The Tom Cruise action epic opened with $18.5 million (£12 million) on Tuesday (September 8) - making it highest-grossing debut ever for a Hollywood 2D film.
Overall, it only trails 3D films Furious 7's $54.4 million (£35.4 million), Avengers: Age of Ultron's $29.2 million (£19 million), Transformers: Age of Extinction's $27.4 million (£17.8 million) and Terminator Genisys's $26.7 million (£17.3) in biggest debuts for a US film in China.
Rogue Nation hit a milestone over the weekend in the West as well, as it passed the $500 million (£325m) mark at the global box office.
With a massive opening and possible sustained box office in China, director Christopher McQuarrie's sequel appears likely to overtake the $695 million haul earned by predecessor Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol in 2011.
Cruise recently revealed he is already planning his sixth outing as Ethan Hunt, saying: "We're starting to work on it now. We'll probably start shooting it next summer."