China leads tech race, highlighting need for AUKUS sharing, says think-tank

FILE PHOTO: Visitors pose for pictures near displays of military vehicles carrying DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile and DF-17 hypersonic missile at an exhibition titled "Forging Ahead in the New Era" during an organised media tour ahead of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, in Beijing, China October 12, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo

China leads research in 19 of 23 technologies set as priorities by the AUKUS defence partnership of Australia, Britain and the U.S., including hypersonics, electronic warfare and undersea drones, highlighting the need for Western allies to pool research results, an Australian security think-tank says.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) said on Tuesday its survey of the world's top science papers showed China led research in most of the technologies likely to come under the defence partnership's so-called Pillar Two.