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Kevin O'Leary, a Shark Tank investor, spoke on CNN and shared on social media on May 13, 2025, about the US-China trade war. He wasn’t upset about the current tariff levels, even though he had earlier suggested raising them to 400%.
The U.S. recently reduced the "de minimis" tariff on Chinese shipments from 120% to 54%, keeping a $100 flat fee, starting May 14, 2025.
Kevin said he had previously called for a full trade embargo to push China to negotiate. Now that China is at the negotiating table in Geneva, he sees it as progress and hopes for a fair trade deal where both countries apply equal tariffs.
A 20% tariff on fentanyl shipments could be lifted if China stops shipping the substance to the US. As a big investor, Kevin was eager to do business with China only if some of his rights were protected.
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This included protecting intellectual property, allowing businesses to settle disputes in Chinese courts, and requiring Chinese companies to be listed on US stock exchanges to follow US rules.
"I'm an investor. I love China. I want to do business there, but I want a level playing field. That means I need IP protection," stated Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary.
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary praises the trade negotiations with China
The Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary also opened up about the importance of addressing World Trade Organization grievances, noting that China has been a member since 2000.
Kevin further discussed the ongoing trade negotiations with China in the same interview. According to him, the negotiations in Geneva were progressing well, with all key issues being on the table.
The entrepreneur praised Scott Bessent, the United States Secretary of the Treasury, for his efforts in the negotiations. According to Kevin, Scott was doing a great job, but noted that the process wasn't done yet.
"Out of Geneva, and this is all rumors and innuendos, all of those are on the table. So Bessent is doing a hell of a good job here. I give him 100 out of 100 but we're not finished yet," stated the Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary.
He also highlighted the market's recovery since April 3, stating that it had regained all losses and was performing well over expectations. Regarding China, Kevin considered it a "special situation".
As per the entrepreneur, once a deal was reached, it would show other countries how important it was. He expected a reciprocal trade agreement, where both countries would impose the same tariffs on each other's goods.
"And I think where we're going is a 10 in 10 reciprocal on everybody. Call it a VAT tax. That's really what's going on here, consumption tax in America. But you can't sell that to Congress, so you'd call it a tariff to you first," said Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary.
Also, in another CNN interview on May 13, Kevin praised the administration who were trying to deal with 60 different trade deals simultaneously.
According to Kevin, the administration was trying to create a circle of friendship with Europe, India, Canada, and the United Kingdom. This was to ensure that China didn't get what it wanted all the time.
Kevin O'Leary is currently appearing in season 16 of Shark Tank. This season will also be Mark Cuban's farewell season, with the finale set to air on May 16, 2025.
