Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been overheard discussing organ transplants as a means of prolonging life on the sidelines of a military parade in Beijing.
Putin suggested even eternal life could be achievable as a result of innovations in biotechnology, according to a translation of remarks caught on a hot mic, reports BBC.
The unguarded moment was captured on a livestream carried by Chinese state TV as the two leaders and North Korea's Kim Jong Un walked together through China's historic Tiananmen Square.
Putin’s interpreter was heard in Chinese saying: “Biotechnology is continuously developing. Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and [you can] even achieve immortality.”
Xi, who was not on camera, responded: “Some predict that in this century humans may live to 150 years old.”
Putin later confirmed the conversation while speaking to Russian media. “I think when we went to the parade, the chairman talked about it,” he said. “Modern means of health improvement, medical means, even surgical ones related to organ replacement, they allow humanity to hope that active life will continue differently than it does today.”
Xi and Putin have been in power for 13 and 25 years, respectively. Neither has expressed any intention of stepping down.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the North Korean and Russian leaders, China's president used his Victory Day spectacle to project an alternate vision for the future of the world order.
However their private conversation suggests their sights extend beyond the economic and political.
The exchange was relayed by a Mandarin translator for Putin and a Russian translator for Xi, and has been translated into English by the BBC.
