In a bid to bolster Taiwan's military capabilities amid China's aggression, the Pentagon has formed a "tiger team" to discuss foreign military sales, reported Taipei Times.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday said he has assembled the team to ensure that weapons purchased by Taiwan would be delivered sooner.

Austin was responding to a remark by US Representative Ken Calvert, chairman of the US House of Representatives Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, after his visit to Taiwan last week that arms deliveries were moving at an "extremely slow pace," as per Taipei Times.

He said he assembled a "tiger team" months ago to "dig down on the foreign military sales issues" and strive to expedite deliveries.

Speaking at the US House Committee on Appropriations, Austin attributed the backlog to the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain pressures, but said that "the industry will catch up."

Leaders from the US Department of Defense gather regularly "to make sure that we are providing the right kinds of capabilities that Taiwan needs," he added.

The US National Guard has been working with Taiwan to increase its proficiency in several areas, he said, adding that continuing the joint program "will be very, very valuable."

The defence secretary was joined by US JCS Chairman General Mark Milley, who was asked about the potential impact of a cut in defence spending and how it would affect Washington's ability to provide deterrence against Chinese activities in the Indo-Pacific region, reported Taipei Times.

Milley said the operational tempo and training of the US military would be greatly reduced not just in the region, but worldwide.

He said cuts could force the US to make fewer transits through the Taiwan Strait, and also "less freedom of navigation, less patrolling of the air, less ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance). Everything will be less, which will increase risk, increase danger and send the wrong message."

Separately, US Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called on Washington to speed up arms deliveries to Taiwan at the committee's budget hearing.

"The threat of communist China cannot be overstated," he said adding, "I personally think Chairman Xi is going to try to influence the (legislative and presidential) elections" in Taiwan next year, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Image courtesy: White House website