Earlier this month, China halted plans to introduce tougher penalties for traffic offences, following a public outcry.

BBC: China fireworks truck blast causes deadly road collapse

Last year, China temporarily halted exports of rare earth minerals to Japan.

FORBES: A New Trend for Rare Earth Stocks?

The trading of live birds - how poultry is traditionally sold in China - has also been halted at a market in the Zhejiang city of Hangzhou, after the virus was detected in quail being sold there.

BBC: China steps up bird flu precautions

Prior to Saudi Arabia, only Japan, China and South Africa had halted imports of all Brazilian beef since Brazil announced on December 7 that a 13-year-old cow that died in 2010 in Parana tested positive for the protein linked to the development of BSE.

MSN: Saudi Arabia bans Brazil beef imports on mad cow doubts

China said only that the film's screening had been halted for "technical reasons" without elaborating what that meant.

NPR: Hollywood Yielding To China's Growing Film Clout