Comparing itself with the US has almost become a way for Chinese society to recognize itself. In recent years, some Chinese people have begun to use the comparison to either support or oppose China's domestic system. Opponents try to highlight the advantages of the US, while supporters refute them by pointing out that the US has many disadvantages.

Recently there was a spat between Zhou Xiaoping and Fang Zhouzi, a high-profile blogger and an anti-fraud campaigner respectively. After Zhou rejected those "dreamlike" US advantages that have long been circulated on the Chinese Internet, Fang debunked Zhou's "mistakes" one by one. The spat triggered a swirl of controversy. Some Chinese students in the US said that much of what Zhou claimed is true, whereas Fang was correct in merely a few places.

Let's jump out of the so-called leftist-rightist debate and conduct an objective comparison between China and the US.

The US is economically the biggest developed country whereas China is the biggest developing one. But China enjoys advantages in growth potential. China is developing more rapidly and solves its domestic problems in a more efficient way. Its gap with the US is narrowing.

Social foundations decide people's living standards. This explains why many Chinese envy American life. But growth potential represents the vigor and opportunity of a society, which is essential for a nation's competitiveness and indicates higher living standards in the future.