A tale of two cities: the education and experiences of two ICJ judges in China and America

This article draws upon multi-archival research to rediscover the experiences and research of Judges VK Wellington Koo and Shi Jiuyong at St John’s University in Shanghai and Columbia University in New York City. The former was the first Chinese person to be elected Vice President of the International Court of Justice while the latter became the first Chinese person to helm the Court. It aims to offer crucial insights into the making of these two eminent international judges from China and their perceptions of international law. More importantly, it sheds light on the movement of people—missionaries, law professors and diplomats—and the circulation of their ideas as drivers of the expansion of international law. This article strives to examine these understudied major figures to make the legal history of international dispute settlement more geographically and racially inclusive.