Sat Sep 06 04:32:06 UTC 2025: ## Reuters Pulls Putin-Xi “Immortality” Video After Chinese Demand

**London** – Reuters news agency has withdrawn a widely circulated video showing a candid conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping about organ transplants and extending human lifespans, after receiving a legal demand from Chinese state media.

The footage, captured by China Central Television (CCTV) during a leaders’ procession in Beijing on Wednesday, featured Putin and Xi discussing advancements in biotechnology and the potential for humans to live to 150 years old. The exchange, overheard by a live microphone, included Putin’s interpreter mentioning organ transplants and “achieving immortality,” and Xi responding with predictions about humans living to 150 years this century. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un was also present.

Reuters licensed the footage from CCTV and edited it into a four-minute video distributed to over 1,000 media outlets globally. The unusual exchange between the leaders quickly gained traction online.

However, CCTV’s legal team sent a written request demanding the video’s removal, claiming Reuters exceeded the agreed-upon usage terms and criticizing the “editorial treatment” of the material. The legal supervisor from CCTV stated that Reuters’ edits led to a “clear misrepresentation of the facts and statements contained within the licensed feed,” without specifying the exact nature of the objection.

Reuters complied, removing the video from its website and issuing a “kill” order to its clients. While the news agency acknowledged losing legal permission to publish the copyrighted material, it denied any wrongdoing.

“We have carefully reviewed the published footage, and we have found no reason to believe Reuters’ longstanding commitment to accurate, unbiased journalism has been compromised,” Reuters stated, affirming the accuracy of its reporting.

The incident highlights the increasing sensitivity surrounding the dissemination of information about high-level diplomatic exchanges, particularly when involving China. The withdrawal raises questions about the degree of control state media aims to exert over international reporting and the potential for censorship of seemingly innocuous conversations.

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