A cute video of a man proposing to his boyfriend on a subway train in Beijing has gone viral in China – and this is why.

Okay, we’ve seen a million viral marriage proposal videos – from the Home Depot Proposal to countless more flash mobs – but this one is extra special.

China is a notoriously conservative country and while Beijing currently provides dependent residency status to the same-sex partners of legal residents, it does not officially recognise same-sex unions. Homosexuality was only decriminalised in 1997, and the Chinese government forbids gay movies to be shown on TV or in theatres because they are “inappropriate” – making this very public display of affection even more beautiful.

Watch the heartwarming moment when fellow commuters cheer on the happy couple.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z5mBNtegsw