Since 1997 Hong Kong has been a Special Administrative Region of China with its own legal system under the “one country, two systems” principle. The city is cosmopolitan and tolerant in everyday life, but same-sex couples lag behind legally – the courts are driving equality more than politics.
Legal situation: Homosexuality has been legal since 1991; there is no same-sex marriage or partnership. In September 2023 the Court of Final Appeal ordered the government to create a legal framework recognising same-sex partnerships within two years; however, the Legislative Council (LegCo) rejected the bill in September 2025 by 71 votes to 14, and the deadline expired at the end of October 2025 without a framework. Same-sex marriages concluded abroad are recognised in some areas following court rulings, such as public housing and inheritance (Court of Final Appeal, November 2024). There is no law against discrimination based on sexual orientation.