ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, Austria’s official business representation abroad, conducts “the Global Business Barometer” (GBB) an annual survey on Austrian subsidiaries world-wide. The confidential online survey 2025, carried out in October 2025 in collaboration with the Vienna University of Economics and Business, gathered insights from 51 Austrian subsidiaries in China Mainland. The findings provide valuable insights into how Austrian businesses assess market conditions, identify challenges, and highlight areas where improvements are needed to strengthen investor confidence.
The 2025 GBB survey in China Mainland shows that, though it remains cautious, sentiment has improved slightly compared to the historic low of 2024. Expectations for 2026 are somewhat more positive, with most companies anticipating stability or modest recovery, and China continues to perform slightly above the global average.
Key business indicators reflect signs of stabilization: while declines in turnover and order books persist, the gap between decreases and increases has narrowed, and workforce and investment levels remain balanced.
China’s appeal as a business location remains strong thanks to its advanced infrastructure, digital capabilities, and reliable supplier networks, yet challenges persist, including tight controls on cross-border capital flows, bureaucratic complexity, rising labor costs, and payment practices.
Geopolitical risks continue to weigh on sentiment, with systemic rivalry, protectionism, military tensions, and economic sanctions cited as the greatest concerns. Among the 51 respondents, manufacturing presence is increasing while sales activities are declining, indicating a trend toward localization and operational resilience.
Next to judiciary procedures the work of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA remains instrumental to further advance the interest of Austrian subsidiaries in China.
For an in-depth presentation of the results, please refer to our summary of the Global Business Barometer Survey 2025.
