CEYLON CHAMBER LEADERSHIP
U.S. Ambassador Meets with the Ceylon Chamber Leadership
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was honoured to welcome the Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, for a courtesy visit with the Ceylon Chamber’s leadership. Ambassador Chung met with Chairman Krishan Balendra, Vice Chairman Bingumal Thewarathanthri, Deputy Vice Chairman Vinod Hirdaramani, Secretary General and CEO Buwanekabahu Perera and other representatives of the Ceylon Chamber to discuss trade, investment, and economic opportunities between Sri Lanka and the United States.
Ambassador Chung extended her congratulations to Mr. Krishan Balendra on his appointment as Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber, and the U.S. Embassy’s interest in continuing and strengthening engagement with The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, given its position as the premier and most influential representative of the private sector.
She also commended the Sri Lankan Government for its collaborative and constructive negotiation with the United States to achieve a fair, balanced, and reciprocal trade relationship.
The discussion highlighted Sri Lanka’s regional trade position and the potential to attract increased U.S. business interest following recent changes in global trade positions. Ambassador Chung emphasised that many U.S. companies are increasingly considering South Asia, with Sri Lanka emerging as a top option. She urged Sri Lanka to seize this window of opportunity by enhancing trade facilitation and creating a more conducive environment, including reducing non-tariff barriers, enhancing openness, and improving competitiveness.
Mr. Balendra referenced the Ceylon Chamber’s continuing engagement with the Government to enhance the ease of doing business and proactively address challenges to attracting foreign investment. He noted that while the U.S. Embassy engages with U.S. companies abroad, the Ceylon Chamber will continue to support and facilitate investment on the ground in Sri Lanka. He extended an invitation for the United States to send a delegation to the forthcoming Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit, organised by the Ceylon Chamber, which will be held on 2nd and 3rd December at the Shangri-La, Colombo. Ambassador Chung reciprocated with an invitation to the Ceylon Chamber to coordinate a business delegation to the SelectUSA Investment Summit, at National Harbor, Maryland, outside of Washington D.C., scheduled for 3rd to 6th May, 2026.
Discussions also covered tourism as a sector with strong growth potential, with both sides agreeing on the opportunity it presents. While Mr. Balendra stressed the need for a coordinated destination marketing effort as an important step in taking advantage of the sector’s growth potential, Ambassador Chung asserted that improved infrastructure is a prerequisite for supporting increased tourism inflows.
The Ceylon Chamber and the U.S. Embassy will continue to maintain close engagement, building on ongoing cooperation to advance practical initiatives that can expand trade and investment, and strengthen bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United States.
