The Trump administration is weighing options to crack down on shipments of contraband goods from China, a senior US official said on Wednesday, adding a new point of friction with Beijing on the eve of a pivotal round of trade talks.
According to people familiar with the matter, the White House has been considering an executive order that would increase inspections on parcels from China to detect any illegal contents. Administration officials have consulted with big logistics companies as it refines the plan.
“China sends the US close to a million small air parcels a day, and a disturbingly high per cent appear to contain contraband ranging from counterfeit goods to deadly fentanyl and other opioids,” Peter Navarro, the White House trade and manufacturing policy adviser said. “Options are being evaluated through the inter-agency process to address a significant problem that steals our intellectual property, harms our manufacturers and workers, and kills Americans with deadly drugs,” he added.