UK consulates to China uncertain over their provision of wedding service

Mixed message over same-sex marriage

British nationals who want to register for same-sex marriage in British consulates in China may not experience the convenience the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK has announced, as different responses were offered from the five missions in China.

The British Embassy in Beijing responded to the Global Times on Wednesday with a Foreign Office press release, which states that the "Consular Marriage and Marriages under Foreign Law Order 2014 came into force on June 3 and means that same-sex marriages will be able to take place at British Consulates in 23 countries including China and Russia."

It did not confirm whether the embassy is open for same-sex marriage registration, while a media officer with the British Consulate in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, told the Global Times that the service is yet to be put in place in Guangzhou, but it is ready in Beijing. The other three consulates in China were out of reach as of press time.

The British Consulate in Hong Kong reportedly said it was unable to perform same-sex marriage services on Monday because of an objection from the local government, which aroused outrage among the local LGBT community.

"It would be for individual consulates-general to decide what functions and services they would wish to provide to their nationals," the Hong Kong Protocol Division said, adding that such functions are in line with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and [Hong Kong's] Consular Relations Ordinance, reported the South China Morning Post.

"Everyone is a bit dismayed as to why Hong Kong is not included as China is on the list. At this stage we just look for clarity from [the] Hong Kong government on this issue, but in general it is great news for the LGBT community worldwide," said Hong Kong-based Briton Rik Glauert, an editor of LGBT social networking website fridae.asia.

LGBT activists from the Chinese mainland also felt inspired at the decision. "It indicates a dim hope, though limited, to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the Chinese mainland," said Ah Qiang, founder of PFLAG China, a Guangzhou-based LGBT organization formed by LGBT people and their supporters.

Xiao Tie, executive director of the Beijing LGBT Center, said that in general, Chinese society has become friendlier toward the LGBT community.

"The fact that China has joined the list could be seen as a sign to prove a friendlier attitude at the national level, while the confusing differences among consulates may happen at policy implementation at the local level," she said.

Chris Bryant, former minister with the UK Foreign Office, previously said he hoped the move would be "celebrated" in countries where homosexuals face prejudice and persecution.

"Part of the Foreign Office's job is to export British values abroad," Bryant was quoted by The Telegraph as saying.