Apple chief Tim Cook has held talks with a top Chinese official regarding his firm's business expansion in the country after the US tech giant removed an app popular with Hong Kong protesters.

The meeting took place in Beijing yesterday as Apple faced heavy criticism for banning the mobile software following pressure from China.

The blocked app, HKmap.live, helped demonstrators in the financial hub to track police movements.

Xiao Yaqing (far right), the director general of China's State Administration for Market Regulation, meets with Apple CEO Tim Cook (far left) in Beijing on Thursday

The programme was removed from App Store last week after People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, accused Apple of 'facilitating illegal behaviour'.

Apple said in a statement that HKmap.live was removed because it 'has been used to target and ambush police' and 'threaten public safety.' It said that it violated local law and Apple guidelines.

Mr Cook then defended his firm's decision, claiming the app had been used 'maliciously to target individual officers for violence', according to a leaked email.

Apple's move immediately prompted accusations that the firm was putting business interests above human rights.

'This use put the app in violation of Hong Kong law. Similarly, widespread abuse clearly violates our App Store guidelines barring personal harm,' Tim Cook said in a leaked email

A protester wearing a Guy Fawkes mask uses her mobile phone during a demonstration in Hong Kong on October 9. Tech-savvy activists have been using software to organise rallies

Mr Cook met with Xiao Yaqing, the director general of the State Administration for Market Regulation of China, on Thursday in Beijing.

The news was announced by the market regulator, which also published a picture of the meeting on its website.

'The two sides had in-depth exchanges on a wide range of topics including expanding investment and business development in China, protecting consumer rights and interests, and fulfilling corporate social responsibility,' a statement said.

People's Daily said last week in an opinion piece that by stocking the app, Apple was 'mixing business with politics, and even illegal acts'.

'Apple's approval for the app obviously helps rioters,' the article said.

'Does this mean Apple intended to be an accomplice to the rioters?'

HKmap.live allows users to report police locations, use of tear gas and other details that are added to a regularly updated map. An Android version and a web version are still available

A display of the app 'HKmap.live' designed by an outside supplier and available on Apple's online store is seen in Hong Kong on Wednesday. The app has been taken down by Apple

Apple removed the mobile application from the App Store after facing criticism by Beijing

Cook last week defended the decision to remove the app in an email to Apple employees shared online.

The leaked communique said the company had received 'credible information' that the app had been used 'maliciously to target individual officers for violence and to victimize individuals and property'.

The makers of HKmap.live lashed out at Apple's removal as 'censorship' and 'clearly a political decision to suppress freedom'.

The developers countered that the app gathers information from users, social networks and news outlets to show where police have gathered, not where they aren't.

People carry posters and pictures of 15-year-old student Chan Yin-lam who was found dead in the sea as they march to protest against what they say is the abuse of pro-democracy activists by Hong Kong police, at Chater Garden in Central district in Hong Kong on October 18

China has pressured international businesses and brands to take their stand on the unrest

Another version of the software is available for smartphones that use the Android operating system. It also has a web-based version.

Other international brands have faced backlashes in China over the tense summer of unrest in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific, jewellery brand Tiffany, and the NBA all met with censure for appearing to support the protests.

Chinese state newspaper Global Times last week issued a stern warning to worldwide businesses, telling them to stay away from politics.