Plastic bags of Fentanyl are displayed on a table at the US Customs and Border Protection area at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, US. File photo/ Reuters

A senior White House official said on Thursday that he believes China is “absolutely committed” to cooperating with the United States on curbing illicit fentanyl.

“I am absolutely convinced the Chinese, starting with President Xi (Jinping) down through the Minister of Public Security Zhao, are absolutely committed to doing this,” Jim Carroll, Director of National Drug Control Policy, told reporters in Beijing after meeting his Chinese counterparts.

“I fully believe that what we learned on this trip is that the Chinese government, the Chinese people, are committed to this issue, both to save lives in the United States, but also to save lives in China. I believe that.”

Reuters