Reuters withdraws Putin-Xi immortality video after Chinese legal objections
Reuters on Sept. 5 withdrew a video in which Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were shown discussing whether humans could live to 150 years old, after China's state broadcaster revoked permission to use the footage.
Reuters distributed the footage of the exchange to more than 1,000 media clients worldwide. Other agencies licensed by the Chinese state broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV), also circulated versions of the footage.
CCTV, which had licensed the video, sent a letter to Reuters claiming the agency exceeded usage terms and criticizing its "editorial treatment" of the material.
"The editorial treatment applied to this material has resulted in a clear misrepresentation of the facts and statements contained within the licensed feed," the letter said.
Reuters said in a statement that it withdrew the videos because it no longer held the legal permission to publish this copyrighted material, while also rejecting CCTV's criticism and asserting its journalistic integrity.
"We stand by the accuracy of what we published," Reuters' statement read. "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."
The four-minute clip, released Sept. 3, captured Putin telling Xi that biotechnology could one day extend human life indefinitely.
"With continuous advances in biotechnology, human organs will be increasingly transplanted... letting us live younger and younger, and perhaps even achieve immortality," Putin was heard saying through a Russian-Mandarin interpreter, prompting laughter from Xi.
The exchange took place during the recent military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II. The event featured over 10,000 troops, more than 100 aircraft and vehicles, and the country's most advanced weaponry, such as nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, and laser weapons.
While Putin and Xi mused about immortality during the military parade, Russian forces launched a large-scale drone attack targeting cities across Ukraine. In the days since, dozens of civilians — including humanitarian aid workers — have been killed in Russian attacks.
