U.S. government agencies should exercise precaution “anytime” they’re “interacting with Chinese companies,” RX Border Security’s Chad Wolf said during an event with Breitbart News on March 26.

Host and Breitbart Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle asked Wolf, the former acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security, what his advice would be to the newly confirmed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin on how to combat the China threat, including the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) propaganda outfits within companies.

“From your experience, from being there before, what do they need to do here to actually confront this stuff, stop it, and not let China operate here?” Boyle asked.

Wolf made clear that steps should be taken to protect classified information, intellectual property, and any other information deemed valuable or proprietary.

Ultimately, Wolf placed an emphasis on firewalls, deeming them necessary “anytime” there is an interaction with Chinese companies regardless of any formal affiliation with the CCP, as all Chinese companies are mandated to report back to the Chinese government. Knowing this fundamental truth, Wolf said, is crucial.

“I think it’s important to remember – and I think everyone knows this – that any CCP, or I should say, any Chinese company under law, under Chinese law, has to report back information back to their intelligence function, back to the CCP,” Wolf explained.

Because of that, he said, anytime the U.S. federal government does business with any Chinese company, firewalls are necessary.

“Anytime the federal government is doing business with … [a] Chinese company, they have to understand that. And so when I was at DHS – I’m sure the incoming secretary will look at that as well. I know the Department of War and others are as well. I think anytime you’re interacting with Chinese companies, you’ve got to put some firewalls in place,” he explained.

“You’ve got to understand what the limitations need to be if you’re going to do any business at all with them, which is questionable. So I think that is a concern,” he added. “There’s a number of things that DHS can continue to do to combat Chinese or malign Chinese influence here in the homeland.”

He ultimately called for a different mindset across the board when dealing with China.

“But again, as we talk about these pharmaceutical ingredients, that’s something that obviously DHS can’t do. We need the FDA. We need others to step up. And I think start to get a little bit of a different mindset here, which is, this is about national security, security of the country and Americans every day,” Wolf added.

In an additional panel at the event, RX Border Defense board member Patsy Writesman demonstrated the need for firewalls by describing the scope and danger of China’s control over critical pharmaceuticals and supplies.

“Antibiotics — they have 90 percent control,” she said. “Painkillers, acetaminophen, ibuprofen — 70 to 95 percent. Steroids, cardiovascular drugs, sterile products and medical supplies … and we found contaminants in those.”

Writesman singled out compounded GLP-1s, which are customized, non-FDA-approved versions of obesity drugs, as “extremely dangerous” due to containing unsafe Chinese ingredients. She cited an example of a Chinese company that was on the “approved list” for ingredients for GLP-1s yet was found to have insects, water issues, and bacteria issues. She also shared the story of a Kentucky woman who, after one month on a compounded weight loss drug, suffered kidney failure. Yet adverse effects from compounding ingredients likely are underreported, Writesman warned.

Without additional firewalls in place against Chinese companies, those tragic stories might become inescapable

WATCH the full event below: