A senior US lawmaker pledged today to help provide training for Taiwan’s armed forces and speed up arms deliveries as China began three days of military exercises around the island.

China announced the military drills a day after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taipei from the US, where she met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, angering Beijing, which sees the island is a Chinese province destined to be reunited with the mainland, even by force if necessary.

Speaking at a lunch in Taipei hosted by Tsai for his bipartisan delegation, Michael McCall, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said they were there to strongly support Taiwan and noted that it was important for democracies to be united.

“As chairman of the House (Representatives) Foreign Affairs Committee, I sign off on all foreign military sales, including weapons to Taiwan, and I promise you Madam Speaker that we will deliver those weapons,” he said.

Taiwan has since last year complained about delays in deliveries of US weapons such as Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, as the manufacturers turn supplies to Ukraine to support its defense against Russia.

“We’re doing everything we can in Congress to expedite these sales and get you the guns you need to defend yourselves,” noted McCall, who is a Republican.

“And we will provide training to your army – not for war, but for peace,” he added, without elaborating. “Projecting weakness only causes aggression and conflict. Projection of force provides deterrence and promotes peace,” he also noted.

Although a defense pact between Taiwan and the US ended in 1979, when Washington severed formal diplomatic relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing, a close military relationship still exists and the US is Taiwan’s main foreign source of arms.

China describes Taiwan as the most sensitive and important issue in its relations with the US, and the issue is a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington.