(Yicai) Sept. 12 -- The chairman of Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Group, which is the exclusive operator of US tech giant Apple’s iCloud services in mainland China, is under investigation by the government of southwestern Guizhou province for alleged serious violations of discipline and law, according to the provincial government’s website.

Xu Hao was last seen in public at the 2025 China International Big Data Industry Expo late last month when Guizhou-Cloud penned a strategic cooperation deal with cybersecurity firm 360 Digital Security Group.

57-year-old Xu was appointed chairman of Guiyang-based Guizhou-Cloud in December 2023. He previously served as chairman of the Guiyang Industrial Investment Group and vice mayor of the city of Guiyang.

Guizhou-Cloud was set up in February 2018 with a registered capital of CNY1.7 billion (USD238.7 million). It is a large state-owned enterprise under the jurisdiction of Guizhou province dedicated to the construction of the National Big Data (Guizhou) Comprehensive Experimental Zone.

Guizhou-Cloud became the sole operator of Apple’s iCloud services in mainland China from Feb. 28, 2018 following the inking of a strategic cooperation agreement between the Guizhou provincial government and Cupertino-based Apple on July 12, 2017.

Editor: Kim Taylor