Beijing - China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the United States indicting Chinese enterprises over fentanyl-related issues, the country's Ministry of Commerce said Monday.

It is a typical act of unilateral bullying by the United States to illegally acquire the so-called evidence via a "sting operation" and launch the indictments, the ministry said.

China always strictly enforces anti-drug policies and scheduled fentanyl-related substances as a class -- the first country to do so in the world -- which has played an important role in preventing the illicit manufacturing, trafficking, and abuse of fentanyl, it noted.

China will firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, it said.