Mike Pompeo to visit Sri Lanka, Maldives this month

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Sri Lanka and the Maldives this month, officials of both Indian Ocean nations said yesterday, as Washington seeks to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Pompeo will hold two-way talks in Colombo on Oct. 28, a spokesman for Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry said, but



gave no details.

Pompeo was likely to stop in the Maldives’ capital of Male for several hours on the same day. The Maldives foreign ministry said in a statement that incoming visits of official foreign delegations will be announced once a visit is scheduled and confirmed.