BRUSSELS, July 18. /TASS/. The European Union intends to create a new agenda in relations with India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Ursula von der Leyen, a candidate for reelection as European Commission (EC) President, said in her political program.

"The Indo-Pacific has become a decisive region for the world’s future. Building on our existing strategy, we will deepen our engagement with our partners in the region. We will propose a new Strategic EU-India Agenda and strengthen our cooperation with ASEAN," the program reads.

"Similarly, we will work with Japan, Korea, New Zealand and Australia with whom we face common challenges in cyber, space and in the secure supply of critical minerals and technologies. This includes our collective efforts to deploy the full range of our combined statecraft to deter China from unilaterally changing the status quo by military means, particularly over Taiwan," according to the document.

The program mentions the need of "new impetus in mutual partnership with Africa ahead of the next EU-African Union Summit in 2025" and the intention through Global Gateway "to drive investments in transport corridors, ports, renewable energy generation, green hydrogen production and raw material value chains." The EU will deepen the cooperation with "Latin America and the Caribbean through Global Gateway investment," the document says.

The EU’s Global Gateway program suggests long-term contracts on implementation of infrastructure projects in African and Asian countries concluded by European companies with Brussels’ funds. In accordance with it the European Union has sealed deals worth 66 bln euro.