Beijing, Sep 25 (IANS): China's first commercial cloning company hopes to improve the country's pet market through more high-quality breeds.

The joint venture between Boya Life, based in Wuxi City in Jiangsu Province, and Sooam Biotech Research Foundation of South Korea, was set up in Weihai City in east China's Shandong Province Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

On the same day, three pure-blooded Tibetan mastiff puppies cloned by the company were born to a surrogate mother.

The puppies were cloned from an eight-year-old hound named Jiama. The shaggy, lion-like mastiff, native to southwest China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has won several championships in China for the breed.

The Tibetan mastiff is one of the world's most expensive dog breeds. A pure pedigree pup was sold for a record 15 million yuan ($2.4 million) last year.

The breed, known for its loyal but fierce disposition, has traditionally been used as a shepherd and watchdog by Tibetan herders. In recent years, these have been preferred pets and guardians for the country's nouveau riche.

The issue of cloning is still controversial. Prior to the firm's establishment, cloning in China had been limited to scientific research. More and more companies have shown interest in investing in the technology for commercial use, such as in the animal husbandry industry.