Bright streaks of space rocket launch debris from China flew across the sky in the Philippines.

Footage shows the glowing fragments illuminating the dark horizon as seen by residents from a hill in Cebu City, the Philippines, in the early hours of December 4.

One of the locals, Doms Salazar, can be heard saying: 'What is that? It looks like a meteor.'

Doms said they did not know what it really was, but they looked like fireballs that left burn marks behind.

He said: 'I called my friends and asked what they were. I told them it could be meteors.'

The Philippine Space Agency later said they were debris from China's Long March 3B rocket launch.

The agency issued an advisory about the launch from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre a day before on December 3, although they clarified it would not pose a threat to ships, planes, fishing boats, or vessels in the area.

Space colonisation efforts have gained momentum in recent years, driven by both private enterprises - like Elon Musk's SpaceX - and governments aiming to establish permanent habitats beyond Earth. This includes the strategic use of Earth's orbit for satellites and other space infrastructure.

At its core, space colonisation envisions creating self-sustaining communities on other planets, moons, or within space stations. Supporters claim the ultimate goal is to expand humanity's presence in space, ensuring long-term survival and reducing dependence on Earth.