Question

In 750-1000 words Discuss how the Opium Wars affected US relations with China.

Answer 1

• The history of China and the Western world’s cooperation on and conflict over drugs began with the Opium Wars in the 1800s, when the British Empire pushed China to accept the illegal drug trade. The problems that Britain started continue today: the Chinese government has established over 500 counternarcotics guidelines and laws, more than any other country in the world, including the U.S., which itself is facing an opioid epidemic from New Hampshire to New Mexico.
• China’s difficulties have spread to the U.S. through fentanyl, an opioid painkiller 50 times stronger (and thus deadlier) than heroin.The secrecy of this method has already hindered coordination between China and Canada, which is struggling like the US. .to battle the spread of the illegal drug trade from China through its borders.
• Historically, the working relationship between the U.S. and China in general has been strained, but, on narcotics trafficking, there have always been fairly quiet and constructive engagements.China’s efforts to curb its own opioid epidemic also help the U.S. and other countries impede the movement of illegal opioids coming from that country. China is aggressively trying to control the production of illicit opioids and is working closely with the US in the sharing of information.