BEIRUT, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon Hakan Cakil said on Tuesday that his country is interested in investing in Lebanon, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

"I am very much optimistic about the future of Turkish-Lebanese investment relations," Cakil was quoted as saying by the NNA.

"My first priority will be to boost ties between Tripoli and the different Turkish cities," he said.

Cakil's remarks came during the second Arab Turkish Economic Forum which was held at the Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Industry in Tripoli, second largest city in Lebanon.

Toufic Dabbousi, head of Tripoli's Chamber, said Tripoli is looking forward to increasing mutual investments between the two countries.

Dabbousi called upon Turkey to consider investing in the expansion of Tripoli's port and Qlayaat Airport.

According to a report by LBCI channel last year, Lebanon's imports from Turkey reached 777 million U.S. dollars in 2017, including iron products, aluminum, food and beverages as well as clothes.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's exports to Turkey hit 120 million dollars in 2017 and 72 million dollars in the first six months of 2018.