On May 30, 2025, the 2nd meeting of the Ministers of Economy and Trade of the Central Asia-China format was held on the sidelines of the Astana 2025 International Forum (AIF 2025), the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The meeting served as a key preparatory step for the upcoming second Central Asia-China Summit, scheduled to be held later this month in Astana.
Organized to strengthen trade and economic ties within the region and expand cooperation in strategic sectors, the meeting was opened by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev.
The Central Asian delegations were led by:
- Bakyt Sydykov, Minister of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic,
- Ashurboy Solekhzoda, First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan,
- Kerimberdi Kurbanov, Acting Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan,
- Khurram Teshabayev, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
- The Chinese delegation was headed by Lin Ji, Vice Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and Deputy Representative of China at international trade negotiations.
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During the discussions, participants outlined priorities for deepening trade, economic, and investment cooperation, enhancing collaboration in “green” minerals, and supporting a multilateral trading system.
As a result of the meeting, three strategic documents were approved for signing at the upcoming summit:
- Memorandum of Understanding on seamless trade,
- Action Plan for strengthening trade and economic cooperation among the ministries of economy and trade,
- Memorandum on Investment Cooperation in the field of “green” minerals.
Additionally, the Final Document of the second meeting of the Ministers of Economy and Trade of the Central Asia-China format was adopted.
Participants emphasized the meeting’s productivity and expressed their commitment to promptly implementing the agreements reached.
By the end of 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Central Asian countries had reached $7.6 billion, reflecting the region’s expanding economic engagement.