Bonnie Bley

Research Fellow, Asian Power and Diplomacy Program
Bonnie Bley
Biography
Publications
News and media

Bonnie Bley was a Research Fellow in the Asian Power and Diplomacy Program at the Lowy Institute.

Bonnie was one of the principal researchers behind the Lowy Institute Asia Power Index, a data-driven project launched by the Institute in 2018 to map the changing distribution of power in the region. Bonnie also led the research for the 2019 Global Diplomacy Index, a digital project that maps, ranks and compares the diplomatic networks of 60 countries.

She started her career at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, where she supported research and editing for The Military Balance and the Armed Conflict Database, among other content. She was also responsible for outreach and social media at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Bonnie studied at University College London (UCL) and the University of Bologna.

Chart of the week: Where countries lie abroad
Chart of the week: Where countries lie abroad
Changes in the number of diplomatic posts tell a story about priorities and challenges for a country’s foreign policy.
The new geography of global diplomacy
Commentary
The new geography of global diplomacy
China advances as the US retreats.  Originally published in Foreign Affairs. Bonnie Bley
2019 Global Diplomacy Index
Commentary
2019 Global Diplomacy Index
Visualising the diplomatic networks of 61 G20, OECD and Asian countries and territories. Bonnie Bley
The 2019 Lowy Institute Global Diplomacy Index
Interactives
The 2019 Lowy Institute Global Diplomacy Index
Visualising the diplomatic networks of 61 G20, OECD and Asian countries and territories. Bonnie Bley
World diplomacy stocktake: A shifting of the ranks
World diplomacy stocktake: A shifting of the ranks
China has overtaken the US with the largest diplomatic network in the 2019 Lowy Institute Global Diplomacy Index.
Size vs statecraft: How India and Japan play the major power game
Commentary
Size vs statecraft: How India and Japan play the major power game
Japan and India’s differences might just be what makes this unlikely partnership effective. Originally published in The Diplomat.Bonnie Bley
Middle-power bonding has major advantages for ‘overachievers’
Commentary
Middle-power bonding has major advantages for ‘overachievers’
Originally published in The Australian.Bonnie Bley
A middle-power moment
A middle-power moment
Countries banding together in a multilateral response to great-power competition seems to be on the way up.
Charting China, the (not always) super power
Charting China, the (not always) super power
Measuring Beijing’s influence shows mixed results for all the supposed diplomatic sway and billions spent on media.
ABC RN The World Today
China overtakes US as country with widest diplomatic network
27 November 2019
China Daily
China leads world in diplomatic outposts
27 November 2019
South China Morning Post
China overtakes United States to boast world’s biggest diplomatic network, think tank says
27 November 2019
The Australian
China overtakes US as no 1 in diplomatic posts
27 November 2019
Australian Financial Review
China takes the lead in diplomatic race
27 November 2019
Sydney Morning Herald
China rising: Beijing has world's biggest network of diplomatic posts
27 November 2019
CNBC
China has overtaken the US to have the world’s largest diplomatic network, think tank says
27 November 2019
The Guardian
China leads world in number of diplomatic posts, leaving US in its wake
27 November 2019
CNN
China has overtaken US as world's largest diplomatic power, think tank says
27 November 2019
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