China is not prepared to register any marriage between people of
the same sex, but will allow AIDS patients to marry if certain
requirements for their marriage are met, a senior Chinese civil
affairs official has said.
An adult male and female in love need only to provide their ID
cards and residence booklets, and sign a statement that they are
single and not related before registration, said Zhang Mingliang,
director of the Department of Grassroots Government Units and
Community Development under the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MOCA)
Tuesday afternoon.
"Even a couple with infectious diseases or AIDS may marry if
they so wish," Zhang said, adding that marriage is still prohibited
for insane persons.
"Of course those people with epidemic diseases should receive
medical treatment in accordance with relevant laws and
regulations," Zhang said, "but the new regulations on marriage
registration have no special restriction on marriage involving such
people."
It is estimated that the number of AIDS patients in
this most populous country had topped one million by the end
of 2002.
China unveiled its new, and more relaxed regulations on marriage
registration on Monday.
The new regulations dissolved the long-held requirement for
approved certificates from the employers of those wanting to get
married or divorced.
"Certificates from the employers violated, to some extent, the
principled policy of the freedom of marriage," Zhang said.
In fact, observers acknowledged that the ongoing reform of the
country's labor system and a growing population flow in the market
economy had contributed to the slackening of the existing
rules.
The new regulations, consisting of six chapters, or 22 items,
will replace the old version published in 1994 and take effect as
of Oct. 1.
Officials from the MOCA, the ministry in charge of China's
marriage registration, said that certificates from the employers
would, nevertheless, still be required for those wishing to get
married before Oct. 1 this year.
(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2003)