US envoy meets with Ceylon Chamber leadership

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) was honoured to welcome the Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka Julie Chung for a courtesy visit with the CCC’s leadership.  

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 CCC to discuss trade, investment and economic opportunities between Sri Lanka and the United States.

Chung extended her congratulations to Balendra on his appointment as Chairman of the CCC and the US Embassy’s interest in continuing and strengthening engagement with the CCC, 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 US business interest, following the recent changes in global trade positions. 

Chung emphasised that many US 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.

Balendra referenced the CCC’s continuing engagement with the government to enhance the ease of doing business and proactively address the challenges to attracting foreign investment. 

He noted that while the US Embassy engages with the US companies abroad, the CCC will continue to support and facilitate investment on the ground in Sri Lanka. He extended an invitation for the US to send a delegation to the forthcoming Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit, organised by the CCC, which will be held on December 2 and 3, at Shangri-La, Colombo.

Chung reciprocated with an invitation to the CCC to coordinate a business delegation to the SelectUSA Investment Summit, at National Harbor, Maryland, outside of Washington D.C., scheduled for May 3 to 6, 2026. 

Discussions also covered tourism as a sector with strong growth potential, with both sides agreeing on the opportunity it presents. While Balendra stressed the need for a coordinated destination marketing effort as an important step in taking advantage of the sector’s growth potential, Chung asserted that improved infrastructure is a prerequisite for supporting increased tourism inflows.