Bonny Lin

Director, China Power Project and Senior Adviser
Bonny Lin

Bonny Lin is director of the China Power Project and senior adviser 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.

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Audio Briefs

Unpacking President Trump’s Visit to China | State of Play

An audio version of "⁠Unpacking President Trump’s Visit to China | State of Play⁠," a new Commentary by CSIS's Edgard D. Kagan and Bonny Lin. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Edgard D. Kagan and Bonny Lin — May 15, 2026

Audio Briefs
State of Play

What did the Trump-Xi Summit Achieve?

Edgard Kagan, Scott Kennedy, and Bonny Lin joined Will to discuss how successful the Trump-Xi summit was.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman, Bonny Lin, Scott Kennedy, and Edgard D. Kagan — May 15, 2026

Photo: iLab/CSIS

Unpacking President Trump’s Visit to China | State of Play

President Trump’s historic state visit to China came amid heightened geopolitical tension surrounding Iran, and both sides entered the talks with sharply different priorities. Even so, the summit produced a framework for deeper cooperation and delivered several economic gains.

Commentary by Edgard D. Kagan and Bonny Lin — May 15, 2026

The Iran Conflict Illuminates Taiwan’s Unique Energy Security Challenge

The Iran war has exposed key challenges in Taiwan’s energy system. Taipei needs to address these challenges to successfully balance the need for more electricity, emissions mitigation, and greater resilience against supply disruptions.

Commentary by Yu-Hsuan Yeh, Bonny Lin, and Jane Nakano — May 14, 2026

Audio Briefs

The Iran Conflict Illuminates Taiwan’s Unique Energy Security Challenge

An audio version of “⁠The Iran Conflict Illuminates Taiwan’s Unique Energy Security Challenge⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Yu-Hsuan Yeh, Bonny Lin, and Jane Nakano. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Yu-Hsuan Yeh, Bonny Lin, and Jane Nakano — May 14, 2026

Audio Briefs