
Bonny Lin is a senior fellow for Asian security and director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, she was the acting associate director of the Strategy and Doctrine Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE and a political scientist at the RAND Corporation, where she analyzed different aspects of China’s foreign and defense policy and U.S. competition with China, including China’s use of gray zone tactics against U.S. allies and partners. Her research advised senior leaders in the Department of Defense, including military leaders at U.S. Pacific Air Forces and U.S. Army Pacific. Dr. Lin also served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2015 to 2018, where she was director for Taiwan, country director for China, and senior adviser for China.
Dr. Lin has testified in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an adjunct at the RAND Corporation and Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA). Dr. Lin holds a PhD in political science from Yale University, a master’s degree in Asian studies with a focus on China from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard College.
Media Queries
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In the News
Taiwan's president warns 'democracy is under threat' in joint remarks with McCarthy
Bonny Lin in CBS News — April 6, 2023
China Draws Lessons From Russia’s Losses in Ukraine, and Its Gains
Bonny Lin in The New York Times — April 1, 2023
US fears a war-weary world may embrace China’s Ukraine peace bid
Bonny Lin in The Times of India — March 23, 2023
War crimes warrant for Putin could push Russia, China together
Bonny Lin in NBC News — March 20, 2023
‘Crisis point’: Foreign policy experts and investors are divided on China
Bonny Lin in CNBC — February 17, 2023
Spy balloon dustup sends US-China relations from bad to worse
Bonny Lin in The Hill — February 16, 2023
Intel from spy balloon could show 'what China has been up to'
Bonny Lin in NBC News — February 8, 2023
Biden’s Timing on Chinese Balloon Takedown May Work in His Favor
Bonny Lin in Bloomberg — February 4, 2023
All content by Bonny Lin
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China’s Approach to Artificial Intelligence: A Conversation with Gregory C. Allen
Podcast Episode by Bonny Lin and Gregory C. Allen — May 24, 2023

Hand-Off: The Evolution of U.S. Policy in Asia
Event by Stephen Hadley , David Sanger , Victor Cha , Christopher B. Johnstone , Bonny Lin , Dennis Wilder , and Nicholas Szechenyi — May 23, 2023
U.S.-China Competition and Indo-Pacific Security
Event by John J. Hamre , Victor Cha , Bonny Lin , Jaechun Kim , Dongchan Kim , Hung-Jen Wang , Chen-Yu Li , Yujen Kuo , and Nicholas Szechenyi — May 12, 2023
China’s Capabilities in Space: A Conversation with Kari Bingen
Podcast Episode by Bonny Lin and Kari A. Bingen — May 12, 2023

TikTok and U.S.-China Technology Competition: A Conversation with Caitlin Chin
Podcast Episode by Bonny Lin and Caitlin Chin — April 27, 2023

Fireside Chat with Dr. Ko Wen-je, Chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party and Former Mayor of Taipei
Event by Bonny Lin and Ko Wen-je — April 20, 2023
The Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis Continued?: Assessing China’s April 2023 Military Exercises Against Taiwan
Event by Bonny Lin , John Culver , Ken Jimbo , Hsi-Min Lee , and Sugio Takahashi — April 20, 2023
Xi Jinping's China and the Korean Peninsula
Event by Joseph S. Nye Jr. , Park In-kook , Victor Cha , Bonny Lin , and Ahn Ho-young , Bonnie Glaser , Lee Chung Min , Dennis Wilder , Yeon Wonho , Sue Mi Terry , Lee Jae-Seung , Andrew Yeo , Kim Byung-yeon , Han Young-Sup , Park Byung Kwang — April 14, 2023
Assessing Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen’s U.S. Transit: A Conversation with Randall Schriver
Podcast Episode by Bonny Lin — April 7, 2023

Evaluating the China-Pakistan Relationship: A Conversation with Sameer Lalwani
Podcast Episode by Bonny Lin — March 31, 2023
