BEIJING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen will pay a state visit to China and attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018 on April 7-13 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

The following is a profile of the Austrian president.

Van der Bellen was born in Vienna on Jan. 18, 1944. In 1962, he was admitted to the University of Innsbruck, where he majored in economics and received a doctorate in 1970.

From 1980 to 2009, Van der Bellen worked as a professor of economics at the University of Vienna.

From 1994 to 2012, he served as a member of the National Council of Austria.

From 1997 to 2008, he was chairman of the Austrian Green Party.

From 1999 to 2008, he served as chairman of the Greens Parliamentary Party in the National Council.

In December 2016, Van der Bellen was elected as president of Austria and took office in January 2017.

Van der Bellen is married.