Washington says Chinese chemical manufacturers and exporters provide most precursor chemicals used by drug cartels to produce synthetic opioids, the cause of nearly 450,000 U.S. overdose deaths. China has long defended its tough drug laws and record of cracking down on smugglers, and says the U.S. must get a handle on its own addiction woes.

Addressing the Trump team’s gripes over China’s role in the fentanyl crisis could let both sides soften trade stance.

Beijing is considering ways to address the Trump administration’s concerns about China’s role in the fentanyl trade, potentially providing an offramp from hostilities to allow trade talks to start, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.