"If the life expectancy of the bridges a nation built is only 20 years long, it indicates that this nation's foresight is only 20 years. At present, the importance of the foresight to China is like that of a cloud to a severe drought."

Liu Zhenyun, a renowned Chinese writer, was invited by New York University to give a lecture on Friday at the university. At the lecture titled as "Chinese Steamed Roll and Western Bread", Liu gave his view of Chinese and Western culture and literature. He said as the nation becomes richer, what it now lacks most is the foresight.