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.
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.
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 interpreter for Putin and a Russian interpreter for Xi, and has been translated into English by the BBC.
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, Xi's interpreter could be heard saying in Russian.
An inaudible passage from Putin follows. His Mandarin interpreter then added: With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, and people can live younger and younger, and even achieve immortality.
Xi's interpreter then said: Predictions are, this century, there's a chance of also living to 150 [years old].
Putin reportedly reprised his remarks later while speaking to Russian media, emphasizing the idea that modern medical methods could significantly increase life expectancy.
