Organ transplants, humans living to 150: What a hot mic caught Xi and Putin saying

Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping had a hot mic moment during the military parade in Beijing on Wednesday.

The two leaders, walking with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, were overheard discussing organ transplants. They also mused about the possibility that humans could live to 150 years old.

China brought together more than two dozen foreign leaders for a military parade in Beijing celebrating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

But what happened?  Let’s take a closer look

What happened?

The moment went out over the live feed of state broadcaster CCTV to other media, including Chinese-state broadcaster CGTN, AP and Reuters. China’s radio and TV administration said CCTV’s coverage of the event was viewed 1.9 billion times online and by more than 400 million on TV.

As the two men headed toward the Tiananmen rostrum to view the parade with Kim, Putin’s translator could be heard remarking in Chinese, “Biotechnology is continuously developing.”

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The translator continued, “Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and (you can) even achieve immortality.”

Xi then responded, “Some predict that in this century humans may live to 150 years old.”

Kim was looking in their direction and smiling. However, it remains unclear if the conversation was being translated for him. Putin cannot be heard speaking clearly in Russian in the CCTV clip.

The video then shifted to a wide shot of Tiananmen Square as Xi began delivering his remarks. The audio then faded out.

Just over 30 seconds later, Xi, Putin and Kim reappeared on camera as they walked on the steps toward the viewing platform for the parade.

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At the event, Xi told a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators the world faced a choice of “peace or war” as he inspected troops and cutting-edge military equipment, including hypersonic missiles and naval drones.

Putin arrived in China on Sunday to attend a summit organised by Beijing that convened more than 20 leaders of non-Western countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Putin and Xi signed more than 20 agreements, ranging from energy to artificial intelligence, and agreed to build a major new gas pipeline, without announcing key details on financing or the pricing of the gas that would be sent to China.

‘Self-reliant and strong’

Xi Jinping, speaking before the parade, paid tribute to Chinese veterans of the war.

Since coming to power in 2012, he has sought to build China into a country that cannot be bullied and is strong enough to stand up to foreign powers.

“The Chinese people are … not afraid of violence and are self-reliant and strong,” he said.

The Chinese military showed off aerial and underwater drones, hypersonic missiles and fighter jets and bombers in a 90-minute event attended by the leaders of about two dozen countries

The splashy commemoration of the anniversary is a way to boost support for Communist Party rule by showing the progress made by China. The country was a major front in the war and millions died during Japan’s invasion.

Xi, who has been positioning China as a stabilising force in an unstable world, said humanity must choose between peace and war and dialogue and confrontation.

“The Chinese people’s rejuvenation cannot be blocked, and the noble goal of the peaceful development of human civilisation must triumph,” Xi said at the end of his speech.

With inputs from agencies