The city of Anshan, Liaoning province, once renowned for its steel industry, has been revitalized thanks to its booming pet economy. The city's Tiexi Bajiazi Pet Market has an annual transaction volume of over 1.5 million pets.

The market is one example of many that have grown into the largest breeding and live-trading center for premium dogs and cats in the country, reaching over 20 provinces across the nation and extending to Northeast Asia.

"Our goal is to build the world's highest-quality pet trading center," explained Zhao Guangjian, director of the Economic Development Zone Management Committee of Anshan's Tiexi District. Along Qianshan West Road, a 300,000-square-meter pet economy industrial belt is being planned and constructed. "It will include a pet tower, pet hospitals, a pet park and a specialized pet academy, creating the nation's first pet industry-themed street. Over the next decade, we aim to turn Anshan into China's pet capital with a complete industrial chain."

Ratajczak Paulina Megdalena, a Polish exchange student at Anshan Normal University, expressed how impressed she was by the pet market's professionalism while playing with a puppy. An avid pet lover, she already owns a Ragdoll cat. "I came here specifically to find a new friend for my cat. The variety here is astounding," she said. Eventually, she chose an exuberant and adorable Maltese dog.

Bondareva Ekaterina, a Russian teacher who works and has built a family in Anshan, shared her feelings: "The modern breeding centers and professional trading environment display a unique charm of this city. Every visit astonishes my friends with the scale and professionalism shown."

The development of the Bajiazi Pet Market showcases the rise of Anshan's pet economy. From a small market in the 1980s to a prosperous industrial cluster worth tens of billions of yuan today, it has created jobs for over 100,000 people. As more international friends come to Anshan, this steel city is showing a new charm on the global stage with its unique pet economy advantage.