Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin Discuss Organ Transplants and “Immortality”

On September 3, China’s military parade drew global media attention. However, an even more intriguing moment occurred when Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping walked side by side toward the viewing platform for the parade. A live microphone unexpectedly captured a conversation through a translator, in which the two leaders discussed organ transplants as a means for humans to achieve “eternal life” and speculated that humans could potentially live to 150 years old in this century. Once the media reported it, it sparked widespread commentary. During a press conference later that evening, following a four-day visit to Huawei, Putin confirmed that the conversation had indeed taken place when asked about it by a TASS reporter.

The Unexpectedly Leaked Conversation

During the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing, Xi Jinping and Putin were overheard discussing organ transplants as a method for prolonging life. According to audio captured from an open microphone and translated, Putin even suggested that “immortality” could become a reality through innovations in biotechnology. At the press conference, he cited United Nations data, noting that by 2050, the global population aged 65 and over would outnumber children aged 5 to 6, warning that this would have social, political, and economic consequences. “When we talk about life expectancy, we should also consider this,” he added.

This conversation was caught on China Central Television’s live broadcast as the leaders—alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong-un—walked across Beijing’s historic Tiananmen Square. The three long-tenured leaders of China, Russia, and North Korea casually discussed the topic of longevity, a discussion that naturally raises eyebrows, especially regarding organ transplants amid international controversy. In 2005, China officially acknowledged that its organ transplants came from executed prisoners. In 2012, the China Organ Donation Administrative Center was officially established. By 2014, China announced it would stop using organs from executed prisoners, making civilian donation the only legal source. Over the years, China has claimed to have created a system for organ donation and distribution. Yet, in reality, very few citizens voluntarily donate, and the true sources of organs remain largely unmonitored.

Beyond ethical concerns about organ sources, medical experts question claims that humans could live to 150, citing no scientific evidence. Reports indicate that Putin personally has a keen interest in longevity, tasking his health ministry with making life expectancy extension a “top priority.” One of Russia’s largest state enterprises, Rosatom, revealed last year that it is developing technology to “print” human organs. Currently, there is no evidence that sequentially replacing organs can extend human lifespan. The human brain ages as well and cannot be replaced. Yet the conversation before the parade shows that both leaders appear to view organ transplantation as a key to longevity. In mainstream medicine, organ transplants are intended to save patients with failing organs—not to extend life.

Western Tech Giants’ Perspective

Many Western tech giants also invest in life-extension research, though their focus is not on organ donation but on slowing or reversing aging. Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Peter Thiel (PayPal, Palantir), Larry Ellison (Oracle), Sergey Brin and Larry Page (Google), Sam Altman (OpenAI), and Mark Zuckerberg with Priscilla Chan (Meta) are investing in cellular reprogramming, anti-aging research, stem cell cultivation, and cancer treatment, hoping to find ways to combat lethal diseases or reverse aging.

These efforts may contribute to extending human lifespan but are not about achieving “immortality.” Western societies, influenced by Christian thought, generally leave the question of eternal life to God. Humans’ attempts to prolong life are thus framed as occurring within divine limits. Conversely, leaders like Putin and Xi, rooted in communist ideology, embrace the belief that humans can conquer nature, making it easier for them to imagine achieving “immortality” themselves.

Interestingly, Elon Musk and Bill Gates seem less interested in immortality. Musk has publicly expressed skepticism about anti-aging research, even opposing it, arguing that longer lifespans could stagnate society. His investments instead focus on space exploration, AI, and neurotechnology (e.g., Neuralink). Gates, while funding global health and aging-related research via the Gates Foundation, emphasizes public health and prevention over personal immortality.

In short, these tech leaders focus more on societal progress than on personal life extension.

The Obsession with “Immortality”

In Chinese history, the earliest myths of humans seeking eternal life appear in the story of Hou Yi and Chang’e in the Moon Palace. Hou Yi, after shooting down nine suns and becoming an emperor, sought immortality from the Queen Mother of the West. He obtained a potion, but Chang’e consumed it to prevent the tyrant from gaining eternal life, ultimately ascending to the moon alone. The second famous pursuit of immortality was by Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, who allegedly sent Xu Fu with children to seek the elixir of life in Japan, leaving behind only the massive Terracotta Army. Subsequent emperors across the Han, Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties frequently died from consuming “immortality” elixirs containing heavy metals.

These stories suggest that humans in absolute power often equate eternal life with the desire to maintain their authority.

Why Do Dictators Crave “Immortality” More Than Others?

A dictator’s greatest fear is not economic collapse or public dissatisfaction—but death. Death prevents them from signing decrees, attending meetings, or continuing as the “great leader of the people.” This fuels their obsession with immortality. Behind this fantasy lies systemic corruption and imbalance: power is concentrated, justice is compromised, and resources are controlled by a few. The leaked Xi-Putin conversation, while casual, signals a shared ambition for prolonged rule. Both leaders have been in power for over a decade (Xi 13 years, Putin 25) and are 72 years old this year. Putin’s 2020 constitutional amendments allow him to remain in office until 2036, when he will be 83. Xi has not publicly discussed longevity as openly but appears to want to remain in power, with no apparent heir designated.

The “Relaxed” State Reserved for the Powerful

In recent years, the Chinese term “songchi” (loosely “relaxation” or “serenity”) has gained popularity online. It describes calmness and composure, a mental state of letting go when one cannot change circumstances, and reconciling with reality. But in the real world, after recovering from the multi-year COVID-19 pandemic, people face a stagnating global economy and ongoing regional conflicts. Where are they supposed to find “serenity”?

This accidentally leaked conversation reveals a corner of the “relaxed” state unique to absolute rulers. While citizens deal with economic instability, delayed wages, and tight social controls, leaders like Xi and Putin casually discuss immortality, viewing a parade as just another morning event. This is the “relaxation” exclusive to dictators, achieved at the cost of the entire populace.

Currently, there is no evidence that sequential organ replacement extends lifespan, and the brain inevitably ages. But does that matter? What matters is the message it conveys: monopolistic world leaders enjoy round-the-clock medical access and priority organ transplants. By contrast, the World Health Organization notes that globally, over 130,000 organ transplants are performed annually, yet many patients die waiting, potentially hundreds of thousands. Notably, Reuters recently removed the video of Xi and Putin discussing organ transplants, explaining that China Central Television revoked permission for its use, though they maintain that their reporting was accurate.

While the controversy over the video is fading, the event reflects the shared worldview of the China-Russia-North Korea alliance and their leaders, serving as a long warning bell for Western democracies.