In the past, even China's top leader could not directly intervene in public security and police matters. That has changed under President Xi Jinping. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)

Analysis: Xi wants China's security apparatus under his direct grip

Leader hurries to consolidate command following 'white paper' and 'white hair' movements

KATSUJI NAKAZAWA, Nikkei senior staff writer

March 2, 2023 04:00 JST

Katsuji Nakazawa is a Tokyo-based senior staff and editorial writer at Nikkei. He spent seven years in China as a correspondent and later as China bureau chief. He was the 2014 recipient of the Vaughn-Ueda International Journalist prize.

It has been 10 years since Zhou Yongkang, the former Politburo Standing Committee member and boss of China's internal security apparatus, was purged.