By Li Muzi, Vision Times
Global uproar over Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s hot mic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin — where the two reportedly discussed “organ transplants” and “immortality” — has now reached China’s capital of Beijing, with online chatter suggesting widespread panic among residents. Social media users are claiming that “overnight, the whole of Beijing is selling houses.”
On Sept. 6, X (formerly known as Twitter) account Derun Media shared a video in which a Beijing woman described the fallout from Xi’s remarks about “swapping livers and kidneys” during the military parade in Tiananmen Square.
“Overnight, everyone in Beijing is selling their homes!” she said. “The entire property market has collapsed. Out of 100 people, 99 are listing their houses for sale. Nobody asks anymore if you’ve bought a home or where you bought it—they only ask whether you’ve sold, and at what price.”
A selling frenzy
According to the Beijing resident, homeowners are desperate to unload properties, slashing prices repeatedly but finding no buyers willing to budge. Meanwhile, those without homes are mocking those still holding property. “It’s heartbreaking,” she added. “There are now an estimated 170,000–180,000 listings in Beijing, with hundreds of new units hitting the market every day. Inventory is piling up, but homes aren’t selling.”
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She further noted that such a situation would have been unimaginable only a few years ago. Her advice to fellow homeowners: “Don’t panic, but if you can sell, sell quickly — don’t get trapped any deeper.”
Netizens react
Social media quickly lit up with sharp commentary ranging from dark humor to political cynicism. One user mocked: “The parade achieved its intended purpose of intimidation — the people’s hearts are shattered. Internationally, this story is already trending, and no one even cares about Yang Lanlan anymore.” Another quipped: “It’s like a game of hot potato — no one wants to be the last one holding on.” A third added sarcastically: “He (Xi Jinping) is still just a child, planning to live another 70 years. Don’t blame him.”
Others tied the panic directly to broader political fears. “Just look at defense stocks plunging—real estate is the same. Anyone who understands the situation is already unloading their property,” one commenter wrote. Another claimed: “Beijing is sure to be the primary organ supply base.”
A third netizen remarked: “Nobody’s stupid. The families of high-ranking officials have already moved their assets abroad — it’s the ordinary people who are always the last to realize.”
The Hot Mic moment that sparked a storm
On September 3, a private conversation between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin about organ transplantation was captured by international media covering the parade. Footage from four live outlets — Australia’s ABC, the UK’s BBC, Japan’s ANN, and China’s Phoenix Television — showed the two leaders discussing “organ transplants” and achieving potential “immortality” before the event began.
Putin’s translator relayed Xi’s comment: “In the past, few people lived to 70, but now at 70, you’re still considered a child” Putin responded, via his translator in Chinese: “In a few more years, if biotechnology continues to advance, human organs could be continually transplanted, even making people younger, possibly achieving immortality!” Xi added: “According to predictions, perhaps in this century, one could live up to 150 years!”
Xi’s remarks about living to 150 ignited a firestorm on Chinese social media. Searches on WeChat (a popular blogging and social media app in China) for the topic spiked more than 9,650 percent in a single day.
Taiwan’s “Liberty Times” reported that the dialogue between Xi and Putin leaked unexpectedly, with Xi joking about the possibility of living to 150. While authorities quickly censored related content inside China, some netizens bypassed the firewall to spread it back. Within 24 hours, searches for “150” on WeChat exceeded 3.36 million.
The report noted that on September 3, the “WeChat Index” for the number “150” surged by a staggering 9,650.24 percent compared with the same day the previous month. On Douyin (Chinese’s version of TikTok), users joked darkly that if Xi really lived to 150, it would mean a “hell without end.”
Reuters pulls the video after mounting pressure
Reuters initially circulated a video capturing the exchange between Xi and Putin, but later removed it following pressure from Beijing. According to Radio France Internationale, Reuters announced on Sept. 5 that it had deleted the four-minute clip after China’s state broadcaster revoked its legal usage license.
The recording, sourced from open microphones at the parade, had originally been cleared for use by China Central Television (CCTV). Once approval was withdrawn, Reuters said it had no choice but to pull the footage.
The removal only fueled further debate online. One user commented: “Copies exist all over the internet. Actions like this only push content creators to quickly back up and repost it later. Ironically, it makes the ‘banned’ video even more popular. The intelligence of CCTV and related authorities is really questionable.” Another added: “Do they think no one saved it? That more people haven’t recorded it? The internet never forgets.”
