HONG KONG (REUTERS) - Former Chinese property executive Ren Zhiqiang, who went missing last month after criticising President Xi Jinping over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, is under investigation for "serious disciplinary violation", the Beijing municipal anti-corruption watchdog said in a statement late on Tuesday (April 7).

Mr Ren, a former top executive at state-controlled property developer Huayuan Real Estate Group and a member of the ruling Communist Party, had gone missing after calling Mr Xi a "clown" in an essay following a speech by China's leader, Reuters reported, citing his friends.

The phrase "serious disciplinary violations" is often used by Chinese authorities in reference to graft investigations.