Georgetown University hosted the webinar ‘China and Transnational Crime: Fentanyl and Beyond’ as part of its program, ‘Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues.’ The panelists included Virginia Comolli, Head of the Pacific Program at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime; Vanda Felbab-Brown, Senior Fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology within the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution; and David S. Luckey, Senior International and Defense Researcher at RAND and Professor of Policy Analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Dr. Ali Imran, representing the Saint Pierre Center for International Security (SPCIS), also participated in the discussion.
Virginia Comolli, shed light on China's multifaceted approach to security and development in the Pacific region. She acknowledged that China's Global Security Initiative (GSI) emphasizes building the law enforcement capacities of developing nations. This involves providing training opportunities within China and deploying police advisors to partner countries. Such efforts reflect China's commitment to strengthening policing capabilities, though these initiatives often align closely with its own strategic interests.
Comolli highlighted specific instances where China has taken steps to address criminal activities involving its nationals. For example, Chinese nationals involved in scams were repatriated from Fiji and Vanuatu. These actions indicate China's willingness to mitigate criminal activity, though the processes often lack transparency and follow-up investigations.
China's activities in the Pacific, Comolli explained, are largely driven by broader security and commercial priorities. While these priorities can inadvertently contribute to the rise of illicit markets, they also reveal a strategic intent to stabilize the region and protect its investments and diaspora communities. This dual-purpose approach reflects both the challenges and opportunities inherent in China's regional engagement.
She also discussed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the Pacific, noting that while the BRI has faced criticism for its susceptibility to criminal exploitation; it represents a significant effort to integrate Pacific nations into global trade and infrastructural networks. If safeguards against exploitation are strengthened, the BRI could deliver substantial long-term economic benefits to the region.
Furthermore, China’s overseas policing efforts aim to protect its nationals and diaspora communities. While some of these actions have sparked controversy, they underscore China’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad.
Comolli emphasized that the intersection of geopolitical competition and transnational crime in the Pacific demands nuanced and collaborative solutions. China's role in addressing these challenges is both pivotal and complex, requiring a balance between its strategic interests and the stability of the region.
Vanda Felbab-Brown, while critically analyzing China's role in the fentanyl crisis, acknowledged certain positive developments and contributions by China in addressing the issue. She highlighted that China took a significant step in May 2019 by scheduling the entire class of fentanyl-related substances, a move aimed at regulating and controlling the distribution of synthetic opioids. This decision demonstrated China's responsiveness to international concerns, particularly those raised by the United States, although it was partly motivated by expectations of reciprocal actions from the U.S.
She noted that in 2024, after a period of stalled cooperation, China resumed law enforcement collaboration with the United States. This included shutting down thousands of websites and advertisements linked to fentanyl precursors, issuing notices to chemical producers, and conducting limited prosecutions. These actions reflect China's capacity to address transnational crime when aligned with its interests.
Felbab-Brown also recognized China's stringent domestic law enforcement policies. Within China, organized crime groups face severe crackdowns if they visibly harm Chinese citizens. This internal rigor underscores China's ability to enforce strong regulatory mechanisms within its borders.
Moreover, she acknowledged China's significant role in global trade, which uniquely positions it to address trade-based money laundering—an instrumental method used in criminal networks worldwide. While China's strategies in law enforcement and international cooperation may sometimes align with its broader geopolitical goals, these measures indicate its potential to contribute meaningfully to counter-narcotics efforts on a global scale.
David S. Luckey highlighted that China remains at the core of the synthetic opioid supply chain, producing and distributing the vast majority of precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production. Despite significant challenges.
Luckey recognized China’s important step in 2019 to schedule fentanyl and its analogs as controlled substances, a move that drastically reduced the production and distribution of finished fentanyl from China to global markets, including the United States. This regulatory action was praised as a positive example of what can be achieved through bilateral dialogue. He emphasized that prior to this measure, China was a significant producer of finished fentanyl that directly entered U.S. markets. The scheduling decision marked a turning point in curbing direct exports and demonstrated China’s willingness to address certain aspects of the crisis.
At the same time, Luckey stressed that China's efforts remain incomplete. While the regulation of finished fentanyl has improved, precursor chemicals—often legal but misused for illicit purposes—continue to flow from China to other countries, particularly Mexico. He underscored the necessity for stronger oversight within China’s vast chemical and pharmaceutical sectors to regulate these substances more effectively and disrupt their illegal distribution.
Luckey acknowledged the complexity of tackling synthetic opioid trafficking, emphasizing that the issue demands a multifaceted approach. He suggested that the United States and China work collaboratively to enhance regulatory frameworks, improve intelligence sharing, and monitor the shipment of precursor chemicals. Moreover, he pointed out that money laundering operations tied to Chinese networks are a critical enabling factor for Mexican cartels, requiring a crackdown on these financial systems.
He also highlighted China’s potential to play a pivotal role in global efforts to combat synthetic opioid trafficking. He urged for renewed bilateral dialogue and greater cooperation with Chinese authorities, particularly in investigating and disrupting networks involved in producing and shipping precursor chemicals.
The webinar concluded with a Q&A session.
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