Hot mic captures conversation between Xi and Putin discussing organ transplants and immortality

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping were heard musing over how organ transplants can lead to immortality as they exchanged small talk caught on a hot mic while attending a military parade in Beijing on Wednesday.

The pair, accompanied by other leaders like North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, were overheard speaking as they walked through the historic Tiananmen Square while on their way to the viewing platform to observe the celebrations.

The parade was held to mark Victory Day, this year, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender, ending World War II, where China seized the opportunity to unveil a host of new weapons to the public view for the first time.

Microphones captured Putin, speaking in Russian to a translator relaying his remarks to Xi in Mandarin, suggesting that eternal life could be achievable now with the advancements in the fields of biotechnology.

“In the past, people rarely lived longer than 70 years, but today they say at 70, you are still a child,” said an interpreter to Putin, relaying Xi’s message.

“With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, and people can live younger and younger, and even achieve immortality,” replied Putin.

The Chinese leader, who was not in vision at the time of speaking, was heard responding to Putin in Mandarin, stating that “some predict that in this century, humans may live up to 150 years old.”

Putin confirmed later to reporters of his country’s state-run news agency, Tass, that he had discussed the prospect for significantly increasing human life expectancy with his Chinese counterpart.

“Modern recovery methods, medical methods, even surgical ones dealing with the replacement of organs, enable humanity to hope for active life to last longer than it does today,” said Tass quoting the Russian president.

“Average age is different in different countries, but life expectancy will increase significantly,” he added.

Putin and various elites within the Russian political landscape have been fascinated with the idea of prolonging human life.

Last year, Putin instructed lawmakers to establish a new research centre called “New Health Preservation Technologies”, tasked with fighting ageing and exploring scientific and medical ways to achieve immortality.

The project is focused on finding ways to combat cellular ageing, neurotechnology and other factors with a precise mission aimed at “ensuring longevity”.

Both leaders have shown little signs of any plans to step away from the political arena, with Putin having already been at the helm of Russia’s leadership for a quarter of a century.

President Xi on the other hand has been in power for close to 13 years, having succeeded Hu Jintao in March 2013, after his predecessor completed his second five-year term in office.

In 2018, Xi, with the backing of Chinese lawmakers, further consolidated his power after he passed a bill abolishing presidential term limits, previously capped at two, paving the way for his indefinite rule.

The Chinese leader is currently serving an unprecedented third term in office, set to run through to 2028. Along the years, Putin has also had to make changes to Russian law to allow for his continued power.