430 kg of cocaine seized in Shenzhen on US intel

China's narcotics control authorities seized 430 kilograms of cocaine at Shenzhen's Yantian Port in Guangdong province as a result of intelligence from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Tuesday.

The narcotics were uncovered in a suspicious international container on Nov 26, marking another breakthrough in bilateral anti-drug cooperation, the ministry said. The case remains under further investigation.

In a Dec 5 statement, the ministry noted that both countries' anti-narcotics agencies have earnestly implemented the consensus reached by the two heads of state at their Busan meeting in South Korea on Oct 30.

Zhu Chen'ge, assistant researcher at the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the enhanced cooperation is a new highlight in stabilizing China-US relations after the meeting, embodying tangible outcomes of head-of-state diplomacy.

"China has always stood on the side of justice both in domestic antidrug efforts and assisting other nations. As major powers, China and the US bilateral anti-drug collaboration is a robust measure to address transnational security challenges and advance effective global governance," he said.

Zhu criticized the US for long wrongly blaming China for its domestic drug problems and using the issue to impose unjustified tariffs. "The only viable solution lies in the US facing up to its own issues, cherishing China's goodwill, and deepening cooperation," he said.

He added that there remains room to refine cooperation, including dynamic updates to controlled substance lists, elevated regular communication, establishment of provincial- and state-level cooperation frameworks, and formulating emergency and dispute resolution mechanisms.

"The two countries could turn anti-drug cooperation into a new stabilizer and cornerstone for bilateral ties," Zhu said.

Bilateral anti-drug efforts have intensified in recent years.

In February 2025, Chinese anti-narcotics authorities and the China Coast Guard, acting on DEA tips, seized over 4,900 kg of methamphetamine and arrested seven suspects near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea.

In November, China adjusted its narcotics-related chemical management catalog, adding the US, Mexico and Canada to the list of countries requiring special licenses for importing 13 specific precursor chemicals, tightening export regulations.

yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn