The remote Sanbao township in the Turpan depression of Xinjiang saw temperatures climb up to 52.2C.
Sunday's temperature broke the previous record of 50.3C, measured in 2015 near Ayding in the depression, a vast basin of sand dunes and dried-up lakes more than 150 metres below sea level.
China has been hit by a series of climate disasters this year with ongoing heatwaves shattering record after record, extreme rainfall prompting floods and landslides and tropical storm Talim making landfall on Monday.
The record 50C temperature comes after China's Mohe, in Heilongjiang province, recorded temperatures of minus 53C in January amid an extreme cold spell.
China has been facing a dramatic swing of extreme weather in recent days, with back-to-back heatwaves and thunderstorms hitting various parts of the country.
The country recorded its hottest June since 2000, with Beijing enduring temperatures over 35C for 14 consecutive days, the highest number of scorching days since records began in 1961.
In recent days, temperatures have repeatedly crossed the highs of 45C in several northern regions, while severe rainfall and flooding have killed dozens in Southwest China.
Meteorologists are predicting that sweltering conditions in the country will persist for the next five days, asking citizens to brace for relentless heat.
The extreme weather has triggered Chinese cities to open air raid shelters to provide relief to their citizens. Employers were ordered to restrict outdoor work due to soaring temperatures.
The record-breaking heatwave in China aligns with the global trend of extreme temperatures. Large parts of Europe and North and Central America are reeling under record-shattering heat.
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