China adds US, Mexico & Canada adds precursor chemicals to export control list

10 November 2025

China has added the United States, Canada, and Mexico to its list of countries requiring export licences for certain precursor chemicals, and has added 13 precursor chemicals related to the production of fentanyl to its precursor chemical export control list under the Export of Precursor Chemicals to Specific Countries Regulations, which forms part of China’s export control regime and Foreign Trade Law. Article 3 of the Regulations allows China to add countries to its control list in Annex 2 of the Regulations. Previously, only Myanmar, Laos and Afghanistan were included in Annex 2. Exports to countries not listed in Annex 2 do not require a licence.

In November 2025, the US and China agreed that the US would lower tariffs on opioid imports from China if China took steps to stop the flow of fentanyl into the US. Adding the US, Canada & Mexico to the Annex 2 list will allow China to regulate the export of the 13 fentanyl-linked chemicals added to the export control list. See our China pages for more information on its export control and foreign trade regimes.