What Makes a Comparison with China Meaningful?

Recent historical discussion has been enriched by a revisitation of the relative positions of China and Europe on the basis of specific comparisons relating to economic organization, agricultural productivity, demography, and centrality to global trade systems. But a shift from a comparative to a global perspective raises some questions about the relevance of certain indices, and raises questions about any aspiring "global" narrative based upon the conceit that Europe and China are two different and contrasting places.