China says up to US to create ‘necessary conditions’ for anti-drugs cooperation

BEIJING (AP) — China is insisting it is up to the U.S. to “create necessary conditions” for anti-drugs cooperation, following complaints from Washington that Beijing is ignoring its calls for a crackdown on precursor chemicals for the highly addictive painkiller fentanyl. China “firmly oppose smears and unilateral sanctions on other countries under the pretext of the fight against drugs,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday without giving further details. Washington and Beijing are at odds on a wide-range of issues, from trade to Taiwan and U.S. sanctions against the Chinese defense minister. U.S. diplomats and anti-drug officials complain China has ignored calls for closer cooperation over fentanyl precursor chemicals.