Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were 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.
During the parade, which sought to showcase a new global order, their private exchange alluded to aspirations that extended beyond economics and politics.
The conversation was interpreted by translators from Mandarin and Russian, revealing Xi's remark about the evolving perception of old age: 'In the past, it used to be rare for someone to be older than 70; these days they say that at 70 one is still a child.'
Putin's interpreter 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 followed up with, 'Predictions are, this century, there's a chance of also living to 150 years old.'
Putin reinforced this idea later, stating that modern medical methods could lead to significant increases in life expectancy.
This surprising dialogue, amidst a display of military prowess, hints at the leaders' ambitions for the future and the potential intersection of technology and longevity.
