Also on Aug. 26, Xi convened a meeting of 300 or so senior police and state security officials from across the country at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

In a pompous ceremony, Xi handed to the police force a newly designed red and blue flag.

The red portion, occupying the top half of the flag, symbolizes the party and is meant to portray the police's absolute loyalty to the party, it was explained.

It ultimately means that for the first time the country's police forces are under Xi's direct control, instead under the immediate oversight of the government's State Council.