Chinese ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming joins Chinese businesses to celebrate the launch of China Chamber of Commerce in the UK at a grand ceremony on Dec 15, 2015 in London. [Photo by Jiang Shan/China Daily]

The newly-named China Chamber of Commerce in the UK was officially launched at a ceremony on Tuesday in London, signifying a major milestone in the association's development and journey to serve its member companies.

The launch ceremony, attended by several hundred business leaders and representatives from the Chinese embassy in the UK, was held on the same day as CCCUK's annual meeting for its member firms.

Chinese ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, congratulated CCCUK on its launch, adding that the organization has played an important role in supporting Chinese businesses in the UK for many years.

He said 2015 is a significant year for UK -China relationships with many deals signed especially during the state visit by President Xi Jinping in October, and he looked forward to closer cooperation between the two countries.

The CCCUK launch ceremony followed the organization's recent name change. It was formerly named the China Enterprises Association in Britain, but in September members voted to change its name.