Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of living forever on Wednesday in a private conversation captured on camera on the sidelines of a massive military parade in Beijing.
In a highly symbolic image, Mr. Xi shook hands with Mr. Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, before chatting with them while walking on a red carpet near Tiananmen Square.
"Today, at 70, you are still a child," Xi said in Mandarin as he walked alongside the two men, according to footage from China's state broadcaster CCTV.
"It used to be rare to live past 70, and today they say that at 70 you're still a child," an interpreter then translated into Russian.
"With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be transplanted continuously, people can become younger as they age, and could even become immortal," Putin replied, according to comments relayed to Xi, again through an interpreter.
"Some predict that during the current century, it may be possible to live to 150 years old," Xi said at the time.
The Russian leader confirmed this exchange at a press conference on Wednesday.
"Modern health-improving and medical means, and even all kinds of surgical interventions related to organ replacement, allow humanity to hope that a longer active life will be possible, quite different from what we know today," Putin added.
The Chinese and Russian leaders, both 72 years old, have been in power for approximately 12 and 20 years respectively, combined.
None have indicated an intention to leave power or signal a potential political successor.
Mr Xi's predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, both relinquished power after 10 years in office.
But Xi Jinping abolished presidential term limits in 2018, allowing him to run for a third five-year term in 2023.
Since 2012, he has also held the position of General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, the most important position in the country, which gives him control of the Party, the state and the military.
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