Chinese leader Xi Jinping was caught talking about the possibility of living with 150 people on Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong at a hot-mick moment.
The conversation between the 72-year-old Chinese leader and his Russian and North Korean counterparts was picked up in a live video feed as they walked side by side towards the viewing platform to watch China’s massive military parade on Tiananmen Square. The parade ostensibly commemorated the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II, but is considered by many observers in the western world as an exhibition of major partnerships challenging Beijing’s firepower and the US-led world order.
The unusual Hot Mick moment came shortly after a group photo of 26 international leaders gathered in Beijing. After the photo, Xi, Putin and Kim led the group to their seats and chatted through an interpreter in a conversation that was partially picked up by the microphone.
The audio comes and goes, but first you can hear XI tell Kim in the Mandarin. “I’m very happy too. It’s been a while since we last saw each other,” Kim responds via a translator that it’s been six years since they last met each other.
Later in the video, Xi is heard saying in his native language, “Now, people in their 70s are still young.”
After a wide-angle shot of the three leaders, which is difficult to distinguish who is speaking, the Russian interpreter appears to be translating Xi’s words, “previously, I rarely lived past 70 years, but recently it’s 70 years…” The audio concludes with “still child.”
Immortality and transplant organs
After a while, as they walk down the slope towards the podium of Tiananmen, the Mandarin translator, perhaps translated for Putin, Xi can listen.
Xi states: “In this century, humans could live to 150 years old.”
The Russian translator relays it to Putin, repeating the line roughly the same. “In our time, there is a prediction that people will live to 150 years.”
Putin later confirmed to reporters that the two men had been discussing life to 150 people. “The average ages in different countries vary, but life expectancy still increases significantly.”
The 72-year-old Chinese and Russian leaders avoided appointing clear successors.
Xi Qing, China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, was reappointed to China’s Rubber Stamp Congress in 2023 to become president in another five-year term in 2023.
Within power, XI has significantly expanded the Chinese Communist Party’s grip on power.
Putin is now in his 30th year as a Russian leader and has served his fifth term since taking office last year. In 2020, he forced a referendum on constitutional changes that would allow him to remain in power until 2036.
At 41, Kim is young enough to be able to rule for the next few decades. However, he sparked debate about a possible successor in Beijing on Wednesday after the young girl walking behind him was believed to be his daughter, Kim Jue.
North Korea has been ruled by the Kim family since its establishment in 1948. Kim Il Sung’s son Kim Jong Il took over after his father died in 1994, and the UN Kim Jong came to power 17 years later when Kim Jong Il passed away.
Given the importance of the family dynasty, Kim’s daughter’s public debut raised doubts about whether she would become his successor. Some experts say it’s likely that Kim’s two other children will be chosen as successors instead. His public appearance with his young daughter was probably intended to portray him as a man in his family.
CNN’s Nectar Gan and Nathan Hodge contributed to this report.
