Career diplomat Eric S. Meyer has been sworn in as the new U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka at a time of intensifying U.S.–China rivalry in the Indian Ocean, with his appointment coinciding with the arrival of China’s new envoy and both sides underscoring the island’s strategic importance. 

Meyer has emphasized Sri Lanka’s role in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and countering China’s growing presence, particularly concerns over the 99-year lease of Hambantota Port to a Chinese firm, which Washington views as a potential sovereignty and dual-use risk. 

The new National People’s Power government under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake seeks to avoid being “sandwiched” between major powers while maintaining ties with both China and India, leaving Ambassador Meyer the challenge of advancing U.S. security and commercial interests without pushing Colombo into a zero-sum choice.

Amid the intensifying U.S.–China rivalry in the Indian Ocean, career diplomat Eric S. Meyer was sworn in this week as the new U.S. Ambassador to Colombo. Known for his emphasis on countering Chinese influence, Meyer’s appointment — first made by President Donald Trump in July 2025 but delayed by the Senate confirmation process — comes at a pivotal juncture. His arrival coincides with that of China’s newly appointed envoy, Wei Huaxiang, designated Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary by President Xi Jinping. Upon his arrival in Colombo on August 11, 2026, Wei affirmed that “China always takes Sri Lanka as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy.”

Before taking up this post, Meyer served as a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, holding multiple roles across the State Department. His portfolio included Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Consul General and Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S.........

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