Läderach, a Swiss chocolate manufacturer, faced significant disruptions in its China business due to the Shanghai lockdown, with a loss of nearly 300,000 Swiss Francs worth of chocolate that could not be sold fresh. Despite the pandemic, Läderach pursued its expansion into the Chinese market, opening its first store in Shanghai and selling online through platforms like Alibaba's T-Mall. The logistics of keeping chocolate fresh from production to consumption within 84 days is a major challenge, exacerbated by strict Chinese customs regulations during the pandemic. The lockdown caused a complete halt in sales in April, but the company is hopeful for recovery and potential government support. Danny Qi, who leads the China business, acknowledges the cost of China's zero-Covid policy but believes the government will not sacrifice the economy for it.

The C-Space Project, a multimillion-yuan venture simulating life on Mars, has been constructed near Ningyuan, a village in Gansu, China, with the aim of attracting tourists and filmmakers. Despite local officials' hopes for a tourism boom, villagers have mixed feelings, with some fearing exclusion and insufficient compensation for the demolition of their homes for expansion. The project, funded by Huasheng Zhihai Cultural Communication Co. Ltd. and supported by local government investment, is not yet suited for scientific research but has potential for future development. Meanwhile, efforts to restore Ningyuan's rich historical sites have been stalled by financial constraints, leaving the village's future uncertain.