US Republican Senator Marco Rubio File Photo: VCG

US Senator Marco Rubio, known for his extreme anti-China stance, announced the launch of the so-called Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a new coalition comprised of some 20 anti-China legislators from different countries to counter the "global challenge" by China's rise on the world stage. 

Are they trying to form a new "Eight-Nation Alliance"? Rubio and the other lawmakers need to realize that this is not the year 1900 anymore. China is definitely not the country it was in 1900. They are trying to form an anti-China alliance in the globalized era of the 21st century, and they are doomed to fail. These legislators are still narcissistically staying in the old days of imperialism.

The so-called IPAC reflects these members' panic and anxiety about China's rise. They try to use the national security legislation for Hong Kong and so-called China's "lack of transparency" in the COVID-19 fight to attack us, aiming at instigating the international community's widespread criticism of China. 

However, they cannot impose any substantive influence on China's development. As for the legislators who want to join in on the alliance, some of them want to increase their sense of presence, and some simply want to tag along. Instead of affecting China, they will simply make some noise truly showing their anxiety and powerlessness.

Some US' partners and allies blindly follow the US' hostility toward China, and this will harm their own diplomatic independence. For example, various politicians from the UK, Australia and Germany follow the US' suit to criticize China in terms of 5G technology and the Hong Kong issue, and this is not in line with the concept of major power diplomacy in the new era. 

In the 21st century, simply choosing sides will only bring trouble for themselves, needless to say that the US has adhered to its "America First" policy and its attitude has been inconsistent in many issues. Is Washington really a reliable backer?

The US is gradually sabotaging its national image. It has been incompetent in controlling the epidemic, interfering in other countries' internal affairs, roping in "like-minded countries," assuming itself as world's policeman and destroying world order. These have all harmed the US' reputation. Such a country can never succeed in forming an alliance to oppose China. 

Besides, the US can hardly draw a broad alliance against China on IPAC's so-called missions under the cover of safeguarding international rules-based order, upholding human rights, promoting trade fairness, strengthening security and protection of national integrity. Most countries know it all too well that Rubio aims at nothing but serving the interests of the US itself.

By forming the so-called IPAC, these legislators will only humiliate themselves. 120 years have passed, and as the second largest economy worldwide, China and its people will not let the shame of the year 1900 be repeated again on its territory.