Four thousand sheep on the hoof donated by Mongolia arrived at the border city of Ereenhot in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Thursday, waiting to be transferred to Hubei province, which was hit hard by COVID-19 early this year.

It is the first group of the 30,000 sheep that Mongolia offered to donate to China when Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga visited in February.

Sheep are a symbol of wealth and status in Mongolia, a nation dominated by animal husbandry. Donating sheep represents the best wishes of the Mongolian people, officials said.

They will be slaughtered and prepared for delivery to Hubei province.

The remainder of the 26,000 sheep are still under quarantine in the border town of Zamyn-Uud in Mongolia. They will be sent to China in groups before mid-November.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular news conference on Thursday that the donation of the sheep demonstrates Mongolia's support for China's fight against the COVID-19.

It also embodies the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and highlights the friendship between China and Mongolia and the nations' peoples, Zhao said.

Based on domestic prices in China, one sheep is worth at least 1,000 yuan ($150), which means 30,000 sheep are worth an amount estimated at between 30 million and 45 million yuan.

To complete the transportation and the handover, the Mongolian government has allocated $1 million through a special fund.

Chai Wenrui, Chinese ambassador to Mongolia, said in an interview in August that Mongolians consider sheep the top choice for a gift, which also carries a message of sincerity and enthusiasm.

According to the Guangming Daily website, Chai cited the speaker of the Mongolian parliament as saying that sheep are the best tonic, and he hoped that the Chinese people's immunity would be enhanced.