Rela, a popular dating app for lesbians in China that boasts over 5m users has been shut down, with the app disappearing from both the Android and Apple app stores, and its website and account on social network Sina Weibo both deleted.

Users began to notice that the app was not accessible last week, but the reasons behind the shutdown are unclear. A spokesperson for Rela told users on WeChat that the service had been suspended for an “important adjustment in service” and that “Rela has always been with you and please await its return”.

Some users have speculated that the shutdown may be connected to Rela’s presence at a ‘marriage market’ in Shanghai on 20 May, when employees handed out “educational flyers” to older parents who were trying to find partners for their unmarried sons and daughters. According to Chinese news site Sixth Tone, security officers ordered the employees to leave the park because they had not registered their “advertising event” with the police.

The removal also comes shortly after Taiwan’s highest court ruled in favour of legalising same-sex marriage, making it the first place in Asia to do so. While the Taiwanese parliament has yet to amend new legislation or amend existing laws to make same-sex marriage fully legal, the decision was celebrated by LGBTQ campaigners across Asia and the world.

While homosexuality is not illegal in China, it was considered a mental disorder until 2001 and attitudes towards LGBTQ citizens remain conservative, especially among older people. Gay activists say that this atmosphere contributes to occasional government clampdowns on LGBTQ activity.

In April, another Chinese dating app, Zank, which focused on gay and bisexual men, was shut down after operating for almost four years. According to a message on its Sina Weibo account, it had been accused by the Cyberspace Administration of China of broadcasting pornographic content.

Despite this, LGBTQ apps remain a popular investment for several Chinese firms. Blued, another dating app, received substantial funding from the state-backed Beijing News in February, while the world’s largest gay social networking app, Grindr, was recently bought out by Chinese gaming company Kunlun Tech.