China tackles desertification with lunar material as investment drops 8% in April

China is confronting two major domestic challenges. In the arid regions of Xinjiang, scientists are deploying a material sourced from the far side of the Moon to build artificial sand barriers and drought‑resistant vegetation, aiming to halt the spread of desertification that threatens the livelihoods of hundreds of millions.

At the same time, the latest economic data for April 2026 revealed a sharp slowdown. Investment in fixed assets fell about 8% year‑on‑year, retail sales rose only 0.2%—their weakest gain since the post‑COVID reopening—and industrial output recorded its slowest growth in nearly three years. Analysts from Goldman Sachs, Nomura and other banks warned that the declines signal deepening weakness and called for stronger policy support to stabilise growth.