Same-sex weddings will not be legally recognized on the Chinese mainland, in accordance with the country’s conservative views on marriage, a top Chinese official said Wednesday.

Responding to a journalist’s question about marriage equality, Zang Tiewei, a spokesman for the legal affairs committee of China’s top legislative body, said during a press conference that marriage is defined by Chinese law as a union between a man and a woman. He further called this view of marriage “consistent with our country’s national circumstances, history, and culture.”

“As far as I know, most countries in the world do not legally recognize same-sex marriage,” Zang said.

China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997 and removed it from an official list of mental disorders in 2001. Despite legal and social challenges, the country’s LGBT community has become more visible and vocal in recent years. Earlier this month, Beijing legally recognized its first mutual guardianship agreement between two people of the same sex, in a historic first for the city. (Image: IC)