far this year, state media reported Thursday, as Beijing vowed to crack down on drug trafficking and "intensify anti-drug propaganda" in border areas and ports. In addition, Chinese officials announced on Wednesday they had prosecuted more than 1,300 people and arrested over 700 more nationwide for drug-related money laundering offences between January and May this year, a 2.1% year-on-year increase. Beijing will "cut off the criminal interest chain and destroy the economic foundation of drug crimes," Miao Shengming, a senior official at the Supreme People's Procuratorate said during a press conference. On Monday, a court in the southeastern province of Fujian handed a suspended death sentence to former drug control official Liu Yuejin for bribery, state media reported. Liu, a former director of the Ministry of Public Security's narcotics control bureau, was convicted of illegally receiving bribes worth over 121 million yuan ($17 million) between 1992 and 2020. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing did not respond to a request for comment. The Chinese government statements did not mention the U.S. Chinese scholars acknowledge that fentanyl's central position in the U.S.-China trade war comes with a lot of political baggage for Beijing. "The U.S. views the fentanyl issue as a sign of poor governance on China's part and has exerted pressure on China as a result, politicising the issue of drug control," said Liu Weidong, a U.S.-China expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "This context is certain to influence China's approach to addressing the fentanyl issue." ($1 = 7.1764 Chinese yuan renminbi)
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Korean troops in Russia reportedly told they're fighting South Korean forces
North Korean security services are telling their troops stationed in Russia's Kursk Oblast that they are fighting against both the Ukrainian and South Korean militaries, South Korean newspaper Chosun Daily reported, citing captured North Korean soldiers. Two North Korean prisoners of war, captured by Ukrainian forces last month, spoke exclusively to Chosun Daily at a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in Ukraine. One of the captives admitted that he and his fellow soldiers believed they were fighting South Korean troops, which heightened their morale and aggression. Each battalion, consisting of about 500 soldiers, was monitored by one or two officers from North Korea's State Security Ministry, one of the prisoners said. These officers oversaw ideological training and discipline. They reportedly informed their soldiers that Ukrainian drone operators were South Korean military personnel. Seoul has not provided military aid to Kyiv since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. Up to 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Kursk Oblast last fall to support Russian forces in countering a Ukrainian incursion launched in August 2024. Their journey to Russia took several months, with a group of 2,500 North Koreans departing on Oct. 10, 2024, traveling by train, then by plane, and finally by bus to Kursk, where they arrived in mid-December, according to one of the captives. The other captured soldier, a sniper trained for reconnaissance, said contact between North Korean troops and Russian forces was minimal, with interaction mainly occurring at the command level for ammunition, supplies, and equipment. President Volodymyr Zelensky previously reported that North Korean forces fighting for Russia had suffered 4,000 casualties, with two-thirds of the losses being soldiers killed. Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, attributed the high losses to North Korea's lack of combat experience and its use of human wave attacks with limited equipment. Ukraine's cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024 initially seized 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory. While Ukrainian forces have since lost roughly half that area due to Russian counterattacks, they recently advanced 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in a renewed offensive. Read also: Ukraine refutes Putin's claims of Russian offensive from Kursk Oblast We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
