When the Wangs bought the Hotel Rössli in 2018, the only complaint from the locals was that they closed the restaurant…
Hotel Rössli is a traditional 100-year-old Swiss inn in the village of Uderbach (only 500 inhabitants) and idyllic view of the Swiss Alps. Although outwardly it does not cause any suspicion of illegal activity, nevertheless a great mystery surrounds the inn: Rumor has it that it was a center of Chinese espionage!
Specifically, in 2018 a Chinese family appeared out of nowhere and bought the inn. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Wank family adapted very quickly to the local community – so much so that they “acted like Swiss.” The locals’ only complaint was that they closed the inn’s restaurant when they bought it.
But did they really appear out of nowhere?
Probably not think the Swiss authorities who, sometime in 2023, raided the inn, arrested the owners and their son on suspicion of espionage and stuck a note on the door: “The inn is closed.”
The reason; About 100 meters from the back of the inn stretches an airstrip, which Switzerland had planned to use for the F-35s, the world’s most advanced and expensive fighter jets, to be delivered in 2028.
US and British national security officials said the inn was a “shop window” behind which Chinese intelligence operated. The Wangs were spies and bought the Hotel Rössli to gain information about the F-35. So, after pressure from the US, they were deported.
Mystery in the Alps: A Chinese Family, a Swiss Inn and the World’s Most Expensive Weapon https://t.co/9lNcxZ4HfC
— Michael Smith (@MickWSmith) May 17, 2024
The 3-star hotel still operates today but the Wangs have returned to China.
They deny any accusation of espionage and say they were simply running their inn, organizing hikes and rides on a nearby cable car for locals and tourists.
“The truth about whether the Wangs were hoteliers or a secret weapon in Beijing’s decade-long bid to gain access to one of America’s most closely guarded military secrets may never be known. What is certain is that a global competition between Beijing and Washington for military secrets is spilling over into new and distant places,” notes the WSJ.
Photos from top-hotels-switzerland.com
Source :Skai
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
