The invention relates to a 
cerium-based catalyst, and relates to an application of the 
cerium-based catalyst in 
methane oxyhalogenation methods used for preparing halogenated 
methane. The 
methane oxyhalogenation methods used for preparing halogenated methane comprise a methane 
chlorine oxidation method used for preparing methyl 
chloride and a methane 
bromine oxidation method used for preparing methyl 
bromide. The 
cerium-based catalyst is suitable to be used in methane oxyhalogenation reactions. The cerium-based catalyst can be a CeO2 catalyst, a cerium-based bi-component 
composite oxide catalyst, a load-type cerium-based 
oxide catalyst, or the like. With the cerium-based catalyst, the methane oxyhalogenation reactions including a 
chlorine oxidation reaction and a 
bromine oxidation reaction can be effectively and stably catalyzed, and methyl 
chloride and methyl 
bromide can be prepared. With the cerium-based catalyst, reactants such as CH4, HCl and O2 can be catalytically converted with high efficiency for carrying out a 
chlorine oxidation reaction, such that products CH3Cl and CH2Cl2 are produced. Also, with the cerium-based catalyst, reactants such as CH4, HBr(H2O), and O2 can be converted with high efficiency for carrying out a 
bromine oxidation reaction, such that products CH3Br and CH2Br2 are produced.