US authorities arrested Wanying Zhang at Los Angeles airport and charged her with acting as an unregistered foreign agent, alleging surveillance of a son of Taiwan's president.
US authorities arrested a California woman on 4 October and accused her of spying on a son of Taiwan's president at the direction of Chinese officials, Reuters reported, citing the FBI.
The FBI said it arrested Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, 34, of Irvine, at Los Angeles International Airport before a planned departure to China. Prosecutors charged her with acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The Justice Department said Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials and sent photographs, video and license-plate information about the president's son and his family.
The FBI did not name the target directly. It later shared a New York Post report identifying him as Lai Ting-yu, a US resident and son of President Lai Ching-te, Reuters reported. First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said Zhang used tradecraft and did not notify Washington that she was acting for a foreign government. She was due in a Los Angeles federal court on Monday.
Taiwan's presidential office called the alleged conduct a typical case of transnational repression and thanked the United States. Spokesperson Karen Kuo said Taiwan condemned conduct that disregarded human rights and national sovereignty. China's foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
It was not immediately clear whether Zhang had a defence lawyer, Reuters said. The charge is an allegation; no court finding was reported at the time of the Reuters account.
People Sentiments Negative
- Taiwan's presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo condemned the alleged conduct as disregarding human rights and sovereignty.