U.S. President Donald Trump threw a curve ball at China by linking the fentanyl issue to his tariffs on imports. The Chinese government is swinging back.

China said on Wednesday that the U.S. has undermined bilateral counter-narcotics cooperation by imposing tariffs on Chinese goods over fentanyl, calling on Washington to stop using the issue as a bargaining chip to "blackmail" the country.

China said it has forcefully cracked down on the fentanyl trade and condemned President Donald Trump’s tariffs, as the world’s two largest economies remain at odds over the conditions for any talks to cool tensions.

Canadian and Chinese officials say they were already helping reduce fentanyl smuggling. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said fentanyl crossing the northern border is "near zero."

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President Trump has doubled tariffs on China to 20% and confirmed 25% duties on imports from Mexico and Canada, citing fentanyl trafficking and trade imbalances.

China is willing to do more to address U.S. concerns about illicit fentanyl trade, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters Wednesday.

China has taken multiple steps to control the illegal fentanyl trade, responding to concerns raised by the U.S. government. Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, has been linked to a rising number of overdose deaths in the U.