Hot mic: Xi and Putin discuss long life, human immortality

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed immortality just before a massive military parade in Beijing on Wednesday morning, according to comments picked up by state media microphones.

In historic scenes, Xi shook hands with Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and chatted with the pair as they walked down a red carpet by Tiananmen Square, with Putin to Xi's right and Kim to his left.

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

A Chinese translator then relayed Putin's remarks to Xi.