The former president of Interpol sent his wife a message with a picture of a knife on it shortly before his unexplained disappearance in China.

Grace Meng told reporters Sunday that she believes the WhatsApp message from her husband Meng Hongwei, elected to lead the international police agency for a four-year term in 2016, was intended to warn her that he was in danger.

China's ruling Communist Party said Monday in a short statement that it is investigating the Chinese national for bribery and other crimes. The statement did not specify whether Meng Hongwei was under arrest, or even still in China.

French judicial officials said Friday the 64-year-old went missing while on a trip home to China late last month. Interpol is headquartered in Lyon, France. Interpol said it received Meng Hongwei's resignation letter Sunday with "immediate effect." Interpol made no mention of Meng Hongwei's suspected whereabouts or sudden resignation.

Chinese authorities said Meng Hongwei, who is also China’s vice minister for public security, was being investigated by China's National Supervision Commission, an anti-corruption agency, due to his own "willfulness and for bringing trouble upon himself."

In recent years China has seen a number of high-profile disappearances of senior executives, government officials and heads of state-owned companies. They have cast a shadow over its efforts to promote itself as a country with judicious legal standards.

Chinese actress Fan Bingbing resurfaced last week to apologize after disappearing for three months amid tax evasion allegations. She was fined but expected to avoid jail.

Speaking to reporters from Lyon, Grace Meng said the last message she had from her husband before he vanished came with the instructions, "Wait for my call."