Same-sex couples from China can now register their marriage in Taiwan, marking the first time cross-strait unions have been recognised.
Taiwan, which became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019, announced that from now on, same-sex couples can now be subject to the regulations of heterosexual couples.
However, due to tensions between Taiwan and China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and maintains a military presence around the island, cross-strait same-sex couples were previously not granted the same rights as heterosexual couples, AFP reported.
According to Liang Wen-chieh, the spokesman for Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, “from now on, same-sex couples can now be subject to the regulations of heterosexual couples.” Same-sex couples must first be legally married in one of the 35 countries that recognize marriage equality, and after submitting their marriage certificate and other documents, “relevant agencies will conduct interviews with the couple.”
“Only after passing the interview on the border (at the airport and ports) can they enter the country to register their marriages. This is our current principle for cross-strait marriages,” Liang added. He also noted that the rules governing heterosexual cross-strait marriages have long been in place “to prevent cross-border fake marriages and avoid problems of national security and social order.”
With this announcement, “the government upholds the principle of treating same-sex marriage and heterosexual marriage equally,” Liang said. Currently, there are approximately 360,000 Chinese spouses of Taiwanese citizens on the island, and they must wait six years to apply for citizenship in Taiwan, which is twice as long as those from other countries.
Taiwan is separated from mainland China by a narrow 180-kilometer (110-mile) waterway and has its own government, military, and currency. Beijing has stated that it will never renounce the use of force to bring the democratic island under its control.
Taiwan, which became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019, announced that from now on, same-sex couples can now be subject to the regulations of heterosexual couples.
However, due to tensions between Taiwan and China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and maintains a military presence around the island, cross-strait same-sex couples were previously not granted the same rights as heterosexual couples, AFP reported.
According to Liang Wen-chieh, the spokesman for Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, “from now on, same-sex couples can now be subject to the regulations of heterosexual couples.” Same-sex couples must first be legally married in one of the 35 countries that recognize marriage equality, and after submitting their marriage certificate and other documents, “relevant agencies will conduct interviews with the couple.”
“Only after passing the interview on the border (at the airport and ports) can they enter the country to register their marriages. This is our current principle for cross-strait marriages,” Liang added. He also noted that the rules governing heterosexual cross-strait marriages have long been in place “to prevent cross-border fake marriages and avoid problems of national security and social order.”
With this announcement, “the government upholds the principle of treating same-sex marriage and heterosexual marriage equally,” Liang said. Currently, there are approximately 360,000 Chinese spouses of Taiwanese citizens on the island, and they must wait six years to apply for citizenship in Taiwan, which is twice as long as those from other countries.
Taiwan is separated from mainland China by a narrow 180-kilometer (110-mile) waterway and has its own government, military, and currency. Beijing has stated that it will never renounce the use of force to bring the democratic island under its control.