Over two million Apple Inc's new iPhone 5 were sold in just three days after being launched on Friday in China.

"Customer response to the iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with our best first weekend sales ever in the country.

"China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products," Xinhua News Agency quoted Apple CEO, Tim Cook, as saying.

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.

Following the downtrend in December, Apple's shares rose from US$509.79 on Friday to US$518.83 on Monday on the Nasdaq. Bernama