<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-30</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2009-03-24</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001027229</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APT SATELLITE HOLDINGS LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>1045</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001456907</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>James JayCee</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>9298 SVL BOX</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>VICTORVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92395</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Majority Holder</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2009-03-30</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>413000000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>41300000</value>
                </valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <remarks>All Ordinary shares currently outstanding on OTC market Tier Pink Sheets under Ticker Symbol ASEJF and HSE 1045 As of January 14, 2009 shall be transferred to majority holder accqrding to SEC Forms 4 and Form 4/A, SEC Form 3 filed March 24, 2009 and subsequently Form 3A filed March 26, 2009 and ownership listed with all Market Makers, exchanges, and Transfer Agents including proper book entry as permitted in the most current SEC Form 4 and subsequently Form 4/A filing. As used herein, the term own includes legal ownership, but in all cases includes beneficial ownership more than 50% of whose equity interests are beneficially owned. Owners of ADRs have been previously notified that The Bank of New York Mellon received a Notice of Termination from the Company to terminated the ADR facility. According to Securities and Exchange filings control is deemed to exist as permitted under 13d-4 of SEC 34. I expressly declare that the current filing shall be construed as an admission that such person is for the purposes of Sections 13(d) or 13(g) the beneficial owner of any securities covered by the filings defined for these purposes. The reporting entity hereby entitle the majority holder the right to vote on matters of corporate policy and the composition of the members of the board of directors of the foreign entity in its domiciled country according to the controlling interest of ordinary shares held.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>JayCee James</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
