Former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key enjoyed a leisurely citywalk through Beijing's iconic hutongs and centuries-old cultural monuments, impressed by the Chinese capital's historical depth and achievements in technologies.

With a cup of authentic Beijing "milk cheese" in hand and accompanied by a reporter from China Global Television Network (CGTN), Key embarked on a fashionable one-hour walking tour of the Confucian Temple and Guozijian (Imperial College) in the city center, which are must-visit spots for their long history, unique architectural style, and deep cultural connotation.

The former politician has visited China many times, most recently traveling to Beijing for commercial work. He cited the opportunities presented by China's rapid development as what drew him back.

"This is growing rapidly. And it's an important place in the world. So, for New Zealand, we're kind of an Asian country; China is our biggest destination for goods and services. Lots of companies have interests here," Key said.

As he passed by Guozijian, China's highest educational institution and administrative body during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties (1271-1911), the former New Zealand leader emphasized that education is central to everything, as reflected in China's social development.

"Honestly, I think some of the universities here are really sophisticated around technology, AI, some of the science. Education is the thing that drives an economy. And the environmental changes in China have been dramatic in the last 10 years and mostly they're driven actually of science and learning and what comes out of universities," he said.

Key noted that he was impressed by the extensive use of facial recognition technology in China, stating that it not only greatly facilitates people's lives but also helps reduce crime.

"The thing I noticed actually is facial recognition techniques now. So when you go through security, a lot of times you don't have to do anything anymore. I think your crime rate is really low because of facial recognition. That's great; we wish we had that," said Key.

Summing up the leisurely city stroll, the former Prime Minister highlighted five keywords, culture, people, food, technology, and history, to recommend China to the world.

"Culture, the amazing culture that China has on offer. We've seen the Confucius Center, Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, all the history, the various dynasties. Food—food is sensational; got to have all the great food that they have here. Very, very, very different. The people—they're really interesting, they are fun, there is a lot of them, so you know there is a lot of people to meet. And that's really, really good. Technology—you can see some incredible things that are the cutting edge of technology. So that is really, really, really good. Love all those things about China. And maybe last of all, just a sense of history—this is a country that goes back so far and is so diverse," Key said.