Workers broke ground Monday on infrastructure projects on the Chinese side of a China-Mongolia cross-border economic cooperation zone.

The 18-square-km zone stretches across the border between the cities of Erenhot in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Zamyn-Uud in Mongolia.

The area has been designed to integrate international trade with the processing of import and export commodities; as well as facilitate e-commerce, entertainment, and financing upon completion, said the municipal government of Erenhot.

At a cost of 900 million yuan (135 million U.S. dollars), the Chinese part of the project will include over 33 kilometers of roads and facilities such as drains, heating, power, and telecommunication.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2018, according to the city government.

China and Mongolia signed a joint construction plan on the economic cooperation zone in May. Construction of infrastructure on the Mongolia side is finished.

The zone will help support the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russiaeconomic corridor, a trilateral channel aiming to boost transportation connectivity and economic cooperation in border regions.