Hong Kong lawmakers urged to be impartial when reviewing same-sex partnership bill
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Introducing the bill for its first and second readings in the legislature on Wednesday, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai stressed that the proposed framework was a 'reasonable balance' between fulfilling the basic societal needs of same-sex couples and preserving the heterosexual marriage system.
'The government understands that the bill is controversial,' he said in the Legislative Council. 'But to safeguard Hong Kong's rule of law, respect the court's ruling and fulfil our duties, the government introduced the bill with a spirit of accountability and courage.
'We hope lawmakers will be pragmatic, rational and impartial in scrutinising the bill.'
Same-sex marriage is not permitted in Hong Kong. The Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill is aimed at granting same-sex couples married abroad certain rights related to medical matters and after-death arrangements following a landmark ruling from the top court in 2023.
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As of Wednesday, at least 35 members of the 89-strong Legco told the Post they would oppose the bill, including those from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and the Liberal Party.
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HKFP
19 hours ago
- HKFP
Performance artist calls out lawmakers for ‘homophobic slurs,' says LGBTQ community ‘not something to fear'
A Hong Kong performance artist has called lawmakers' discussion of the government's same-sex partnership bill 'homophobic,' saying that the LGBTQ community is not something people should fear. Holok Chen and an activist who asked not to be named staged a performance and spoke to reporters outside the Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry in Central on Monday. Both were dressed as monsters, with Chen donning a wedding gown and the activist wearing a tuxedo. Chen said their costumes symbolised the way lawmakers had 'demonised' the LGBTQ community in their discussion of the government's proposed framework for recognising same-sex partnerships. 'It feels almost [as if] I'm talking to my father when I'm reading all those reports from the [Legislative] Council, how they use homophobic slurs… saying that we might harm children and women,' Chen told HKFP. Referring to their costumes, Chen added: 'I want to create a speculative future where monsters, even monsters of different taxonomy, can live, can love, can kiss and can enjoy their divine union.' The government's proposal is currently going through the Legislative Council (LegCo). Since an electoral overhaul in 2021 that required lawmakers to be 'patriots,' the council has been left without an opposition. However, all but one major political party in the Legislative Council has said that they oppose the bill, which proposes allowing couples who married or formed a union overseas to be recognised as a partnership in Hong Kong. Most parties say such a framework threatens traditional family values and could pave the way for the legalisation of same-sex marriage, something the government has denied. Earlier this month, lawmaker Holden Chow said in a LegCo meeting that the framework could encourage 'two fathers' and 'two mothers' to adopt children. 'How can we educate the next generation to uphold family values and the traditional institution of marriage between a man and a woman under such circumstances?' he said in Cantonese. Another lawmaker, Priscilla Leung, warned that the proposal would open 'a Pandora's box.' Chen staged a performance outside the LegCo building on Friday, wearing a rainbow-coloured cape and carrying a 'Pandora's box,' plastered with words like 'love and 'hope,' in an apparent protest against Leung's remark. Chen, who identifies as a non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said they wanted to use the performance to 'recontextualise our existence: that we are not something that you have to fear, not something that you have to gatekeep.' A dozen police officers watched as the artist and the activist staged their performance, unfurling a white banner that said 'Queertopia.' The officers also asked the pair for their ID cards and cordoned them off from reporters with orange tape before the performance began. 'Toxic' The government unveiled its proposal earlier this month, three months before the deadline to establish a framework for recognising same-sex partnerships, following a top court ruling in 2023 that found the lack of such a mechanism unconstitutional. The case stemmed from a judicial review by pro-democracy activist Jimmy Sham, who married his partner in New York in 2013 and challenged local authorities' lack of recognition of their union. The top court gave the government two years – until October 27 this year – to fulfil the obligation ordered by the court. Ahead of submitting the proposed framework to the Legislative Council earlier this month, the government did not hold any public consultations despite LGBTQ advocacy groups' efforts to reach out to the authorities. No public hearings, where members of the public present their views to officials in LegCo meetings, will be held. There is only a five-day window to send written submissions, which ends at 5pm on Tuesday. Chen said they had few expectations for the framework, which activists have criticised as being limited and offering only protection in the areas of medical issues and after-death arrangements. The artist criticised that the government had two years to work on the framework, but it did not consult the LGBTQ community in the process and only introduced the bill to the legislature in recent weeks. While heterosexual couples have a 'guaranteed house,' the framework offers same-sex couples only a 'tin board,' Chen said. '[The government says] You can build your own house, but I won't even provide a sofa or a place for you to stand on,' they added. 'There are many voices that want to even vote down this tin house.' Earlier on Monday, the Legislative Council's Bills Committee on the Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill completed its clause-by-clause review of the bill, with lawmakers asking officials questions on matters such as issuing registration certificates and how partnerships can be nullified. Chen said they had not paid too much attention to what lawmakers had been saying in the meetings, calling them 'toxic.' 'They do not take up space [in my head],' Chen said in Cantonese. 'Why should I give them space to harm me?' Online petition Chen called on LGBTQ supporters to join an online petition initiated by Sham, which invites people to send in written submissions using a template. The LegCo website, which publishes the written submissions, however, has not been updated since last week. Regina Ip, the only lawmaker on the bills committee who supports the framework, asked committee chair Brave Chan if all submissions received would be viewable online. Chan said yes, except for submissions for which anonymity was requested. Following the completion of the discussion in the committee on Monday, the bill will move to the council meeting for a debate, in which all 89 lawmakers will take part before voting. No date has been set yet for the debate. The Legislative Council will take a summer break in August before resuming in September.
HKFP
3 days ago
- HKFP
HKFP Monitor July 26, 2025: The impact of state media attacks, and rare tension among lawmakers over same-sex bill
This week, Beijing-backed media ramped up the 'soft resistance' narrative with a full-on, week-long attack on indie bookshops, cafés, and other businesses – raising questions about what they signal. Meanwhile, tension is brewing in Hong Kong's 'patriots-only' legislature, as some lawmakers push back against a bill granting limited rights to same-sex couples – a rare sight since the electoral overhaul. With the next LegCo election looming, the political scene remains unusually quiet. A local column suggests hopefuls are holding back, waiting for the green light to run. And finally, a cheerful celebrity photo turned political drama as stars Eric Tsang and Kenny Bee rushed to apologise after being pictured with controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee. Chinese state-run newspapers Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao have ramped up their attacks on indie bookshops, stores, and media outlets they label as pro-democracy — devoting a week of full-page reports accusing them of 'soft resistance.' Their reporters visited shops, cafés, as well as a tea house, a boutique, and even a claw machine store, digging for signs of ideological 'threats.' They even published a map showing a cluster of so-called 'yellow' shops in Sham Shui Po. According to the reports, some stores sold items with protest-linked slogans like 'We fucking love Hong Kong' and 'May good people have peace throughout their lives' -though social media page HK Propaganda noted that Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao had themselves used the latter phrase multiple times. Books by indie newsrooms The Witness and The Collective were also singled out, accused of bias and with their founders' backgrounds highlighted. So what's going on? These attacks aren't new. Since the national security law came into force in 2020, state media have often acted as both a test balloon to gauge public reaction – and a warning shot to their targets. Former Wen Wei Po deputy editor Ching Cheong told HKFP in 2021 that such campaigns usually reflected central planning more than spontaneous journalism. And they've worked before. In 2021, four members of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council resigned after similar accusations. But this time, some seem to be unfazed. Hunter Bookstore – targeted on Wen Wei Po's front page for two straight days – called the claims 'ridiculous,' adding it hoped more people would 'stand firm under pressure' and 'do what's right.' Since Hong Kong overhauled its electoral system in 2021 to create a 'patriots-only' legislature, it has been rare to see lawmakers push back on government bills. But the proposed Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill is sparking rare tension between the executive and the legislature. The bill, introduced earlier this month, is the government's response to a 2023 top court ruling requiring legal recognition of same-sex couples within two years. According to the proposal, limited rights would be granted to same-sex couples married overseas. LGBTQ groups have slammed it as inadequate. Meanwhile, many lawmakers are pushing back hard, claiming it amounts to recognising same-sex marriage and could undermine 'fundamental family values.' So far, only Regina Ip — who officiated at the 2023 Gay Games — and lawmakers from her New People's Party, as well as solicitor Paul Tse, have voiced open support. Chief Executive John Lee has stressed that the government must comply with the court's ruling, warning that ignoring it could lead to 'serious consequences.' The bill is currently under review by a 15-member bills committee before heading to a full Legislative Council (LegCo) debate. It remains to be seen whether lawmakers will hold their ground in rejecting it – and how the government plans to meet the court's October deadline without breaching the ruling. | LOCAL MEDIA MONITOR Unusually quiet? Local newspaper Ming Pao's political gossip column said on Wednesday that Hong Kong is seeing an 'unusually quiet' lead-up to the LegCo election in December. According to the anonymous writer, most politicians hoping to enter or stay in the 'patriots-only' legislature are still 'waiting for instructions,' with barely any public moves being made. Nominations opened on Monday for a by-election to fill 93 vacant seats in the 1,500-member Election Committee – the powerful body that nominates the city's chief executive and LegCo candidates, and directly elects 40 lawmakers. The column also mentioned a rumour swirling in political circles: around one-third of current legislators might not be staying. Apparently, securing a second term could hinge on passing an informal 'assessment' by the chief executive. Some unnamed lawmakers even claimed that senior government officials have written reports on certain legislators — reports that could influence their future in LegCo. Pro-establishment figure Lau Siu-kai said he had heard the rumour too but expressed doubts that the city's top leader has the final say. Beijing, he said, wouldn't want LegCo to be just a rubber stamp and still values lawmakers who offer constructive criticism. Celebs photo row: Hong Kong stars Eric Tsang and Kenny Bee took to Chinese social media site Weibo over the weekend to apologise after a photo surfaced showing them posing with controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee, known for his outspoken criticism of mainland China. In the photo, Bee was seen with his hand on Namewee's shoulder. While they didn't mention the Malaysian singer by name, Bee said he had 'no idea' about the person's background or 'inappropriate words and actions.' Had he known, he added, he wouldn't have interacted with him. 'This was an inadvertent mistake and in no way reflects my support for his views,' Bee wrote in a signed statement. Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, originally shared the group photo on Threads but later deleted it. He said it was to protect the 'safety of comrades in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area,' and to avoid affecting the 'peace and stability of the motherland.' Namewee is best known for his satirical 2021 track Fragile, which pokes fun at hypersensitive Chinese nationalism. He's also had multiple run-ins with Malaysian police over the years in connection with his provocative music videos and film. HKFP PHOTO OF THE WEEK This giant calendar shows every inspection Hunter Bookstore has faced from various government departments since 2022 – with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department making the most appearances. The inspections are part of a broader wave of bureaucratic pressure on indie bookstores across the city. In our exclusive report last week, six independent publishing companies said they had all been hit with simultaneous tax audits over the past 18 months. Those in the independent news sector, including HKFP, previously said they were facing similar scrutiny too.
HKFP
4 days ago
- HKFP
Letting gay couples who wed online register locally will ‘twist one's definition of marriage,' lawmaker says
Allowing gay couples who married remotely overseas to register their partnerships in Hong Kong would 'twist one's definition of marriage,' a pro-Beijing lawmaker has said, as meetings about the government's same-sex rights bill continued. Speaking during a Legislative Council discussion on Friday, lawmaker Holden Chow referred to a clause in the bill that says couples whose marriage, civil partnership or union was conducted 'by remote means' would be eligible to register their partnerships in Hong Kong. In recent years, online weddings officiated virtually in countries where same-sex marriage is legal have become more common in the LGBTQ community, including in Hong Kong. 'This will instantly twist one's definition of marriage,' said Chow, a member of the city's largest pro-establishment party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB). Friday marked the second day of meetings in the Legislative Council's Bills Committee on the Registration of Same-Sex Partnerships Bill. A total of 15 lawmakers are reviewing the government's proposal before it returns to the council meeting for a vote by the city's 89 lawmakers. Almost all pro-establishment parties with representation in the Legislative Council, such as the DAB, the Liberal Party and the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, have said they will vote against the bill, calling the framework it proposes a threat to the traditional heterosexual marriage system. Only the New People's Party has shown support for the bill. The Legislative Council lost its opposition after an overhaul in 2021 required all lawmakers to be 'patriots' to run. On Friday, lawmaker Peter Shiu echoed Chow's comments about remote weddings and asked the government to consider limiting the registration of same-sex partnerships to those who wed overseas in person. In response, Deputy Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Raymond Sy said letting those who got married virtually register their marriages locally was aimed at making the process more convenient for them, as not everybody could travel overseas to tie the knot. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang added in Cantonese: 'If the laws [in those jurisdictions] allow online [registration], then we cannot exclude it.' Top court ruling The government's proposal comes as Hong Kong has around three months left to establish a framework for recognising same-sex partnerships, following a top court ruling in 2023 that found the lack of such a mechanism unconstitutional. The Court of Final Appeal gave the government two years to put such a mechanism in place, with the deadline coming up in late October. The bill is limited to granting registered couples rights in matters relating to healthcare and death, such as hospital visits, making medical decisions, and collecting the body of a deceased partner. At least one person in the couple must be a Hong Kong resident. On Friday, Tsang said the proposed framework was based on considerations including the 'actual situation' in society, traditional family values and the public's interests. Among the 15 members of the bills committee, only one – Regina Ip of the New People's Party – has expressed support for the bill. She said accepting couples who got married online was necessary, adding that the option was needed for people who were seriously ill or on their deathbed, and wanted to have their relationship recognised while they were still alive. Ahead of submitting the proposed framework to the Legislative Council earlier this month, the government did not hold any public consultations despite LGBTQ advocacy groups' efforts to reach out to the authorities. No public hearings, where members of the public present their views to officials in Legislative Council meetings, will be held, with only written submissions invited. Azan Marwah, a family lawyer who has represented clients in LGBTQ-related court cases, said in his submission that he supported the government's commitment to comply with the top court ruling, but that the framework did not go far enough. The 'best way for the Legislative Council to create equality' is to introduce same-sex marriage, he said, citing a 2023 survey that showed around 60 per cent of Hong Kong people support it. He called for protection for the children of same-sex couples, saying it would 'strengthen the values of commitment, love and mutual support.'
