China must be held accountable for its role in fueling America’s fentanyl overdose epidemic through mass murder.

The importation of Chinese fentanyl is resulting in the deaths of Americans at an annual rate equal to that of our bloodiest year in World War II.

China is actively promoting and facilitating this campaign of mass murder — as the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party revealed Tuesday in a bombshell bipartisan report.

Referring to the distribution of fentanyl as “drug trafficking” is a euphemism.

Fentanyl is an extremely potent poison. Even a small amount can be lethal.

It is often disguised as prescription drugs like Percocet, Xanax, or Adderall to deceive those taking it.

Many victims are unaware that the drug they are consuming contains a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.

Trafficking fentanyl amounts to outright murder.

It is akin to firing randomly into a crowd.

Those involved in this trade are fully aware that they are causing mass casualties.

The level of devastation is unbearable and on the rise.

Overdose deaths from drugs reach 112,000 annually and show no sign of slowing down — with the majority attributable to fentanyl.

Furthermore, the opioid crisis, largely fueled by fentanyl, cost the US nearly $1.5 trillion in 2020 — equivalent to 7% of the GDP.

The US has long recognized China as the origin of the fentanyl causing American deaths.

China produces 97% of the illicit fentanyl precursors necessary for its production.

There is no practical alternative source for the volume of precursors required.

Put simply, without China’s production and export of fentanyl and its precursors, there would be no fentanyl crisis.

However, there has been skepticism about the precise role of the government and the party.

Is this illegal business conducted by Chinese organized crime and corrupt businessmen, with the government turning a blind eye, seeing it as primarily an American issue?

Or is it a deliberate program aimed at causing chaos in the US, backed and encouraged by China and the CCP?

Thanks to the select committee’s groundbreaking investigation, we now have a clearer insight.

The detailed report provides convincing evidence that Beijing and the CCP are not passive bystanders — they are the main force behind the mass importation of fentanyl into America.

Committee investigators uncovered a hidden Chinese-government website offering tax rebates to incentivize the export of fentanyl analogues, precursors, and other synthetic narcotics — substances illegal in China and the US and with no legitimate purpose.

These rebates enable Chinese drug companies to operate tax-free when manufacturing and exporting fentanyl precursors.

Why would the Chinese government incentivize the production and export of these illegal drugs, knowing they will result in the deaths of over 200 Americans daily?

The committee also discovered that Beijing provides grants and awards to companies involved in open and notorious manufacturing and trafficking of synthetic narcotics.

Additionally, it found that the government has ownership interests in certain Chinese chemical companies exporting significant quantities of illicit fentanyl products, as well as publicly traded Chinese companies openly selling illegal drugs to Americans on their websites.

In stark contrast to China’s aggressive prosecution of domestic drug traffickers — executions of such traffickers are regularly covered by Chinese media — the committee found no evidence of similar action against those involved in the illegal export of narcotics.

This is despite Western law enforcement providing compelling evidence of violations and China’s extensive system of social surveillance and control.

China’s involvement in the production and export of illicit drugs aligns with the rise of Chinese organized crime as the primary financiers and money-launderers for drug cartels.

The CCP has strengthened its ties with Chinese organized crime to extend influence beyond China, and investigations by US law enforcement into Chinese money-laundering revealed links to Chinese government officials and the Communist Party elite, as per the committee report.

Some may find it difficult to believe that a modern state would be complicit in a campaign of mass murder against another country’s citizens.

However, the committee’s findings provide compelling evidence that this is indeed the case.

As we strive to protect our nation from the deadly drug influx — not just fentanyl but also new generations of horrific Chinese drugs like nitazenes and xylazine (“tranqs”) — it is crucial that we grasp the full extent of the situation.

The Chinese have not been acting in good faith.

The notion that they would cooperate with us to combat drug trafficking is a delusion.

China ranks among the most pervasive police states globally.

It possesses the capability to halt the production and export of illicit narcotics.

However, Beijing will only take action if it faces severe economic repercussions — including sanctions — for its role in the mass poisoning of American citizens.

William Barr is a Hudson Institute distinguished fellow and author of the memoir “One Damn Thing After Another.” He served as US attorney general, 1991-93 and 2019-20.