ISTANBUL, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkey stands united with the Chinese people and government in its fight against the novel coronavirus, the mayor of Istanbul said Tuesday.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Ekrem Imamoglu said the Turkish people have been following China's ardent efforts to save lives and prevent the virus from spreading, saying the Chinese authorities have acted with "great speed" and "tremendous devotion."

"We are two societies having hundreds or even thousands of years of ties," he said, noting Istanbul and China's biggest city of Shanghai are sister cities and marked the 30th anniversary of their relationship last year.

"In these troubled days, we share their pains, and we believe that they will overcome this in the shortest time possible," he said.

Speaking of Chinese residents and tourists in Istanbul, Imamoglu said he empathizes with their worries about their loved ones in China.

"I want them to know that we stand by them," he said, calling Istanbul a friendly and tolerant city.

Imamoglu said due to the changing nature of the world, similar health problems might appear in different regions at different times.

"A problem in China today could occur on a different continent tomorrow," he said, urging the world to act in an integrated manner and countries to support each other.

Imamoglu called on the international community to act in solidarity with China.

He earlier instructed municipal officials to better serve Chinese tourists in Istanbul.