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China denies conspiring with NK, Russia; Open mic caught Xi, Putin discussing immortality
China denies conspiring with NK, Russia; Open mic caught Xi, Putin discussing immortality
by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Sept 4, 2025

China defended on Thursday its decision to invite the leaders of Russia and North Korea to World War II commemorations, which President Donald Trump accused them of using to conspire against the United States.

Trump wrote a testy Truth Social post addressing his Chinese counterpart after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin flanked Xi Jinping at a massive parade in Beijing showcasing Chinese military hardware.

"Give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America," Trump wrote.

Asked about Trump's post, Beijing's foreign ministry said on Thursday "foreign guests" had been invited to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II.

"It is to work together with peace-loving countries and peoples to remember history, cherish the memory of the martyrs, cherish peace, and create the future," spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.

"China's development of diplomatic relations with any country is never directed against any third party," he said.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, said Wednesday it thought Trump's allegation was "not without irony".

Beijing had much stronger words for the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas, who also criticised the parade.

Kallas said Wednesday that Xi, Putin and Kim appearing together was part of efforts to build an anti-Western "new world order" and was "a direct challenge to the international system built on rules".

"The remarks made by a certain EU official are full of ideological bias, lack basic historical knowledge, and blatantly stir up confrontation and conflict," Guo said Thursday.

"Such statements are profoundly misguided and utterly irresponsible."

He added: "We hope that those people will abandon their frog-in-the-well prejudice and arrogance...and do more things that are conducive to world peace and stability and China-Europe relations."

Open mic caught Xi, Putin discussing immortality
Beijing (AFP) Sept 4, 2025 - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin discussed life-prolonging organ transplants and immortality as they chatted before Beijing's massive military parade this week, in comments picked up by state media microphones.

Historic images showed Xi shaking hands and speaking with Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as they walked down a red carpet by Tiananmen Square, in scenes viewed as a challenge to US President Donald Trump.

"These days... 70 years old," Xi said in Mandarin as he walked beside Putin and Kim, footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed.

Xi's translator, conveying his remarks to Putin, is then heard in Russian quoting a line from a Tang dynasty poem: "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."

Putin then turned towards Xi, speaking while gesturing with his hands, though this is inaudible on the CCTV feed.

The same Chinese translator then relayed Putin's remarks to Xi.

"With the... development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, people could get younger as they grow older, and may even become immortal," Putin said, according to the translator.

Xi then spoke again in Mandarin as the camera cut away: "Predictions are, in this century, it may be... possible to live to 150 years old."

Putin confirmed the exchange during a press briefing on Wednesday.

"Ah, I think it was when we were going to the parade that the Chairman spoke about this," he told reporters, referring to Xi.

"Modern means -- both health improvement and medical means, and then even all kinds of surgical ones related to organ replacement -- allow humanity to hope that active life will continue not as it does today," Putin added.

The Chinese and Russian leaders, both 72, have not expressed any intention of stepping down.

While Xi's predecessors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao relinquished power after 10 years in office, he abolished term limits in 2018 and in 2023 was handed a third term as Chinese president.

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