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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were caught on a hot mic discussing longevity and organ transplants during a military parade in Beijing, sparking controversy over China’s alleged forced organ harvesting practices.
The conversation, broadcast by Chinese state media, featured Mr. Xi noting that living past 70 is now commonplace, with Mr. Putin responding that biotechnology advances in organ transplantation could help people “become younger and perhaps even achieve immortality.” Mr. Xi suggested humans might live to 150 years old this century.
The casual exchange between the two 72-year-old leaders, walking alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has drawn sharp criticism from U.S. lawmakers who view it as highlighting China’s brutal organ harvesting from dissidents and prisoners. Rep. Chris Smith, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, called the conversation a “wake-up call” and urged Senate action on his legislation targeting forced organ harvesting.
International investigators have documented China’s practice of surgically removing organs from prisoners and dissidents, including Falun Gong practitioners and Uyghurs, while victims are still alive. According to human rights experts, thousands of innocent people have been killed through this process, with their organs sold for transplant. The practice has been described as matching “the cruelty and wickedness of medieval torturers and executioners.”
Rep. Smith’s Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025, which passed the House and awaits Senate action, would impose 20-year prison sentences and civil penalties on anyone involved in the practice. The legislation has White House backing and targets brokers, suppliers, and recipient patients.
China officially ended the use of organs from executed prisoners in 2015, but the lack of transparency has raised ongoing concerns. Recent reports indicate China is building six new organ transplant facilities in Xinjiang, where an estimated 1 million Uyghurs are held in detention camps.
Critics note that China maintains hospitals and wings specifically for organ transplants for Chinese Communist Party leaders, with organs potentially sourced from persecuted groups. House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged hearing “horrific stories” about unwilling organ donors in China.
The Xi-Putin conversation has generated renewed support for anti-organ harvesting legislation, with experts viewing the exchange as revealing the dangerous grandiosity of both leaders. The average age of victims is reportedly between 25 and 30, equally divided between men and women, with testimony from Chinese doctors describing conscious victims during organ removal procedures.
Read more: Xi, Putin chat on medical transplants highlights concerns about forced organ harvesting
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