Asia Pacific 'tensions' suggest coronavirus 'might not be the worst thing on the radar'

Liberal Senator Jim Molan says the coronavirus has heightened “tensions” at play between China and surrounding Asian nations and Australia should be prepared for any conflict which might arise in the near future.

Mr Molan said “the strategic environment which creates conflict, creates wars, creates challenges and creates competition was pretty savage prior to the fires and the outbreak of the coronavirus”.

“My concern is that we run the risk of addressing the issues that come out of coronavirus in relation to the strategic environment merely as economic issues” and without reference to the equally important issues of “self-reliance and sovereignty,” he told Sky News host Peter Gleeson.

According to Mr Molan, “China seems to be on the edge of conflict with Vietnam, the Phillipines and Malaysia and is in a tense situation with the United States”.

“Ships are sailing through various oceans to our north which are primed for war,” he said.

“If we think coronavirus following the fires is the worst thing that can happen to us, that is not the case”.

Mr Molan said there were good reasons to prepare for war in the same way we would prepare for a future pandemic.

Image: Getty

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