Same-sex marriage in Belgium 14 December and published on 23 December 1999 made the Act of statutory cohabitation go into effect on 1 January 2000. During 1999, the PS (French-speaking Social Democrats) and Ecolo (French-speaking Greens) also announced they agreed to legalise same-sex marriage. At that point, the only remaining party in Government that opposed same-sex marriage was the French-speaking liberal PRL (later merged into MR), mainly because it was opposed to adoption rights for same-sex couples. PRL agreed not to block same-sex marriage if adoption rights are excluded. As the first same-sex marriage in the Netherlands was performed on 1 April 2001, the
Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia Debate has occurred throughout Asia over proposals to legalize same-sex marriage as well as civil unions. Following a Constitutional Court ruling, Taiwan could become the first nation in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage by 24 May 2019. In addition, Israel and Armenia recognise same-sex marriages validly performed abroad. Israel recognises unregistered cohabitation for same-sex couples. Several cities in Japan, Taiwan and Cambodia provide same-sex couples with some limited rights and benefits, including hospital visitation rights. In Hong Kong, the same-sex partners of residents can receive spousal visas. China: On 5 January 2016, a court