Number 20

The High Price of Lying in US-China Relations

Following the recent Chinese balloon incident, both Washington and Beijing would do well to recall lessons from a failed CIA espionage mission in China 70 years ago, says Jerome A. Cohen. US refusal to acknowledge the CIA’s role resulted in its own agent, John T. Downey, spending almost 21 years in a Chinese prison. The most obvious lesson: how counterproductive it is for governments to engage in lying.

When Judging Meets Development: Foreign Judges on Pacific Courts

Pacific island states are unusual, but not alone, in relying on foreign judges to sit on their highest courts. This essay focuses on the intersection of foreign judging and overseas development assistance. Does the appointment of foreign judges undermine the very qualities of good governance and the rule of law that development agencies seek to promote?