Critical Analysis: The International Efforts to Protect Marine Biodiversity

For four days in the first week of April, the United Nations held meetings to negotiate the possibility of a new international treaty to protect marine biodiversity. The UN working group, High Seas Alliance (HSA), a partnership of 27 non-governmental organizations, plus the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), discussed creating a new … Read more

Critical Analysis: Presidential Powers and the Use of the Executive Agreement

When the Constitution was originally drafted, the Founders thought it appropriate to give the president the power to make treaties with other nations. However, the president’s power was restricted; under Article 2, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the president could only make a treaty by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. … Read more

Chinese Perspectives Part 2: History

Treaty of Nanjing

To understand anything about the contemporary Chinese perspective on international law, one must have a cursory understanding of China’s history of international relations. In this regard, Chinese history can be divided into three distinct periods: 1842 to 1949, 1949 to 1978, and 1978 to the present. The first period begins on August 29, 1842 with … Read more