Putin and Xi Caught on Hot Mic Talking Organ Transplants and Immortality

 

BEIJING:As Russian President Vladimir Putin walked side by side with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, a hot microphone picked up a striking exchange between the two leaders about organ transplants and the prospect of humans living to 150 years.

The conversation unfolded while Putin and Xi, joined by North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, led a delegation of more than two dozen foreign dignitaries through Beijing to attend a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The exchange was broadcast live by state-run CCTV and relayed to outlets including CGTN, the Associated Press, and Reuters. According to China’s radio and television administration, CCTV’s coverage drew 1.9 billion online views and was watched by more than 400 million people on television.

As Putin and Xi made their way toward the Tiananmen rostrum to watch the parade alongside Kim, Putin’s translator was overheard saying in Chinese, “Biotechnology is continuously developing.”

After a brief, inaudible section, the translator continued: “Human organs can be transplanted again and again. The longer you live, the younger you become — and you may even achieve immortality.”

Xi, though off camera, could be heard replying in Chinese: “Some predict that in this century, humans may live to 150 years old.”

Kim smiled as he glanced toward Putin and Xi, though it was unclear whether the exchange was being translated for him. In the CCTV footage, Putin himself is not heard speaking distinctly in Russian.

The Russian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while China’s Foreign Ministry and CCTV also did not reply to inquiries from Reuters.

As Xi began to speak, the broadcast cut to a wide shot of Tiananmen Square and the audio faded.

Just over half a minute later, Xi, Putin, and Kim reappeared on camera, ascending the steps to the parade’s viewing platform.

Addressing a crowd of more than 50,000, Xi declared that the world faced a stark choice between “peace or war” as he reviewed troops and showcased advanced weaponry, including hypersonic missiles and naval drones.

Putin had arrived in China on Sunday for a Beijing-hosted summit that brought together more than 20 leaders from non-Western nations, among them Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Putin and Xi finalized more than 20 agreements spanning sectors from energy to artificial intelligence and announced plans for a major new gas pipeline. However, they withheld key details on financing and the pricing of gas to be supplied to China.