New Delhi, May 24 (IANS): China, which has surpassed the US in its contribution to development cooperation projects around the world, could cooperate with India in the area as a means of reducing the trust deficit that exists between the two countries, a Chinese official said, adding they had followed with interest Indian prime minister-elect Narendra Modi’s comment that the two nations had “convering issues”.

Zhou Taidong, a member of the Asia Foundation, Beijing, said that China and India can help neighbouring countries together and proposed that the BRICS forum could be a good platform for them to help developing countries together.

“The Asia initiative (in development cooperation projects) of China does not involve India.. Development cooperation can be an element of strategic dialogue between the two; a good way that China and India can work together to reduce the trust deficit,” said Zhou at a talk on Friday evening.

Addressing a seminar on China’s Development Cooperation Policy: Emerging Trends’, Zhou said China has contributed $75 billion towards development cooperation, “overtaking the US”.