GPS News
SUPERPOWERS
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.

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SUPERPOWERS
Putin tells Xi China-Russia ties are at 'unprecedented level'
Beijing (AFP) Sept 2, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Tuesday that their countries' ties were at an "unprecedented level", during talks in Beijing ahead of a massive military parade. Wednesday's showcase of China's might has been seized by world leaders as an opportunity to hold rare face-to-face talks, with North Korea's Kim Jong Un expected to hold summits with both Putin and Xi according to South Korean sources. Xi himself has embarked on a flurry of diplomatic meetings ... read more

SUPERPOWERS
In oil-rich Oman, efforts to preserve frankincense 'white gold'

USDA backs FAU led FogAg platform to advance precision farming

Frost, hail, heat sour season for Turkey's lemon growers

'Cocktail' of bacteria, fungi makes the perfect chocolate, study finds

SUPERPOWERS
US limits TSMC chipmaking tool shipments to China

Rice research team on quest to engineer computing systems from living cells

Rice scientists pioneer transfer-free method to grow ultrathin semiconductors on electronics

Embry-Riddle Students Prepare to Launch CubeSat to Study Memory Chip Decay From Radiation

SUPERPOWERS
Ground vibration test validates structural models for UpLift research aircraft

Polish F-16 jet crashes killing pilot ahead of air show: govt

German defence minister ups pressure on France over jet project

India to develop fighter jet engines with French company

SUPERPOWERS
Electric cars are more eco-friendly even in US, study finds

Eyeing robotaxis, Tesla hiring New York test car operator

Electric 'air taxis' could debut in Japan from 2027

China's Baidu to deploy robotaxis on rideshare app Lyft

SUPERPOWERS
China manufacturing shrinks in August despite new US trade truce

China says delegation to visit US for trade talks this week

EU vows to enforce tech rules, despite Trump pressure

Gold price hits record above $3,500

SUPERPOWERS
Judge orders trial in murder of Honduran conservationist

Uganda biomass use may improve through Aston University mapping data

North Carolina braces for flooding from Hurricane Erin

US demand for RVs fuels deforestation on Indonesia's Borneo: NGOs

SUPERPOWERS
First data released from Beyond Gravity instrument on new weather sat

Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel 2 Expands Global Earth Monitoring Capabilities

Global study maps regions most threatened by ocean plastic pollution

ICEYE introduces Scan Wide mode to enhance SAR satellite imaging capacity

SUPERPOWERS
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.