TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Deterrence is key to peace in the Taiwan Strait, Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd said in a television interview with Sky News on Tuesday (Nov. 21).

Rudd said that maintaining “integrated deterrence” ensures peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and East Asia.

The former prime minister said: “We think that's good for Australia's interests. We think it's good for U.S. interests. It's good for allied interests.”

The best outcome to cross-strait tensions was for China to refrain from unilateral action due to the risks of a response from regional allies and partners, he said. This is what Australia, Japan, the U.S., and other countries are trying to do, he added.

Rudd said that China has not made any moves to seize Taiwan “because deterrence has been effective.”

When asked if he believed the U.S. would help defend Taiwan, Rudd said he took President Joe Biden’s word that “the United States would stand by Taiwan.” Biden has said on four occasions the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s aid if an attack occurred, Rudd noted.

In a joint statement issued in October, the U.S. and Australia stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and opposed any unilateral changes to the regional status quo.

The two countries also condemned Beijing’s “destabilizing actions in the South China Sea."