Austrian firms set to deepen footprint in Chinese market

As China advances high-quality development and opening-up, Austrian enterprises are looking to deepen their engagement with the nation, highlighting opportunities in advanced manufacturing, green development and fast-evolving consumer demand.

Austria's business community "has a lot of admiration for the progress China has made over the years," said Franz Roessler, the commercial counselor at the Austrian embassy in Beijing.

He noted that China is entering "a new phase of development" with a stronger focus on quality, high-end products and technology.

Bilateral economic ties are also expected to strengthen as China and Austria mark 55 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.

Austrian companies are increasingly embedded in the Chinese market. "Over 650 Austrian companies have invested here, so it's not so easy anymore to separate us. It's really like one family," Roessler said.

"With the implementation of artificial intelligence and renewable energies, China is definitely on the fast track to a very prosperous future," said Richard Kramer, regional sales director for APAC and MENA at Swarovski Optik, an Austrian manufacturer of high-precision optical instruments.

"The Chinese market is moving so fast that we actually learn from it how to adapt our systems in Europe and North America," Kramer said.

He highlighted the "fast-growing demand for quality products, outstanding products, and unique product designs," as well as rising environmental awareness among Chinese consumers. "Consumers are looking for binoculars to see and explore," Kramer said, noting the growing interest in nature-related experiences.

China's outdoor optics market is booming, with an annual growth rate of 18 percent that is outpacing Europe's 5 percent, said Chen Yaguang, head of Swarovski Optik's distributor on the Chinese mainland.

Driven by strong market potential and Chinese consumers' rising demand for premium after-sales services, Swarovski Optik is accelerating its local footprint, with Chinese suppliers already providing accessories for global production and forming a mutually beneficial Sino-Austrian industrial cooperation, Chen added.

"We have decided to set up our own customer service in China to meet customer needs quickly," he said.

The company plans to launch in China the first global customer service center outside its home country.

"For the first time in 75 years, we have decided to get closer to consumers, and that place is China," Kramer said.

Companies are also adapting to China's unique digital ecosystem. Kramer said understanding local platforms such as WeChat and Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, was "one of our biggest learnings," as firms tailor communication strategies to Chinese consumers.

"We are here to invest, grow together with our partners, develop the market, and establish it as a cornerstone for our future key developments," Kramer said.