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Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Hong Kong legislative council considers local registration for same-sex couples
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: People take part in the annual LGBT pride parade in Hong Kong, China November 26, 2016. REUTERS/Bobby Yip/File Photo HONG KONG - Hong Kong's legislative council began discussion on Thursday of a government proposal to allow local registration for same-sex couples who have registered their marriage or relationship overseas, amid strong opposition from pro-Beijing legislators. The Hong Kong government is proposing to establish a registration system to give legal recognition to same-sex couples who have registered overseas, according to an official document released on Wednesday. Hong Kong's top court in September 2023 partially approved a landmark appeal by LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham for recognition of same-sex marriages. Although not then granting a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, judges gave the government two years to develop a legal framework to meet basic social needs. Many pro-Beijing legislators have expressed strong opposition to the proposal and asked the government to seek a delay from the court. They have also urged for public consultation before any legislative change. Holden Chow, a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), said approving the proposal would encourage people to enter into same-sex marriages overseas, effectively granting the marriages recognition. The legislative council has "the responsibility to uphold traditional Chinese family values and the institution of marriage between one man and one woman," Chow said. "I oppose the indirect recognition of same-sex marriage and firmly oppose this alternative proposal." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $500 in Child LifeSG credits, Edusave, Post-Sec Education Account top-ups to be disbursed in July Singapore PAP questions Pritam's interview with Malaysian podcast, says politics should stop at water's edge World Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota dies in car crash in Spain Sport Liverpool star Diogo Jota dead at 28: What you need to know about the footballer Business 60 S'pore firms to get AI boost from Tata Consultancy as it launches a new innovation centre here Singapore Scoot launches flights to Da Nang, Kota Bharu and Nha Trang; boosts frequency to other destinations Singapore Electrician who bit off part of coworker's ear during fight gets 6 months' jail Asia 4 dead, 30 missing after ferry sinks on way to Indonesia's Bali Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang told the legislature the government has to respect the court's ruling, and said it was "crystal clear" the court and the government have no intention to shake the foundation of marriage between a man and a woman. "I want to stress again, from the beginning till the end, including the court and the government, we did not intend to recognise same-sex marriage," Tsang said. Sham and other LGBTQ groups have criticized the requirement that same-sex couples must first be married or registered overseas, arguing that it creates significant barriers for those who cannot afford to travel to another country to register. Sham and other activists have attended the legislative council meeting, which is open to the public. Tsang dismissed Sham's objection and the difficulties of registering overseas. "There are currently over 30 countries or regions around the world that offer same-sex marriage or partnership registration, some even allowing online registration," Tsang said. "We believe that for most people, this should not pose a significant challenge. Ultimately, it is a matter of choice." After the meeting, Sham told reporters outside the legislature that more than 60% of Hong Kong residents had supported same-sex marriage in past surveys. "I have heard that the main reason to oppose the proposal is to uphold the traditional family values. I would like to say that each of us grew up in a traditional family," Sham said. "We do not want to destroy traditional family values. We only wish to have a safeguard of our life." REUTERS
Straits Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Hong Kong proposes legal recognition for same-sex couples registered overseas
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Supporters of LGBT rights take part in the annual pride parade in Hong Kong, China November 25, 2017. REUTERS/Bobby Yip/File Photo HONG KONG - The Hong Kong government is proposing to establish a registration system for same-sex couples who are married or registered overseas to receive legal recognition, according to an official document released on Wednesday. The proposal - detailed in a government paper to be discussed in Hong Kong's legislative council on Thursday - comes after Hong Kong's top court in September 2023 partially approved a landmark appeal by an LGBTQ activist for recognition of same-sex marriages. The judges dismissed activist Jimmy Sham's appeal that he had a constitutional right to a same-sex marriage in Hong Kong, but gave the government two years to ensure that rights such as access to hospitals and inheritance could be protected for same-sex couples. Responding to the judgment, the government document proposed the new registration system to essentially allow a same-sex couple's partnership to be legally recognized. It stipulates that both partners must be of the same sex and at least 18 years old, with at least one being a Hong Kong resident. They would have rights related to medical matters concerning their partner, including hospital visits, access to medical information and organ donations, as well as the right to handle a partner's post-death affairs, including applying for a death certificate, claiming the body and arranging funeral matters. Same-sex couples applying for legal recognition under the proposed mechanism must have registered a valid same-sex marriage, civil partnership or civil union overseas. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Singapore From camping to mentorship, Singapore scouts mark 115th anniversary of the youth movement Singapore Ong Beng Seng's court hearing rescheduled one day before he was expected to plead guilty World Sean 'Diddy' Combs convicted on prostitution counts, but cleared of more serious charges Singapore ByteDance food poisoning: Catering firm convicted after cockroach infestation found on premises Singapore Teen, 17, to be charged with allegedly trespassing on MRT tracks Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach Singapore Man on trial for raping drunken woman after offering to drive her and her friend home ACTIVIST QUESTIONS EQUALITY In Asia, only a few places including Taiwan, Nepal and Thailand currently allow same-sex unions, as the region's largely conservative values still dominate politics and society. The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau wrote in the paper that the proposed new system - which requires legislative approval - had taken into account Hong Kong's current social system and traditional values while seeking to avoid social divisions. "It is essential to establish appropriate registration requirements under an alternative framework that aligns with practical realities and public expectations, while safeguarding registrants' rights and preventing abuse," the bureau wrote. But Sham, who first challenged the government in court, said the proposal offered a minimal level of protection, especially the stipulation that couples needed to be married abroad. "(This) doesn't seem to meet the conditions of equality in registration," Sham told Reuters. "I doubt it fully complies with what the judge required." REUTERS
The Standard
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Standard
FWD bookbuilding reportedly pulls in $13.1 billion ahead of HK debut
The logo of insurance company FWD is displayed at the lobby of a commercial building where one of its offices is located, in Hong Kong, China. REUTERS/Bobby Yip/File Photo
Reuters
02-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Hong Kong Q1 GDP expands 3.1% y/y, faster than forecast
Containers are seen inside a container terminal at Kwai Chung district in Hong Kong, China May 30, 2016. Picture taken May 30, 2016. REUTERS/Bobby Yip Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab HONG KONG, May 2 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's economy grew in the first quarter by 3.1% from a year earlier, official advance estimates showed on Friday, expanding for a ninth quarter. That was a faster rate than the mean forecast of 2.1% year-on-year growth by six economists in a Reuters poll. Hong Kong reported 2.4% economic growth in the final quarter of 2024, 1.9% growth in the third quarter, 3.1% growth in the second quarter and 2.8% growth in the first quarter. The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
