China receives Interpol's formal request for missing chief

Interpol has made a formal request to China for information about the agency's missing president, citing concerns for the well-being of the senior Chinese security official who seemingly vanished on a trip home.

The Lyon-based international police agency says Saturday it used law-enforcement channels to submit its request about the status of Meng Hongwei.

It says the agency "looks forward to an official response from China's authorities to address concerns over the president's well-being."

Meng's wife says she hasn't heard from him since he left the French city of Lyon at the end of September to go to China.

France has launched its own investigation. French authorities say he boarded a plane and arrived in China, but the 64-year-old's subsequent whereabouts are unknown.

Meng is also a vice minister for public security in China.

(With inputs from agencies.)