Chinese animal lovers flock to Asia Pet Fair in Shanghai | AFP

Asia Pet Fair kicks off in Shanghai, with "smart technology" emerging as one of the key themes of this year's event. A smart pet cabin is now equipped with interactive screens, allowing users to control them via mobile apps and even translate human speech into cat language for their feline companions. An industry report shows that the number of pets in China has been increasing in recent years, reaching 120 million by 2024, with the pet related market surpassing 300 billion yuan ($ 42 billion).