Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping stunned viewers on Wednesday when a hot mic captured them casually discussing organ transplants and the possibility of humans living up to 150 years.
The exchange happened as the two leaders walked side by side with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un during a military parade in Beijing, held to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The event, broadcast live by China’s state broadcaster CCTV, reached a staggering 1.9 billion online views and over 400 million television viewers.
As Putin and Xi headed toward the Tiananmen rostrum, Putin’s translator was heard saying in Chinese:
“Biotechnology is continuously developing… Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and you could even achieve immortality.”
Xi, whose response was caught off-camera, added:
“Some predict that in this century humans may live to 150 years old.”
Although Kim Jong Un was smiling in their direction, it was unclear if the conversation was translated for him. Interestingly, Putin himself was not clearly heard speaking in Russian during the clip.
Later, Putin confirmed the unusual discussion when pressed by reporters.
“I think when we went to the parade, the chairman talked about it,” he said, before adding that medical and surgical advances in organ replacement give humanity hope for longer and healthier lives.
The parade, attended by over 50,000 spectators, also showcased China’s latest military might, from hypersonic missiles to naval drones. Xi, addressing the crowd, declared that the world faced a choice between “peace or war.”
Putin’s visit to China was part of a larger summit that gathered more than 20 leaders of non-Western countries, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the trip, Putin and Xi signed over 20 agreements spanning energy, artificial intelligence, and a major new gas pipeline project, though key details such as financing and pricing were kept under wraps.
