The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) celebrated its tenth anniversary at its annual meeting in Beijing from June 24 to 26, 2025. A key focus of the meeting was the election of the new AIIB President Mr. Jin Liqun (China). Austria, a founding member of the AIIB, was represented at the annual meeting by the State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Barbara Eibinger-Miedl. The AIIB currently has 110 members. As a founding member, Austria holds a capital share of 0.51 percent. Austrian companies have benefited from AIIB membership in recent years: Between 2016 and 2023, domestic companies received contracts worth 23.5 million USD as part of AIIB-financed projects. Most recently, in March 2025, the AIIB invested 100 million euros in a Kommunalkredit bond that supports infrastructure projects in Central and Eastern Europe.
In a bilateral program State Secretary Eibinger-Miedl held meetings with the Vice Minister of Finance of the People's Republic of China Mr. Liao Min, the Senior Executive Vice President of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Mr. Weiwu ZHANG and the Secretary to the Board of Directors and Company Secretary of Bank of China Mr. ZHUO Chengwen. In the meetings the good commercial relations between Austria and China were emphasized. Some Chinese companies like ICBC and BOC use Austria as a entry point into the markets of Central- and Eastern Europe.
At a roundtable with Austrian companies in Beijing, Ms. Eibinger-Miedl listened to the concerns of Austrian business in China. Geopolitics, a weak demand and more competition within China pose a very challenging environment. Austrian exports to China stagnated in the first three months of 2025 while as Austrian imports from China increased by 16%. China is for Austria the fourth most important trading partner world-wide. Austrian exports in 2024 to China were 5.3 billion EUR, imports 15.5 billion EUR. Some 650 Austrian companies have more than 900 subsidiaries all over China.
