When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Category: Drugs
The Capture of a Chinese Fentanyl Kingpin Sets Off a Storm of Pride and Unease Online
The recent capture of Zhang Zhidong, a Chinese fentanyl kingpin, by Mexican authorities has triggered a wave of conflicted reactions across Chinese social media. He quickly earned the nickname “the Chinese Walter White,” a reference to the anti-hero of ...
Cuba Captures Chinese Fentanyl Kingpin Wanted by Mexico, U.S.
Cuba has arrested a Chinese fentanyl kingpin who escaped from custody in Mexico in July and is also wanted by the United States, Mexican security sources told AFP on Wednesday. The trafficker Zhi Dong Zhang, known by the alias "Brother Wang," ...
25,000 Small Town Residents in Turkey Accidentally Get High, Chinese Netizens Can’t Stop Laughing
This week, Chinese news outlets picked up a bizarre story from Turkey that instantly went viral across social media platforms. The delayed report, originally from April 18th, described Turkish police's attempt to destroy 20 tons of seized cannabis in an ...
China Condemns U.S. Tariffs: Fentanyl Is America’s Problem
China on Sunday forcefully criticized the United States' decision to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese exports, calling Fentanyl is America's problem and warning of severe economic consequences. Beijing vowed to take "necessary countermeasures" in response, accusing Washington of ...
Chinese ‘Underground Bankers’ Launder Sinaloa Drug Money: U.S.
The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday accused Chinese "underground bankers" of helping Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel launder more than $50 million in drug trafficking proceeds. An indictment unsealed in California charged 24 defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and money ...
Fentanyl, Trade and Relief Supplies Top Mexican Foreign Secretary’s First Official Visit to China
Mexico's Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday in Beijing, her first official visit to the Chinese capital. The trip was framed as a follow-up from last month's meeting between their two presidents, Andrés ...
Why There’s Good Reason to be Skeptical About Mexican, Chinese Promises to Curtail Fentanyl Flows Into U.S.
U.S. President Joe Biden called on the Presidents of Mexico and China to help stem the importation of the synthetic drug fentanyl that has killed tens of thousands in the U.S. over the past several years. The issue was also raised ...
Mexico and China In Talks to Curb Fentanyl Trade
Mexico and China are reportedly discussing how to control the flow of ingredients used to make fentanyl. The deadly opioid is about fifty times stronger than heroin and causes numerous overdoses in the United States per year. Despite Mexico and China denying ...
Ministry of Commerce Blasts U.S. For Sanctions Against Chinese Companies Allegedly Involved in the Mexican Fentanyl Trade
China's powerful Ministry of Commerce denounced the United States for sanctioning 17 Chinese and Mexican companies and individuals last week for their alleged involvement in the fentanyl trade. The Ministry said on Tuesday the U.S. "disregarded facts " and accused Washington ...
Mexican President Says He Has Proof of Fentanyl Smuggling From China
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday that he has proof that fentanyl is being smuggled into his country from China, contrary to Beijing’s denials. “We have the evidence. A cargo arrived from a port in China, a container, at ...