Same-sex couples cannot legally marry in China and discrimination remains widespread, with activists saying spaces for LGBTQ expression have all but vanished in recent years.

Over the weekend, Chinese social media users pointed out that the full versions of apps Blued and Finka, which share a Hong Kong-based owner, had disappeared from the Apple and Android stores.

An Apple spokesperson told AFP: "Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only."

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) is the government's national internet regulator and top censor. In recent months it has penalised social media platforms over content management.

"We follow the laws in the countries where we operate," the Apple spokesperson said.

Earlier this year, the developer of Finka had "elected to remove the app from storefronts outside of China, and Blued was available only in China", the spokesperson added.

On Tuesday, an express version of Blued remained available to download from Apple's Chinese app store.

And while the full versions have been pulled from stores, existing users say the apps do not appear to be blocked.

Newborn Town, owner of Blued and Finka, has not responded to AFP's request for comment.

AFP was unable to immediately reach the CAC.

Lawyer Zhao Hu, who has long campaigned for LGBTQ rights, told AFP that the CAC's decision was "unexpected", and questioned its legality.

"Blued and Finka, both having been on the market for nearly a decade, were taken down without explanation," he said.

If the apps were removed without the company's consent, this could be seen as an infringement of its interests, which would make it an unlawful act, Zhao added.

Hu Zhijun, co-founder of PFLAG China, a group that campaigns for the acceptance of the LGBTQ community, said it was regrettable the apps had been removed.

The apps helped gay men "lead better, more stable lives and find partners for intimate relationships", he told AFP.

"They should have been seen as a positive thing and a socially beneficial initiative."

In recent years, campaigners have witnessed the scope for LGBTQ organisations to offer services and activities steadily diminish in the country, while offline meeting spaces have disappeared.

This ongoing trend of "isolation" has led to heightened anxiety and vulnerability within the community, said Hu.

"This is profoundly detrimental to their mental wellbeing."

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