China still has a loooong way to go when it comes to development, especially in rural areas. Even I'm first rate cities like Shanghai, there are still deficiencies. For example, it's generally not recommended to drink tap water without boiling.

That being said, I think that the key difference between China and the West is one of trajectory. Every time I visit China, the place I was at last time is better, newer, more developed. When I visit the West, things tend to be either the same, or have new improvements but surrounded by poor people and the homeless.

This is supported when you look at surveys of public sentiment. Most Chinese people think that they will be better off in 5 years. Most Westerners think the opposite.

China is in no way a utopia. It may one day become a utiopia, but that's long in the future. For now, it's enough for most Chinese that their lives are getting better every year.