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Reference News reported on July 31 According to a report on the Singapore Lianhe Zaobao website on July 31, Taiwan and the United States signed a military sales contract aimed at improving the data links of Taiwan’s military command, control, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, with a total value of NT$2 billion (NT$1 is approximately RMB 0.22 - note from this website).

According to Taiwanese media reports, the Taiwan authorities' electronic procurement website announced on July 31 that Taiwan's defense department's military delegation to the United States recently signed a "Information and Communications System Upgrade Advance Planning" bid at the American Institute in Taiwan. The total amount is NT$2.05844 billion and will be implemented until December 31, 2026.

It is reported that the contract execution locations for the above-mentioned bidding projects are in Xindian District, New Taipei City and Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City.

The US government announced the "Link-16 system upgrade advance planning" arms sale in February this year. Taiwan's defense department said at the time that the US side would carry out overall planning and upgrade operations for the integration of Taiwan's military command, control and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance system data links to enhance the effectiveness of joint combat images and establish military interoperability.

It is reported that "Link-16" is a tactical information link system used by NATO countries, allowing various military aircraft, warships, and combat vehicles to exchange tactical information such as text, images, and voice in real time, including communications with allied forces.

The report said that the current system of the Taiwan military is only a "simplified version" and has not been extended to all active military equipment. As the Taiwan military will gradually obtain American-made F-16V Block 70 fighters in the next few years, the upgrade of the tactical information link system has become "more urgent."

Taiwanese military expert Su Ziyun analyzed in February this year that this case involves deep military cooperation between the United States and Taiwan, and will be able to share battlefield intelligence.

Earlier, on July 23, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said in response to questions about the US arms sales to Taiwan: "The US is doing business to earn the hard-earned money of the Taiwanese people under the guise of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait." Mao Ning said that Taiwan is China's Taiwan, not a pawn of the US to interfere in China's internal affairs. The US arms sales to Taiwan violate the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués, and China firmly opposes it.

Media analysis pointed out that in the future, US military aid to Taiwan will be more "institutionalized." Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that no matter whether it is "arms sales," "military aid" or any other name, it is intended to bring the war to Taiwan, with sinister intentions.