The groundbreaking ceremony sees the unveiling of the Hohhot Business Service-oriented National Logistics Hub, on April 28. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A raft of major projects for the new Yili Modern Smart Healthy Valley, a high-tech urban and industrial agglomeration being built by Chinese dairy giant Yili Group, began construction on April 28.

It followed a groundbreaking ceremony in Hohhot, capital city of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on the day.

The 25 projects cover the agglomeration's industry development, its logistics, milk source base, infrastructure and other fields.

They include two upstream and downstream support projects in the dairy industry and 23 infrastructure projects such as the area's greening, its water supply and power supply and road construction, with a total investment of 11.36 billion yuan ($1.72 billion).

Three factories to produce Yili milk powder, liquid milk and cheese are already under construction and projects, such as the construction of a National Dairy Technology Innovation Center, have also resumed work there.

Soil is turned in Hohhot at the groundbreaking ceremony for a raft of major projects to be developed in the new Yili Modern Smart Healthy Valley. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Overall, Yili Modern Smart Healthy Valley will be developed as a new intelligent and modern eco-friendly area that integrates industry and city, boasting comprehensive functionality, occupying a space that is suitable for business, living, learning and tourism.

As the project's mainstay, the planned National Dairy Technology Innovation Center is expected to attract domestic and international dairy innovation resources. It will also strive to meet national strategic needs as well as address industry issues, with the goal of becoming a globally influential dairy technology innovation hub.

Moreover, the National Dairy Technology Innovation Center will establish five research centers and three service platforms, in order to undertake scientific research and provide a range of services.

Hohhot is one of the first 25 logistics hub cities in the country's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

Located in Yili Modern Smart Healthy Valley, when completed the Hohhot Business Service-oriented National Logistics Hub is the only business service-oriented national logistics hub in the autonomous region, with a total area of 2,400 mu (160 hectares).