On July 15, 2005, the China-Kazakhstan High-level Forum of Economy and Trade & the second meeting of China-Kazakhstan Entrepreneurs' Council was held in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan. Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi of the State Council, on behalf of the Chinese government, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Yesimov, on behalf of the Kazakh government, and over 200 representatives of business communities of the two countries attended the event.

Wu delivered a speech entitled Deepening the Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and Promoting the Common Development. She said that the Chinese government expects to develop the economic and trade relations with all Central Asian countries including Kazakhstan on the basis of good-neighborly friendship, consultations on an equal footing and common development. China and Kazakhstan are close to each other geologically, enjoy sound political relations and strong economic complementarities and share solid foundation, huge potential and promising future of economic and trade cooperation. The establishment of China-Kazakhstan strategic partnership has opened broader prospects for the bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

To raise the China-Kazakhstan economic and trade cooperation to a higher level, Wu put forward the following suggestions: first, highlighting development priorities and tapping cooperation potential. Priorities should be given to conducting cooperation in such fields as energy, telecommunications, traffic & transportation, mineral resources development and mechanical equipment manufacturing and optimizing and diversifying the trade structure; second, enriching the cooperative means and emphasizing cooperation results. Both sides should start with the resources development and project cooperation to lead the bilateral economic and trade activities to multiple levels and broader areas; third, reinforcing coordination and improving the cooperation environment. The two governments should try their best to create an open, transparent and safe economic, trade and investment environment, offer sound services, actively support bilateral investment, project contracting and labor cooperation and protect the legitimate rights and interests of the companies, businessmen and laborers in each other's territory. Wu hopes that the business community of the two countries plays a bigger role in promoting the development of bilateral economic and trade relations.

In his speech Yesimov said that Kazakhstan is committed to economic development and the sustained and rapid economic growth of China provides opportunities for Kazakhstan. The Kazakh government and business community have fairly high expectations for the bilateral economic and trade relations and hope to see fruitful results of the bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation.

During the meeting the business representatives of the two countries conducted heated and constructive discussions on how to enhance the cooperation in related areas.

On the same day Wu also met in the hotel where she stayed with the staffs of Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan and representatives of local Chinese-funded organizations.