The statement did not give any other details about the allegations against Ren. Born into the party's ruling elite, the 69-year-old has often been outspoken on Chinese politics, far more than is usually allowed in the authoritarian state. His forthrightness earned him the nickname "The Cannon" on Chinese social media.
Ren, a longtime Communist Party member and former chairman of a state-owned property company, went missing in mid-March, according to friends. Wang Ying, an entrepreneur and close friend of Ren, told CNN last month that she had not been able to reach him since March 12, and feared he had been taken away by authorities.
