The "shaking" building in southern China will be closed for the foreseeable future pending clarification, the owner of the building said.

The SEG Plaza in the southern city of Shenzhen near Hong Kong began shaking in the early afternoon on Tuesday, forcing visitors to flee the building in panic.

Emergency officials ruled out the earthquake as the cause of the wobble.

In an internal notice to tenants and traders released by the official Xinhua News Agency, the building's owner said it would be barred from entering until an investigation was completed without giving a timeline.

The measure comes into force on Friday.