OVSC24

## Voting

### System

Each country awards a set of 1 - 7 points, followed by 8, 10 and 12 points for their top 3 favourite songs

### Winner

 Switzerland
 "React" by The Pussycat Dolls

After their surprise win in Auckland, OVSC came to Hong Kong for the first time for its 24th edition.

This was the first time Hong Kong has hosted as well as the first contest to be hosted by a city-state (if you count Hong Kong as a city-state), and also the seventh time OVSC has been to Asia.

44 countries have confirmed their participation.

The contest consisted of 3 shows, 2 semi-finals and a Grand Final.

Switzerland shocked everyone with their surprisingly controversial win with the song "React" by The Pussycat Dolls, in what's now become known as the "Scandal of Hong Kong".

This ended up causing a huge uproar within the Discord server, which nearly ended up with OVSC ending entirely. However, once the dust was settled, everyone ended up accepting the Swiss victory and moved on as Switzerland became host of OVSC25.

This was Switzerland's first victory, with them becoming the 10th European country to win the contest.

## Location

### Host city

Hong Kong *(香港 in Cantonese)* is a place with multiple personalities; the population is mainly Cantonese Chinese but British influence is quite visible.

It is a unique destination that has absorbed people and cultural influences from places as diverse as Vietnam and Vancouver and proudly proclaims itself to be Asia's World City.

Hong Kong has been a major destination for tourists and business people from around the world for at least a century.

Today it is also a major tourism destination for China's increasingly affluent mainland population.

    It is an important air hub with connections to many of the world's cities.

Hong Kong is much more than a harbour city with crowded streets: this territory with its cloudy mountains and rocky islands also offers rural landscapes with breath-taking views.

Much of the countryside is classified as Country Park and, although 7.4 million people (2021) are never far away, it is possible to find pockets of wilderness that will reward the more intrepid traveller.

Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with at least one season to match your comfort zone.

    Boasting one of the world's best airports, it is the ideal stopover for those who wish to travel deeper into Asia.

While part of the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong operates as a Special Administrative Region with a high degree of autonomy, and so for most visitors it is effectively a different country.

Visa requirements, laws, currency, culture and language are different from the rest of China.

Since the handover from the British in 1997, Hong Kong has operated under a "One Country, Two Systems" principle, maintaining most laws and government structures from colonial times.

Hong Kong enjoys many Western-style freedoms unheard-of on the Chinese mainland, and many locals are proud of it.

The ideals of a free and open society are firmly rooted here, though they have been curtailed with the imposition of the National Security Law in July 2020.

    The area of Hong Kong was incorporated into China during the Qin Dynasty in 214 BC, and largely remained under Chinese rule until 1841 during the Qing Dynasty. Hong Kong Island became a British colony in January 1841, as a result of the defeat of the Qing in the First Opium War.

    After the defeat of China in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula was ceded to Great Britain in 1860. Travellers might consider crossing the border to visit the Opium War Museum in Dongguan. The New Territories were leased to Great Britain in 1898 for a term of 99 years.

Hong Kong was only a sparsely-populated backwater prior to the arrival of the British, but would grow rapidly into one of the world's most densely populated areas following the establishment of a free port under British colonial rule.

When World War II broke out, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared that Hong Kong was an "impregnable fortress".

However owing to Britain's main war effort in Europe, Hong Kong was not given sufficient resources for its defence.

After slightly more than two weeks of fighting, Hong Kong was surrendered to the Japanese on 25 December 1941 and occupation lasted until the end of the war.

Upon the resumption of British control, all restrictions on non-Europeans owning property on prime real estate land were lifted, followed by an astonishingly swift post-war recovery.

After the communists took control of mainland China in 1949, many Chinese people, especially businessmen, fled to Hong Kong due to persecution by the communist government.

Unlike the restrictive policies imposed by the communists in China, the British government took a rather hands-off approach in Hong Kong, and allowed a high degree of economic freedom.

However, various social issues still persisted during the 1950s and 1960s, including the continuation of Communist-Nationalist conflict among residents, labour dispute and widespread corruption.

    These problems, when combined with effects of the Cultural Revolution, culminated in the 1967 riots by communist rioters, with an aim to subvert British rule. The riots were eventually suppressed by the authorities, but they forced the colonial government to take measures of reform, such as cracking down on corruption.

Under reforms, businesses flourished in Hong Kong and its economy grew rapidly, earning it a place as one of the East Asian Tigers, along with South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

Today, Hong Kong is considered to be an industrialised and developed economy, and is one of the world's most important financial centres, along with the likes of New York and London.

In 1984 the Chinese and British Governments signed a joint declaration agreeing to return Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty on 1 July 1997. Hong Kong became a special administrative region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China.

As Hong Kong was the last remaining British colony with a significant population and economic importance, the handover was deemed by many to be the "end of empire". In theory, Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy in most matters except foreign affairs and defence.

In 2014, the Umbrella Protest was held to demand free elections for Hong Kong's chief executive. The Chinese government had proposed elections for the position, but would only allow candidates they had screened and approved to stand for election.

The proposed amendments to the Basic Law (Hong Kong's equivalent of a constitution) were voted down by the pro-democracy legislators, meaning that the chief executive is still elected by an election committee with limited representation.

    The protests eventually died down without changing the Chinese position, though they have led to a significant political movement called localism which demands more political autonomy for the territory, and for some even the previously unknown concept of independence from China.

In 2016, the Chinese government banned two pro-independence Legislative Council members from taking their seats after they refused to take an oath of loyalty to China.

Simmering tensions eventually led to the breakout of massive and violent protests, beginning in June 2019.

The protests began in opposition to an extradition bill that would have allowed people to be extradited to mainland China to face criminal charges, but expanded into a wider anti-government movement, and continued even after the extradition bill was withdrawn.

In response, the Chinese government imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong in July 2020, outlawing many forms of speech and advocacy against the government.

Hong Kong is a member of some international organisations that are normally restricted to sovereign states such as the World Trade Organization, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the International Olympic Committee.

### Venue

The AsiaWorld–Expo is one of the two major convention and exhibition facilities in Hong Kong along with Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. It is located on Chek Lap Kok island, next to the Hong Kong International Airport.

The complex was built under a public–private partnership involving the Hong Kong government, landowner Airport Authority Hong Kong, and a consortium led by private company Dragages et Travaux Publics.

The name of the new centre, AsiaWorld–Expo, was announced on 27th November 2003, and is intended to reflect Hong Kong's "Asia's World City" promotional brand, which was launched in 2001. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 29th March 2004.

The new facility was opened on 21st December 2005 by Donald Tsang, the second Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and it is operated by AsiaWorld–Expo Management Limited.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, AsiaWorld–Expo was used as a Department of Health saliva collection and testing centre for those arriving at Hong Kong International Airport.

Starting in January 2022, it has been used as a treatment facility for patients with mild cases of COVID-19.

In May 2022, Irene Chan Fong-ying, chief executive of AsiaWorld-Expo, said the first phase of the facility will have upgraded facilities and smart sanitizing equipment such as UV lights costing HK$600 million while a new 30,000 square meter second phase will have 20,000 seats.

AsiaWorld–Arena (where the contest is taking place) has been the busiest indoor venue in Hong Kong since its opening on 21st December 2005; with many local, regional and international artists have performed here spanning a wide range of musical genres.

It also plays host to sporting events and other forms of entertainment. The Arena has also played host to the 10th Anniversary Celebration Gala of Phoenix Satellite Television and the Miss Chinese Cosmos Pageant, as well as sports competitions like the K-1 World Grand Prix 2007 and the 2008 Hong Kong IDSF Asian Pacific DanceSport Championships.

It played host to Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular from 22nd December 2010 to 2nd January 2011. On 18th March 2015, the arena hosted One Direction on their On the Road Again Tour.

This concert would ultimately be the final performance with Zayn Malik as a member before his departure from the group six days later.

The Miss International Organization confirmed that Hong Kong will be the host country of Miss International 2017. Ariana Grande performed at the venue on 21st September 2017 part of the final show of the Dangerous Woman Tour.

## Participating countries

### Semi-final 1

Sweden, the United Kingdom and Lebanon will vote in this semi-final. Qualifiers are marked in blue.

### Semi-final 2

Hong Kong, Switzerland and the Isle of Man will vote in this semi-final. Qualifiers are marked in blue.