China and Russia should not emerge victorious from the coronavirus pandemic, the British ambassador to the US said recently.

The diplomat called the strategic competition from Moscow and Beijing a big challenge and for them being able to cope and solve the problems of coronavirus is not an acceptable outcome.

As if we allow this to happen we can wake up one day and discover Chinese standards in areas such as artificial intelligence and cybernetics, she said.

Pearce expressed concerns that the PRC might set the rules for future technological development, and compared the situation with the proliferation of nuclear technology in the 1950s. UK and US at all costs, including direct military use, must not allow this to happen.

She believes that current speed of China's development is unacceptable, Chinese leaders are "authoritarian" and new technologies should benefit only "open markets" and not countries with communist party behind the wheel.