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.

U.S. defence technology sharing is tightly controlled, and U.S. analysts have previously said bureaucratic hurdles could slow not only a AUKUS nuclear submarine program but also “Pillar Two” – a boost in collaboration between the nations in hypersonic and counter-hypersonic technology, quantum, AI and electronic warfare.