FREETOWN, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The fifth Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Sierra Leone was inaugurated in Freetown, the capital, on Thursday.

The ceremony brought together representatives from the government of Sierra Leone, the Chinese Embassy, business associations, and enterprises.

The new chamber, comprised of 17 Chinese companies operating in Sierra Leone, aims to promote trade and investment, foster closer business partnerships, and enhance cultural and social exchanges between the two countries.

According to Du Xinguo, president of the chamber, the new chamber will focus on strengthening its members, advocating for compliance with laws, and building collective strength to achieve win-win development.

Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Wang Qing noted that Chinese companies' investments in Sierra Leone have exceeded 2 billion U.S. dollars and highlighted the significant improvement in Chinese investment in the country.

Sierra Leone's Minister of Trade and Industry Ibrahim Alpha Sesay emphasized the country's openness to doing business and encouraged Chinese companies to invest in areas such as food productivity, power industrial zones, manufacturing, and tourism.

"We are ready to facilitate trade and investment for Chinese companies from registration to operations," Sesay said.

Vice President of Sierra Leone Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh said the inauguration marked a new era of trade development and investment between Sierra Leone and China. He encouraged the chamber to attract more businesses to Sierra Leone and to build networks with local Chambers of Commerce. ■