Chinese officials have delayed the plan to demolish a newly-built mosque in the country's North West after hundreds of ethnic Hui Muslims held sit-in protests in what is said to be the largest standoff in Beijing's efforts to clampdown on Islamisation.

The local county head came to the mosque around midnight, urging everyone to go home and promised that the government would not touch the newly-built structure until a reconstruction plan has been agreed upon by the townsmen.