A survey carried out by Chinese University researchers suggests many same-sex couples in Hong Kong would like to get married one day.

The government said last year that it is working on an alternative framework for recognising same-sex relationships, after losing a legal fight against jailed activist Jimmy Sham.

CUHK researchers on Monday said a survey involving 908 people who identify as members of sexual minorities in Hong Kong in 2023 found 90 percent believe same-sex marriage is important, and around 70 percent would like to get married themselves one day.

"Right now, so for married heterosexual couples, they already have an existing framework. So if they can pass on kind of the same pattern of laws, which they can call civil partnership, they can call it marriage, but then make it comparable to non-heterosexual couples, then that would be great," said Alan, who joined the researchers' press conference along with his partner Hong.

The couple, who wed in the US in 2022, said the lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriages in Hong Kong at the moment can pose challenges.

"For example, when my spouse gets sick, I would like to use my insurance package from work so that he can also be covered for medical visits. But I know in Hong Kong, not all insurance companies explicitly state that your spouse also includes same-sex couples," he said.

"And also inheritance rights, that's also a significant hurdle for us," he added.

Meanwhile, CUHK said another survey involving 146 people with non-heterosexual children found more than half of the parents were worried their sons and daughters would not get married due to their sexual orientation.

Seventy percent of the parents expressed fears that their children would have no one to take care of them when they are older.