"In fact," he continues, "there were many other things there made in China—footballs, handbags, pet food, mobile phones. Even American flags are made in China!"

As in other Asian nations, dog consumption is facing increasing opposition within China, where the custom of keeping canine pets has become popular among newly wealthy urbanites.

But raising of pet fish goes back to the early days of the Sung Dynasty in China, about 900 A.D., when they were raised in small bottles as house pets.