ANKARA

China on Tuesday said fentanyl was a problem of the US, and so it is Washington's responsibility to resolve it, according to state-run media.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that despite the goodwill China has shown, the US imposed tariffs on Chinese imports under the pretext of the fentanyl issue, Global Times reported.

"As for fentanyl, China has stated multiple times that fentanyl is the US’ problem, not China’s. The responsibility to solve it lies with the US itself," he said.

He added that the US actions severely undermined bilateral cooperation on counter-narcotics and harmed China’s legitimate interests.

“If the US is truly sincere about working with China, it should stop smearing and shifting blame onto China. Dialogue must be based on mutual respect, equality, and reciprocity,” Lin said.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump said China has agreed to stop the fentanyl trade to the US.

Trump has been accusing China, along with Canada and Mexico, of fentanyl trafficking into the US.

He imposed 20% tariffs on China, citing the flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the country.

Washington stated that the tariffs would remain in effect until the affected countries “cooperate fully” with the US in combating drug trafficking.

Trump previously blamed China for manufacturing and supplying a large percentage of the drugs, which he claimed have contributed to more than 100,000 deaths last year.