BRUSSELS • The European Union is seeking to forge a new alliance with the US to bury the tensions of the Trump era and meet the challenges posed by China, the Financial Times has reported, citing a draft plan.

The plan proposes rebuilding ties with common fronts on issues from digital regulation to tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, the FT said on Sunday.

Relations between the United States and Europe have been strained under President Donald Trump. The EU and most of the bloc's states have congratulated President-elect Joe Biden.

"As open democratic societies and market economies, the EU and the US agree on the strategic challenge presented by China's growing international assertiveness, even if we do not always agree on the best way to address this," the FT cited the draft plan as saying.

The plan, which will be submitted for endorsement by national leaders at a meeting from Dec 10 to 11, proposed the launch of a new transatlantic agenda at an EU-US summit in the first half of next year, the newspaper added.

Last month, the EU imposed tariffs on up to US$4 billion (S$5.4 billion) of American imports in retaliation over US subsidies for Boeing, but said it was hopeful that trade relations will improve under Mr Biden's presidency.

REUTERS