Australia’s top quantum computer scientist, Michelle Simmons, said Aukus would need to overcome hurdles to collaboration, such as foreign investment and visa restrictions, and she urged the three nations to form a “joint mission” to develop a quantum computer.

“Its quite critical for the nations to work together to make sure we pool our resources, to make sure we are at the forefront,” she said.

Britain was behind where it wanted to be in hypersonics and Aukus would help, said Stephen Lovegrove, the country’s former national security adviser.

Schmidt, who has advised the US Department of Defence on artificial intelligence, said China is organised around drones, hypersonic and automation technology, and this should influence Australia’s military spending decisions.

Although it was likely there would be decoupling between China and Western allies in critical technology, China was not an enemy and they could work together in other areas, he added.

“We are going to have a great deal of non-strategic partnering with China, and Australia will in particular, there will be lots of trade in things that are relatively commodity … but there’s not going to be agreement on common standards on chips,” he said.

He criticised the US government for restricting Chinese researchers from moving to the United States to work on technologies like quantum computing.

“Why would you not want the smartest Indians and Russians and Chinese out of those countries and in your country?” he said.