Xu Jianhua, former Party secretary of Dongguan, Guangdong province, has been placed under investigation for serious violation of disciplines and laws, according to a statement from the Guangdong Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission of the Communist Party of China on Wednesday.

Xu, 66, a native of Leping of Jiangxi province, is also the former director of the Dongguan People's Congress.

Previously, Xu was Party secretary of Shaoguan, an industrial city in the northern part of Guangdong, before being appointed director of the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission in October 2010.

Xu had been retired for eight years when he was investigated in November, the statement said.

The statement did not reveal details of Xu's case.

Dongguan is an essential piece of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and a major global production base.