BEIJING, Sept 4 — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed life-prolonging organ transplants and the prospect of immortality as they chatted ahead of Beijing’s massive military parade this week, according to remarks picked up by state media microphones.
Historic images showed Xi shaking hands and speaking with Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as they walked down a red carpet at Tiananmen Square, in scenes widely viewed as a challenge to US President Donald Trump.
“These days… 70 years old,” Xi said in Mandarin as he walked beside Putin and Kim, footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed.
Xi’s translator, conveying his remarks to Putin, was then heard quoting a line from a Tang dynasty poem in Russian: “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.”
Putin then turned towards Xi, speaking while gesturing with his hands, though this was inaudible on the CCTV feed.
The same Chinese translator then relayed Putin’s remarks to Xi: “With the… development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, people could get younger as they grow older, and may even become immortal.”
Xi then spoke again in Mandarin as the camera cut away: “Predictions are, in this century, it may be… possible to live to 150 years old.”
Putin confirmed the exchange during a press briefing yesterday.
“Ah, I think it was when we were going to the parade that the Chairman spoke about this,” he told reporters, referring to Xi.
“Modern means — both health improvement and medical means, and then even all kinds of surgical ones related to organ replacement — allow humanity to hope that active life will continue not as it does today,” Putin added.
The Chinese and Russian leaders, both 72, have not expressed any intention of stepping down.
While Xi’s predecessors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao relinquished power after 10 years in office, he abolished term limits in 2018 and in 2023 was handed a third term as Chinese president. — AFP
