BEIJING - Liu Shanqiao, former vice chairman of the People's Political Consultative Conference of central China's Hubei Province, is under investigation on suspicion of taking bribes, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) announced Monday.

Liu has been placed under "coercive measures," and further investigation is under way, the SPP said in a statement.

Coercive measures may include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention and arrest.

Liu has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office, the CPC's discipline agency announced earlier this month.