"Customer response to the iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with our best first weekend sales ever in China," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.
"China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products," he said, following Friday's launch of the iPhone 5 on the Chinese mainland.
Earlier reports spoke of lukewarm response.
Customers can order the latest iPhone through Apple's online store and its retail outlets, and also buy it from resellers and stores of operator partners China Unicom and China Telecom.
The highly anticipated debut, three months later than the product's initial launch in nine countries and regions, is widely expected to boost Apple's sales in the fourth quarter as well as its share price, state run Xinhua news agency reported.
Apple's shares rose from USD 509.79 on Friday to USD 518.83 on the Nasdaq.
They had been on a downward trend in December, dropping from USD 586.19 on December 3 to a one-month low of USD 509.79 on December 14.