China took aim at Apple on Friday, calling iPhone's location tracker a "national security" concern, the Wall Street Journal reported.

China Central Television (CCTV), citing a report by an online security expert, said the iPhone's ability to track location and record time can be used to collect and analyze data on the Chinese economy and even "state secrets." 

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The influential state broadcaster was referring to data stored in iPhone's "Frequent Locations" feature, which it claimed can be rooted out and used in nefarious activities.

Although CCTV does not necessarily represent the views of top officials in Beijing, the broadcaster has proven to exert influence on businesses.

It has issued critical reports in the past that prompted some companies to change policies or make product recalls.

In Friday's CCTV report, an institution that specializes in online security demonstrated how iPhone's location-tracking function can pose a risk to national security.

Apple has yet to respond to the report, which follows a series of Chinese media attacks on American companies including Google, Facebook and Microsoft. The technology firms have been accused of participating in U.S. spying activities.

Concerns over national security have escalated since American contractor Edward Snowden alleged last year that U.S. tech companies were helping the National Security Agency spy on China by giving the government access to their servers.

CCTV referred to Snowden's allegations and said databases of U.S. tech firms were "a gold mine." The broadcast echoed calls from officials for China to tighten laws on data protection and make Apple responsible for harm that any stolen data would cause.

Apple says iPhone's tracking function was designed to assist users, for example, in planning travel routes.

Cybersecurity has been a sticky point in U.S.-China relations. In May, Washington brought espionage charges against five Chinese military officers accused of breaking into U.S. computer systems.

TagsChina vs. Apple, Edward Snowden, cyberspying, U.S. tech companies, iPhone, China Central Television