One thing is fairly certain: The union between same sex couples cannot be extended to the union between two territories separated by the Taiwan Strait.

That is because Taiwan is not entirely happy that China has come along to hail its historic same-sex marriage legalisation -- a move Taiwan deems opportunistic.

Seizing the opportunity

Inkstone News reported that China has taken the initiative to outwardly embrace the Taiwanese same-sex union legislation.

This was after Taiwan made history by becoming the first country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage on May 17.

Some 300 same-sex couples are expected to register their marriages when the law comes into effect on May 24, Al-Jazeera reported.

China claims Taiwan's same-sex marriage legalisation as its own

Immediately on May 17, in response to the Taiwan parliament passing the bill on same-sex marriage, China-based People's Daily put out a tweet:

Local lawmakers in #Taiwan, China, have legalized same-sex marriage in a first for Asia, according to local media reports. pic.twitter.com/laY82PMSop

— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) May 17, 2019

The tweet with the figures of same-sex couples can be seen as an assertion of Chinese ownership of the legalisation laws and Taiwan by extension.

The People's Daily is the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Inkstone News said.

Taiwan issues rebuke

The online action drew a rebuke from the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

MOFA put out a tweet that slammed the People's Daily as a "commie brainwasher" and asserted that Taiwan, with its democratic system, has nothing to do with that of China's autocracy.

WRONG! The bill was passed by our national parliament & will be signed by the president soon. Democratic #Taiwan is a country in itself & has nothing to do with authoritarian #China. @PDChina is a commie brainwasher & it sucks. JW https://t.co/eHKzXdzxoT

— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) May 19, 2019

In another separate tweet on May 17, prior to the People's Daily tweet, Taiwan's foreign affairs ministry also used the legalisation of same-sex marriage to call out China for its suppression of human rights and religious freedom, likely in reference to China's actions against the Uighurs in Xinjiang.

This is historic! As opposed to the growing suppression of #HumanRights & #ReligiousFreedom in authoritarian #China, #Taiwan just took a giant leap for #MarriageEquality & #LGBTQI protection. We're proud to be writing a new chapter in #Asia. JW pic.twitter.com/CLCoy9hGo2

— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) May 17, 2019

Global Times pushes out video showcasing Beijing as capital of queer culture

Subsequently, on May 18, Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times pushed out a LGBT-friendly video.

It featured a drag queen performance, an LGBT centre in Beijing, an interview with a social worker for transgenders and foreigners praising Beijing for celebrating the LGBT community openly in Beijing.

The video then concluded with an illustration of a "Beijing LGBTQ Map" and an acknowledgement of May 17 being International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, overlaid on a rainbow background.

A report by CNA on May 16 painted a different reality though.

It said Chinese censors were reported to have imposed further restrictions on the LGBT community in China.

These restrictions have included the closure of social media forums, the curbing of coverage regarding LGBT issues in the media, the removal of rainbow-themed products from online shops and greater difficulty in registrations for non-profit LGBT organisations with the government.

This is despite China having decriminalised homosexuality in 1997, and removing it from the list of mental illnesses in 2001.

Mainland Chinese still offer their congratulations to Taiwan

This has not stopped many mainland Chinese citizens from offering their congratulations to Taiwan, Inkstone News further reported.

Reports of Taiwan's passing of same-sex marriage bill have racked up over half a billion views thus far on Weibo.

In Taiwan, LGBT community rejoices, opponents vow to punish government

As for Taiwan, the issue has caused a division within the country.

The population outside Taiwan's cities and the older generations are highly conservative, CNA reported.

But for Taiwanese gay rights activist Chi Chia-wei, who was the person who launched the petition that led to the 2017 ruling by Taiwan's Constitutional Court on same-sex marriage, the May 24 marriage registrations represented what he saw as the culmination of a 30-year struggle to have the law changed.

Chi said: "I feel very happy that same-sex couples can finally register and be listed as each other's spouse. I am honoured to witness Friday's marriage registrations."

Meanwhile, opponents of the law have vowed to punish Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and the lawmakers who passed the bill.

Taiwan votes for a new parliament and president in January 2020.

More details on the law:

Top image screenshot from BBC