HOUSTON, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Thursday thanked the Chinese city of Shanghai for its donation of 21,000 face masks.

"Let me thank Shanghai, China because there are 21,000 masks that they offered. Those masks are on the ground here in the city of Houston and now within our possession. So I want to thank them for their donation. Thank you very, very much," Turner said during a news conference.

Chinese Consul General in Houston Cai Wei made a phone call to Turner Friday, promising that Shanghai will help Houston, its sister city, combat COVID-19.

In the phone call, Cai expressed support for the mayor and the citizens of Houston, saying that Shanghai and the Chinese Consulate General in Houston will provide help within its capacity to Houston in the fight against COVID-19.

Emphasizing that viruses know no borders, Cai expressed his hope that the safety and legitimate rights of Chinese citizens, especially Chinese students, and the interests of Chinese enterprises in Houston will be protected.