China goes wild for Apple iPhone 5

Two models display the Apple iPhone 5 during the product's release at a store in Taipei (AFP)

The Chinese have shown a huge appetite for Apple, with the technology giant revealing record sales of its iPhone 5, despite a low-key launch last Friday.

Apple shifted more than 2 million iPhone 5s in the three days since its launch in China, representing its best iPhone rollout in the country.

Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, said: "China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products."

The sales came despite what many saw as a muted start, with just one person waiting at the Apple store in Shanghai's financial district when it opened its doors at 9am. Apple said this was due to an online sales lottery, introduced to stop gangs buying and reselling the phone in bulk as had happened with the near-riotous January launch of the iPhone 4.

But many remain unconvinced by the computer giant's strategy in the world's biggest smartphones market. Apple's failure to strike a deal with China Mobile, which has more than 700 million customers, is seen by many as a barrier to the company's success.