(Yicai Global) Sept. 21 -- The European Commission and European External Action Service jointly released a policy document to comprehensively illustrate the EU's plan to better connect Europe and Asia on Sept. 19. The EU expressed its wish to better cooperate with Asian countries in these guidelines.

The joint communication is titled Connecting Europe and Asia, Building Blocks for an EU Strategy. The EU will focus on sustainable, comprehensive and rule-based connectivity that accords with the actual situation in Asia and stresses building a stronger network in transport, energy, digital and interpersonal communications. The bloc will also strengthen its partnership for connectivity with Asian countries and organizations and promote cooperation at the level of bilateral relations, regions and international organizations, the European Commission said in an announcement released on Sept. 19, state Xinhua News Agency news agency reported yesterday.

The connectivity platform between the EU and China will also help both sides create mutually-beneficial effects to resolve disagreements, the announcement stressed.

The EU will integrate funding sources from international financial institutions, multilateral development banks and private companies to ensure sustainable financing and a fair and transparent competitive environment for investing firms and to confront Asia's annual infrastructure demands of around EUR1.3 trillion (USD1.53 trillion), per the announcement.

The European Parliament and Council will review the policy document in the next stage, and representatives will also discuss it at the Asia-Europe Meeting in Brussels next month, which is an intergovernmental forum for dialog and cooperation set up in 1996 to expand relations between Europe and Asia.

The EU is planning to connect Europe and Asia consistent with China's Belt and Road Initiative, the Delegation of the European Union to China said in January.

Editor: Ben Armour