The US is facing isolation. The US-sponsored resolution on heightened Iran sanctions only got two "yes" votes at the UN Security Council, falling far short of the nine it needed to be adopted. China and Russia rejected the proposal, while Germany abstained. Only the Dominican Republic stood with the US; even its close allies have turned their backs.

It is not the first time the US has faced defeat at the UNSC. A previous resolution on shifting Israel's capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem failed to get enough votes at the UN. It is not simply the failure of a few resolutions, but a trend showing US policies are not rational and not accepted by the rest of the world.

The unilateral withdrawal of the US from the Iran nuclear agreement also made this clear. No other signatories were in favor of withdrawal. Thus, imposing sanctions of Iran was not justified, especially economic sanctions which punish the innocent people of Iran.

More recent votes once again prove the American policy of unilateralism receives no support, and bullying will fail. Any attempt to place one's own interest above the common interest of the international community is a dead end. In recent years, the US has pursued unilateralism and an "America First" doctrine. In doing so, the US has abandoned its international obligations and withdrawn from multilateral agreements and international organizations, shattering its own credibility.

The US has also failed to create an alliance against China and Russia. Recent events show the US was over-engaged in a campaign to counter the two countries; the Secretary of State has been attempting to convince countries China and Russian are a threat to their sovereignty. But the cold response he received is enough to prove the world is not buying this idea.

There is a visible split in the EU over the anti-China and anti-Russia alliance.
The US is not willing to give up its unipolar position or accept emerging realities, yet tries to bully other countries into joining its illogical approach.

China has already emerged as a global power and has its due weight in geopolitics. Russia has revived and regained its lost power in world affairs. The US should realize these facts and opt for a reasonable approach.

COVID-19 has exposed that the US, a unipolar superpower, could not face the challenges of the pandemic. It has become the biggest victim, with the highest number of coronavirus cases and death toll. It was mismanaged and not taken seriously. Despite this, the US opted for a bullying strategy abroad, blaming China and expecting compensation.

Zamir Ahmed Awan is a sinologist and ex-diplomat.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.