U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung met with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce leadership in Colombo to discuss expanding trade, attracting investment, and strengthening economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United States.
The meeting saw Ambassador Chung join Chairman Krishan Balendra, Vice Chairman Bingumal Thewarathanthri, Deputy Vice Chairman Vinod Hirdaramani, Secretary General and CEO Buwanekabahu Perera, and other senior Chamber representatives. She congratulated Mr. Balendra on his appointment and reaffirmed the U.S. Embassy’s commitment to deepening engagement with the Chamber, recognizing its influence as a leading voice for Sri Lanka’s private sector.
Ambassador Chung commended the Sri Lankan Government’s collaborative approach to negotiations with the United States aimed at building a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade partnership. She underscored Sri Lanka’s strategic position in regional trade routes and the potential to attract more U.S. investors, particularly as global trade patterns shift. She urged Sri Lanka to seize the moment by improving trade facilitation, dismantling non-tariff barriers, and enhancing competitiveness to secure greater U.S. market access.
Chairman Balendra reiterated the Chamber’s proactive efforts to work closely with the Government to ease doing business and address challenges in securing foreign investment. He invited the United States to participate in the upcoming Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit, scheduled for 2nd and 3rd December at the Shangri-La in Colombo. Ambassador Chung, in turn, invited the Ceylon Chamber to lead a business delegation to the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Maryland from 3rd to 6th May 2026, signaling mutual intent to accelerate business linkages.
Tourism also featured prominently in the talks, with both sides recognizing its significant growth potential. Mr. Balendra emphasized the need for coordinated destination marketing, while Ambassador Chung highlighted the importance of upgrading infrastructure to support rising tourist arrivals from the U.S.
The Ceylon Chamber and the U.S. Embassy pledged to sustain close engagement, focusing on expanding trade, attracting investment, promoting tourism, and strengthening bilateral relations. The discussions marked another step in building a robust economic partnership that could yield substantial benefits for both nations in the years ahead.
