Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were overheard discussing the possibility of extending human life even achieving immortality during a private exchange on the sidelines of a military parade in Beijing.
The conversation, picked up by a hot mic on Chinese state television, occurred as Xi and Putin walked through Tiananmen Square alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The remarks were translated into English by the BBC after being relayed through Mandarin and Russian interpreters.
“In the past, it used to be rare for someone to be older than 70, and these days they say that at 70 one’s still a child,” Xi’s translator said. Putin’s response was partly inaudible, but his interpreter then added: “With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, and people can live younger and younger, and even achieve immortality.”
Xi’s translator continued: “Predictions are, this century, there’s a chance of also living to 150 years old.”
Later, Putin appeared to echo those sentiments in comments to Russian media. State news agency Tass quoted him as saying that advances in medicine and organ replacement could allow people to live much longer, adding: “Life expectancy will increase significantly.”
The leaders’ candid exchange came during a massive parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. The event showcased China’s latest military hardware, including nuclear-capable missiles, and marked the first time Xi, Putin, and Kim had appeared publicly together — a tableau some analysts described as a challenge to the West.
Alongside Putin and Kim, 24 other dignitaries attended, including Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Vietnam’s Luong Cuong, and Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Xi used the parade to warn that the world faces a choice between “peace and war,” while U.S. President Donald Trump accused Xi, Putin, and Kim of “conspiring against the United States” in a post on Truth Social.
