Got a Real World Weapons or Armour Question? Mk X

[Kaeso]

My question is probably a classic, but I'll ask it anyway.
A friend of mine is pretty fascinated by Asian culture and claims that Asians have always been more advanced than Europeans. One thing she often claims is that the samurai and ancient chinese warriors were in every way superior to contemporary European knights. I'm pretty sceptical but I'm not really knowledgeable on the subject. Could some of you please provide me with an objective comparison between knights, samurai and the ancient warriors of China (both in terms of equipment, training and effectiveness on the battlefield) and provide me with an answer on the age old question "Knights or Samurai"?