China imposed new export controls on some key chemical ingredients shipped to the US, Mexico and Canada, in a further sign of cooperation with Washington on curbing drug trafficking.
Five government agencies now require special export licenses for three newly restricted compounds, according to an official announcement on Friday.
The targeted substances are primary building blocks used to manufacture illicit fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid that has caused a public health crisis across North America.
The enforcement action comes as the world's two largest economies seek to steady bilateral ties. Joint narcotics initiatives have emerged as one of a few areas of successful diplomatic collaboration.
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The announcement follows earlier reports of joint efforts to tackle narcotics, including coordinated drug busts last month in the Chinese provinces of Liaoning and Guangdong, as well as Florida and Nevada.
The United States keeps a 10% tariff on Chinese imports for its failure to curb illegal exports of fentanyl and the precursors used to make it.
Better Welfare Access for migrant workers
In another move on Friday, China issued a plan to open up public services like schools and health care in cities, potentially expanding access for vulnerable migrant workers as part of a broader effort to boost living standards and consumer spending by millions of urban residents.
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The State Council, China's cabinet, published guidelines instructing local governments to dismantle bureaucratic barriers for residents who lack household registration locally. The directive orders cities to expand public school access for migrant children and scrap local restrictions on social security.
