Xi Must Stop Fentanyl Flow Before Tariff Talks, Trump Ally Says

Li Qiang, right, and Steve Daines shake hands before a meeting in the Fujian Room at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 23.

Photographer: Ng Han Guan/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
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An American senator said China must halt the flow of fentanyl ingredients into the US before any trade negotiations, a demand that clouds the prospect of imminent leaders’ talks to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

Steve Daines, a close ally of President Donald Trump, laid out the condition in meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing over the weekend. The Republican lawmaker said he hopes a leadership meeting will take place before the end of the year, although Trump previously said it would happen soon.