Hong Kong same-sex bill that granted limited rights voted down by lawmakers

The bill, which granted limited legal rights to couples registered overseas, was voted down by lawmakers 71 to 14.

A Hong Kong bill that proposed limited legal rights to same-sex couples has been voted down by lawmakers in the Chinese semi-autonomous city’s Legislative Council.

The bill had proposed to allow residents who have already formed unions overseas to register their partnerships locally and to grant them rights in handling medical and funeral matters.

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That included the ability to access their partners’ medical information and participate in medical decisions with consent, and claim their deceased partners’ remains.

“Today is a disappointing day for Hong Kong,” advocacy group Hong Kong Marriage Equality said in a statement after the vote.

“(It) sends a troubling signal to both local and international communities — that court rulings may be disregarded and the dignity of individuals overlooked.”

The Registration of Same-Sex Partnerships Bill, unveiled in July, stemmed from one of the legal victories that pushed the government to offer more equal rights to gays and lesbians.

The government has stressed that marriages in Hong Kong will remain defined as a union between a man and a woman, but it proposed a registration system for same-sex couples whose partnership is legally recognised abroad.

However, the bill met fierce opposition from lawmakers, even though it followed the top court’s 2023 ruling stating the government should provide a framework for recognising such relationships and giving it two years to work out a solution.

Out of the lawmakers who attended the meeting, 71 voted against the bill, 14 approved it, and one abstained.

‘Alarming disdain for LGBTQ rights’

Despite LGBT activists decrying its limitations, the bill drew near-universal criticism from the pro-Beijing politicians that dominate Hong Kong’s legislature.

“The proposed bill on same-sex partnerships was flawed, but in rejecting it, the government has shown an alarming disdain for [LGBTQ] rights,” Amnesty International said after the vote.

“The failure of this bill must not be the end … On the contrary, it should be the catalyst for the authorities to produce a stronger bill.”

Same-sex marriage is not legal in China, and social stigma remains widespread.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China with its own legislature and a mini-constitution that guarantees a “high degree of autonomy”.

However, the city’s once vibrant political opposition and civil society have been effectively silenced since Beijing introduced a sweeping national security law in 2020.

Authorities gave the public seven days to write in with their views on Wednesday’s bill.

Of the 10,800 submissions received, 80 percent were against it, according to the government.

Hong Kong Marriage Equality said that around half the submissions opposing the bill used templates that indicate “strong mobilisation by specific groups”.

The findings contrast with a 2023 survey carried out by three universities that found 60 percent of those polled support same-sex marriage.