Apple CEO discusses security with top Chinese official amid hacking claims: Xinhua

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) Chief Executive Tim Cook discussed user data security at a meeting on Wednesday with a top Chinese government official in Beijing, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The meeting comes days after a Chinese web monitoring group published a report saying Apple users in China have been targeted in a sophisticated and widespread attack by hackers seeking private user data stored on the iCloud service.

The group, Greatfire.org, has alleged Chinese government involvement in the hack, a claim the government has strongly refuted. Apple has not issued any public statements on the matter.

At a meeting on Wednesday in Zhongnanhai, the Beijing complex housing China's central government, Cook and Vice Premier Ma Kai exchanged views on "protection of users' information" as well as "strengthening cooperation and in information and communication fields," according to Xinhua.

Greatfire told Reuters that Apple appeared to have rerouted user data on Tuesday to circumvent the hack.

The company did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.