On July 28th the Global Times launched a large special report "1840-2006: 50 foreigners who influenced modern China". On the same day, the author brought a few copies of the newspaper to a discussion in Beijing. The gathering is sponsored by the Atlantic Council of the United States, at which Americans brought a prediction report on 2020 global trends, hoping to hear views from Chinese experts. After reading the newspaper and listened to the author's introduction, participants smiled understandingly.

When Americans are pondering what the future world would be like, we are looking back on the course we have traversed. The most direct association would be that the Chinese tend to review the past with content, while Americans like to look into the future with worried eyes. Of course, things are not that simple.

At the end of the special report we said, "China's rise indicates the opening of an era in which the country and the external world influence each other." Speaking of mutual influence, China's looking forward naturally bears the shadow of the past, and as a latecomer, we are considering, under others' influence, what can we further bring to the world. While the United States as No. 1 power may be more concerned with what it will lose. This is perhaps the difference between Chinese and Americans in "looking forward".

The American report offered four descriptions on the prospects of 2020. Firstly the "Davos world", that is, sound growth of global economy led by China and India, which changes the process of globalization. Secondly, peace under U.S. management; thirdly, a world ruled by new Islamism, or severe challenge to western "game rules" posed by radical religious politics. Fourthly, terrorist cycle or nuclear terror trigger by nuclear proliferation.

Despite the "Davos world" estimate, the report as a whole is imbued with profound worries. It pointed out a number of uncertainties, among the top ones being the rise of China and India. As early as two years ago, as the author remembers, former chairman of the National Intelligence Council Robert Hutchings mentioned China when answering questions about the "Mapping the Global Future" 2020 project. The council believes that, he said, there are two directions for China's development in 2020: to regress to a closed and aggressive nation or to grow into an economic superpower mixed with the West.

The American worries come from their past experience. For example, will the growth of China and India trigger conflicts like rising powers in history? Therefore, the United States would try every effort with its power to "shape China". The report also said that the American role is an important variable in future changes of the world, which will exert influence on roads to be taken by all states and non-state organizations. Naturally, the influence of the world's only superpower cannot be neglected. But for China, the U.S. influence means a question of what is to change and what is not.

From the Global Times special report, Americans took the majority among foreigners influencing China after the reform and opening up, such as Bill Gates, Michael Jordan and Colonel Harland Sanders. These figures are all products of the U.S. mode that have had far-reaching impact on China's young generation. In theory, though, we might tend to learn more from the European mode and are now trying hard to build a harmonious society. But in reality, something of the U.S. mode��being more market-oriented, encouragement of individual struggle and competition, pursuit for money and wider rich-poor gap��are pushing us forward vigorously.

China has no inclination to challenge the current world order. For China, the question perhaps lies in how to choose the right road under the current order, and how to make correct decisions when pressured by the tendency of convergence. Therefore, how we influence the world turns into a question of how we choose our path of development.

Apparently, the increasing U.S. influence has made it harder for us to choose and implement our own policies. Apart from China, India and Brazil, some rising countries of medium and small sizes are facing the same question. To globalize doesn't mean Americanize, but that is easier said than done.

How should we remain different under the pressure of tendency to become the same? This is a severe challenge. The Guardian once commented that Britain taught the world how to produce in the 19th century. America taught the world how to spend in the 20th century. In leading the 21st century, China must teach the world how to achieve sustainable development, where perhaps lies the key of how China could influence the world.

This comment by People's Daily senior editor Ding Gang is carried on the 11th page of the Global Times, July 31, and translated by People's Daily Online.