Mark Cuban Wants to Get Rid of Chinese Knockoffs, Says Kamala Harris Shares His View

• Mark Cuban says he is talking to the Harris campaign about fighting Chinese counterfeits.

• Cuban said counterfeits are a “plague for small businesses” and “can lead to their downfall.”

• ‘Shark Tank’ star asks for suggestions on how to combat counterfeiters on Platform X

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban said he is working with Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign to find ways to protect American companies from Chinese counterfeits.

In a post Wednesday, X Cuban wrote that he “had an interesting conversation with @KamalaHarris’ team about protecting American companies from Chinese counterfeits.”

“Counterfeits are a plague for small businesses, costing them time, money and can bankrupt them. Right now, all the marketplaces are helping them play whack-a-mole. Which in my opinion is not enough,” Cuban added.

“Should we require marketplaces to verify all foreign manufacturers selling on marketplaces to U.S. consumers? Any suggestions on the best approach?” he added.

Cuban did not say when the call took place or what further strategies were discussed.

Counterfeiters have found a way to capitalize on the rise of online shopping platforms. According to a report by the Office of the U.S. Coordinator for Intellectual Property Enforcement, counterfeits cost American companies more than $200 billion a year and cause the loss of 750,000 jobs.

In February 2022, the Office of the United States Trade Representative named China as the country of origin for the largest number of counterfeits seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“Kamala is focused on supporting and protecting American businesses from unfair foreign competition. Let us know what you think!” Cuban wrote on Wednesday.

Cuban and Harris campaign representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent outside business hours.

This isn’t the first time Cuban has expressed support for Harris’ economic agenda. The “Shark Tank” star has been an active Harris supporter since she took the Democratic nomination from President Joe Biden.

“I talk to them. I tell them I’m going to say what I think. They say as long as you say you’re not speaking for us, then go ahead,” Cuban said of his conversations with the Harris campaign, according to Axios.

Cuban had previously expressed his interest and support when Harris said she would lower drug prices “by fighting pharmaceutical middlemen.”

The billionaire tried to achieve the same goal with Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs Co., a low-cost online pharmacy he co-founded in 2022.

“Kamala Harris is pro-business,” Cuban said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Sept. 5.

“She talked more about entrepreneurs and helping them access investment and making it easier for people to invest in startups than any other president I’ve heard talk about startups and entrepreneurs,” Cuban told CNBC host Andrew Ross Sorkin.

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