Taipei, May 17 (CNA) The Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) and several same-sex couples on Sunday urged Taiwan's government to allow same-sex marriages between couples from different countries.

Taiwan's government legalized same-sex marriage in May 2019, becoming the first Asian country to do so.

According to the Act Governing the Choice of Law in Civil Matters Involving Foreign Elements, however, a cross-national same-sex marriage can only be recognized in Taiwan if the countries of which the two partners are citizens both recognize same-sex marriage.

The restriction discriminates against the LGBT community in Taiwan as marriage is a constitutional right, Pan Tien-ching (潘天慶), a lawyer from the TAPCPR, said at a press conference held near Taiwan's Presidential Office Building.

Several cross-national same-sex couples lamented their difficult situations at the press conference.