US accuses California woman of spying for China, surveilling Taiwan leader’s son

• A California woman, Wanying Zhang, was arrested for spying on a son of Taiwan's president for Chinese officials, according to the FBI.
• Zhang surveilled Lai Ting-yu, collecting photos, videos, and licence plate details, and acted as an unregistered foreign agent.
• The case highlights tensions between the US, China, and Taiwan, with the US supporting Taiwan despite lacking formal diplomatic ties.

WASHINGTON – US authorities arrested a California woman on Oct 4 and accused her of spying on a son of Taiwan’s president at the behest of Chinese officials, the FBI said.

The FBI arrested Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, at Los Angeles International Airport on Oct 4 before her planned departure to China, the agency said in a statement.

The authorities charged Zhang, 34, of Irvine, California, with acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Zhang surveilled a son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, the FBI said. The agency did not directly name Zhang’s alleged target, but later shared a New York Post report identifying him as Lai Ting-yu, a US resident.

Taiwan’s presidential office described Zhang’s actions as a “typical case of transnational repression” and thanked the US government for protecting Taiwanese citizens.

“Our country expresses the strongest condemnation of such barbaric conduct that disregards human rights and the sovereignty of nations,” spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement.

China’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party champion Taiwan’s separate identity from China, a position that frequently angers Beijing, which views the island as Chinese territory. Lai says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

The Justice Department said Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials and subsequently sent them photos, video and licence plate information of the Taiwanese leader’s son and his family.

Zhang used tradecraft to avoid detection and never notified Washington that she was acting for a foreign government, Bill Essayli, the first assistant US attorney for the Central District of California, said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether Zhang has a defence attorney. She will appear on Oct 5 in a Los Angeles federal court, Essayli said.

Washington does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but the United States is the island’s most important international backer and weapons supplier. REUTERS