BEIJING, August 5. /TASS/. Russia is an important driving force in the global community's fight against terrorism, the vicious slander of the United States will not change this, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a briefing on Friday, commenting on calls in the US Congress Senate to declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.

"Russia is an important force in the international community's fight against terrorism, and it plays an active and constructive role in countering the terrorism threat," the diplomat said. "Malicious falsehood by the United States will not change that in any way," she added.

Everyone knows that the United States has always arbitrarily labeled other countries, Hua Chunying continued. According to the diplomat, the US is also used to lecturing others and implementing various kinds of unfounded accusations to pressure, deter and harass other countries.

On July 27, the US Senate passed a resolution calling on the Department of State to recognize Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, motivating it by the developments in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria, and Ukraine. The list of sponsors of terrorism could include states which, according to the US, "have repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism". On July 28, a group of congressmen from both parties announced plans to refer a similar document to the consideration of the House of Representatives.

Commenting on the information, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia was ready for any development of the situation with the United States. According to her, if Washington decides to sever diplomatic relations, Moscow will survive it.