Worldcon 2023 took place in Chengdu, PRC. We now find out there was tampering w/ the Hugo #awards: people & works declared ineligible w/o explanation or informing those affected, post-explained as obeying local laws. Those who raised this as a concern at the discussion of the venue bids were dismissed as racists. PRC rates among the worst authoritarian regimes in all watchlists; its bid should have been rejected or have provisos.
