Since its founding in 1900 the OAV, operating as a trade association, has provided its members with experience, dedication and the best contact links possible. 

Comprising of more than 800 members, the OAV is the largest foreign trade association. Of these 800 members, around 500 are corporate members from all sectors across the whole of Germany, such as representatives of the large industrial concerns, medium-sized manufacturing firms, trade companies, banks, insurance companies and service providers. 

Their mutual interest is the Asia-Pacific region: OAV offers the ideal platform for exchanging knowledge and experience across different industries, and offers members practical and comprehensive services, regardless of whether the member has experience operating in – or cooperating with – Asia, or has none.

OAV

• -promotes the strengthening of economic relations with the dynamically growing Asia-Pacific region,
• -offers comprehensive support for German companies in their operations in Asia,
• -provides its members with independent information and valuations regarding trends and potentials and
• -offers know-how to the industrial nations, the developing and emerging nations that are continually growing, as well as to markets in the region that have barely been tapped.

In its capacity as a powerful network of companies with strong institutional connections, OAV works closely with

• -ministries, authorities and embassies in Germany and countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as with
• -partner organisations that work to promote German foreign trade.

OAV is one of the economic bodies responsible for Germany's economic relationship with the Asia-Pacific region.