First-half efforts from the in-form Jackson Irvine and Nishan Velupillay at a near-sold out 80,000-seat Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou on Tuesday continued Popovic's unbeaten start to life as national team boss.
Not since Terry Venables in the 1990s has a Socceroos manager avoided defeat through their first six games.
But that will mean nothing if Popovic does not successfully navigate what is shaping as a pivotal June window.
The win over China has meant Australia, (13 points, +7 goal difference) retains the second automatic qualification spot in Group C.
But Saudi Arabia (10 points, -2 goal difference) are within touching distance after they held the already-qualified Japanese to a 0-0 draw in Saitama on Tuesday.
Australia take on Japan in Perth on June 5 in the first game of the window while Saudi Arabia face a short away trip to neighbours Bahrain before hosting the Socceroos on June 10 in a potential winner-takes-all encounter.
"Now the challenge is a great one," Popovic said.
"You've got Japan and Saudi… can we improve once more in June against the best in Asia?
"We were in front when we started this window… we did our part. We got six points. We extended our lead to three (points).
"We're in a good position because it's in our hands.
"But we have to get the job done (these are) two wonderful games coming up, first Japan in Perth, it will be a special match."
Goal difference decides which side will finish higher with the third and fourth-placed teams facing another round of qualifying.
Australia's away trip to face Saudi Arabia could be a dogfight but the Chinese - needing a win to revitalise their own hopes of automatic qualification - were bordering on passive for the opening 45 minutes on Tuesday.
Popovic made three changes from the side which beat Indonesia 5-1 last week, with Melbourne Victory's Ryan Teague handed a starting debut.
Teague, who is coincidentally also eligible for China, did not look out of place at the base of the Australian midfield.
"It was a great way to start… he's a very level-headed young man and he gave us some good balance," Popovic said.
Australia broke the deadlock after 16 minutes when Lewis Miller squared to Irvine on the edge of the China box.
Both Huang Zhengyu and Li Lei were unable to dispossess the dogged and determined St Pauli midfielder, who dispatched a dipping left-footed effort past Wang Dalei to give Australia an early lead.
More joy was to come from the Australia right flank when Miller, after combining with Hibernian clubmate Martin Boyle, fired in a low cross in the 28th minute.
China's defence was too concerned with energetic Socceroos striker Brandon Borello running towards the front post that they left Velupillay unmarked on the penalty spot.
As the ball deflected his way, Melbourne Victory winger Velupillay powered a downward shot towards the Chinese goal with Wang fumbling the ball into his own net to give Australia a 2-0 lead heading into half-time.
There was a brief Chinese fightback early into the second half but both efforts - a Li header and a shot from recently-naturalised Brazilian-born playmaker Serginho - were easily dealt with by goalkeeper Maty Ryan, who secured just the second cleansheet of the Popovic reign.
Irvine, who was named player of the match for a second game running after scoring twice in the win over Indonesia, said: "We came with a top mentality into this camp and we knew what was at stake, two massive games for us."
