The United States has handed over a Chinese fugitive suspected of drug-related crimes to China, marking a rare instance of law enforcement cooperation between the two countries in recent years, according to Xinhua.
The individual, identified only by the surname Han, is suspected of drug smuggling and trafficking. He was repatriated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement based on intelligence provided by Chinese narcotics-control authorities.
Authorities did not disclose when the handover took place or specify the type of drugs involved.
The joint operation highlights limited but ongoing collaboration between Washington and Beijing on transnational crime, despite broader geopolitical tensions.
Such extraditions have become uncommon in recent years amid strained diplomatic relations.
The development comes as the two countries remain locked in disputes over the trafficking of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals.
US President Donald Trump has previously used tariffs to pressure China into tightening controls on suppliers linked to the opioid trade, which remains a leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States.
Following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea last October, Washington agreed to ease some fentanyl-related tariffs in exchange for Beijing's commitment to crack down on trafficking networks.
Despite these commitments, tensions persist. Washington has accused Beijing of failing to curb the export of precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl.
China has rejected the allegations, describing them as unfounded and criticising the United States for shifting responsibility.
Last month, Chinese authorities announced the arrest of several individuals linked to fentanyl precursor trafficking, with additional suspects placed under criminal measures.
However, US officials have indicated that they expect more concrete outcomes, including seizures and convictions, rather than arrests alone.
(with inputs from Reuters)