Same sex marriage isn’t allowed in China but a British diplomat did it anyway.

The consul-general of Britain assigned in Shanghai married his male partner during the weekend in Beijing. This has sparked debate around the country and has irked several gay unions.

British diplomat Brian Davidson got married to American Scott Chang last Saturday. This was according to a post on his verified account on China’s microblogging site Weibo. Although China does not permit same sex marriages, UK nationals have been allowed under new set of rules.

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Citizens of UK have been allowed to enter into marriage in 24 countries worldwide in British consulates.
In his verified account on Sina Weibo, Ambassador Sebastian Wood posted a photo between the newly-weds.

He captioned the photo, "Keep calm and marry on." He also wrote that he was very happy to host the same sex marriage of the diplomat in his house. He also wished Davidson and Chang happiness throughout their married life.

According to a report from AFP, the same sex marriage ceremony was confirmed by a spokesperson for the British embassy and added the event was seen as private by the couple. A total of 60 guests were present during the ceremony.

After the news broke and went viral online, it sparked mixed reactions among netizens. One Weibo user commented, “That country is clearly sick. It's like the last days of Rome." Meanwhile, another user wrote, "I respect foreign gay culture. But it's not Chinese culture. Please respect that."

In recent years, bigger Chinese cities have been more open to homosexuality. This led to many accepting the same sex marriage between Davidson and Chang. The British diplomat has now become a gay icon in China, according to a report from The Telegraph.

According to one Sina Weibo user, "It's real love. I wish them well and feel envy."

TagsBrian Davidson, Scott Chang, Sebastian Wood