FBI arrests California woman accused of spying on Taiwan leader's family for China

UPDATE - follow-up to U.S. accuses California woman of spying for China, surveilling Taiwan leader's son: U.S. authorities arrested 34-year-old Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday before her planned flight to China.

The Charges and Surveillance

Zhang, a resident of Irvine, California, faces charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China. According to the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials to conduct surveillance. Zhang took photos and videos and collected license plate information of the target and his family, using tradecraft to avoid detection. U.S. authorities identified the target as Lai Ting-yu, a U.S. resident and son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

Official Reactions

Taiwan's Presidential Office confirmed the relatives were targeted, calling the incident a classic case of transnational repression. Spokesperson Karen Kuo stated that Taiwan condemns such acts for disregarding human rights and national sovereignty. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Context

This case highlights ongoing tensions between Beijing and Taipei, as China claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory while the U.S. maintains strong unofficial ties and remains the island's primary international backer.