In his capacity as vice premier, Zeng at the December 2006 Standing Committee Meeting of the Tenth National People's Congress, advocated for the use of foreign exchange reserves to support Chinese companies in obtaining foreign mineral resources, thereby developing China's access to strategic minerals.[3]: 58
In end of February 2013, Zeng, in his capacity as the chairman of the mainland-based China Center for International Economic Exchanges visited Taiwan for five days in which he delivered a speech during a Cross-Straits Entrepreneurs’ Forum at the Grand Hotel in Taipei. His visit came at the invitation of Vincent Siew, the chairman of the Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation. Zeng met representatives from Taiwan's industrial and commercial circles, and will also tour around the region to get a better understanding of the latest developments to the island's economy.[6][7]