China has agreed to the adoption of a resolution seeking to maintain peace and stability in the regional seas consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" said Saturday.

In a press conference, Zubiri said the Chinese parliamentarians consenting to the inclusion of UNCLOS in the resolution "is a key essential" at the 31st Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum.

"We are very happy that the delegation from China graciously accepted our proposed amendment. So, we included, and initially, they didn't want to have any mention of the UNCLOS and freedom of navigation, pero pumayag na rin sila (they eventually agreed)," Zubiri said.

China initially objected to the resolutions sponsored by the Philippines and Indonesia on maritime security and settling disputes due to the provisions that urged the adherence to international laws through international bodies, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

UNCLOS is an international convention that provides for a comprehensive regime of law, rules, and order in the world's oceans and seas.

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, who chaired the APPF 31 working group on political and security matters, said China had reservations about almost all the paragraphs of the resolution.

With China's objection, Dela Rosa the resolution tackled was rejected on Friday.

Citing the APPF rules in which a resolution can only be adopted through a consensus, Dela Rosa noted that China's objection resulted in the rejection of the Philippines and Indonesia's drafted maritime resolutions.

"Kahit na sabihin mo one percent lang, even 99 percent of the delegation is supportive of the resolution—'pag mayroon lang isa na mag voice out ng kanilang reservation, masi-set aside 'yan. Unlike my proposed resolution kahapon walang nag oppose, mayroon lang nag comment, Russia and then ang agree naman sila later on na irevise yung wordings, according ayun lumusot. That was on combatting transnational crimes," he said.

At the final plenary session on Saturday, the APPF body adopted 10 resolutions, which include the Strengthening of the Capacity of Parliaments to Promote Peace and Stability.

The 31st APPF Joint Communique stated that "Member Parliaments further committed to increase their efforts in promoting and maintaining peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of the high seas, consistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."

"The APPF Member parliaments also resolved to protect the marine environment and biodiversity and promote a safe and sustainable blue economy that can benefit all nations," the joint communique further reads.

The Joint Communiqué serves as the final document output at the conclusion of every APPF.

Zubiri said the final version of the resolution will contain a provision stating "recognizing that the maritime regime in the region based on international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, that sets up a legal order for the peaceful use of the seas and oceans, including freedom of navigation and overflight, and other internationally lawful uses of the sea related to these freedoms has facilitated our region's impressive economic growth."

"It's not an order or a law but it carries a lot of persuasive effect and lobbying to different parliaments because we come together with these wishes for our region. Will it be implemented? That's a different story, but at the very least, we came together to approve all these 10 resolutions for the betterment of our region. We hope that it will have some persuasive effect," the Senate President stressed.

Zubiri said his "friendly persuasive powers" during a social gathering on Friday night could have been influenced the China's apparent change of position on the resolution.

"Ang sabi ko naman sa kanila, hindi masamang tao ang mga Pilipino. Sabi ko sa kanila, sa tingin ko hindi masamang tao ang mga Chinese. Merong mga leaders siguro, policy nila 'yung gusto nilang mangyari pero 'wag natin pag-awayin 'yung ating iba't ibang kababayan at kababayan nila, because I know within their hearts they like peace in the region and I think the head of Chinese delegation is nodding his head, he agreed and thankful for the warm welcome they received," he shared.

Before the start of the APPF, Zubiri had been pushing to discuss the situation in the South China Sea in a "non-combative and diplomatic way" during the forum.