While the depiction isn't exactly an all-out ringing endorsement, a new commercial for Tmall, a large e-commerce platform owned by Alibaba, is garnering attention and support from China's gay community for its inclusion of a same-sex couple.

A statute of Tmall displayed at Alibaba's headquarters in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province.

The ad depicts a man bringing home what appears to be his partner for the Lunar New Year, Reuters reports. The young man introduces his companion as "Kelvin," and as two girls giggle knowingly, the camera cuts to his father looking on with seeming disapproval.

An awkward moment ensues when, during dinner, Kelvin calls his partner's father "Dad." The moment is followed by voice-over promoting a discount on dried seeds and nuts, a reference to a Chinese-language expression meaning to watch drama unfold.

The spot, as one commenter on Chinese social media site Weibo noted, sidesteps taking a clear position on same-sex relationships, which was likely a strategic decision in a country that has continued to crackdown on LGBTQ content in recent years. Still, the individual praised the commercial, saying "the fact that we can see it is already an amazing step."

"Chinese New Year is a time for family reunion and inclusion, and the ad is a creative expression to celebrate such an occasion," an Alibaba spokesperson said in a statement.

"The support of large companies for sexual minorities is one of the important factors for sexual minorities to gain visibility and be seen and recognized by the public. Thank you Tmall!" wrote Lovematters—a popular account on Weibo—while sharing the ad.

While much of Chinese society remains socially conservative, advocates are hopeful progress is on the horizon. The government recently acknowledged petitions calling for marriage equality to become the law of the land, and a number of government-related Weibo accounts posting polls in December seeking public feedback on the topic.