The Philippine navy announced that the Chinese coast guard seized suspected rocket debris a Philippine naval boat had collected in the South China Sea.

The navy says sailors spotted a metal object floating in waters off the Philippine-held island of Pagasa on Sunday.

Pieces of what appear to be debris of a rocket China launched end of October have been found off the coasts of Filipino islands facing the South China Sea this month.

The navy says the object was being towed by a Philippine rubber boat when a Chinese coast guard ship approached and blocked it.

The Chinese vessel then deployed its own rubber boat with personnel who retrieved the object by cutting the towing line attached to the boat.

The incident comes as the Philippine government is taking steps to ratify UN treaties providing a basis for compensation for harm from space debris from other nations.

Philippine government officials say they will investigate why the Chinese coast guard seized the floating object to discuss their response.

Meanwhile, China denied the Philippine navy's explanation that its coast guard used force to take control of suspected rocket debris.

Meeting reporters on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said one of its coastguard ships discovered a floating object in waters surrounding the Spratly Islands.

She said the object is believed to be debris from the rocket China launched recently.

She claimed that people from the Philippines side salvaged and towed the floating object first. She said "after both sides had friendly negotiations at the scene, the Philippines handed over the floating object to us."

She added the Chinese side expressed gratitude, and that "it was not a situation in which we waylaid and grabbed the object."