FBI arrests ‘Chinese foreign agent’ for spying on Taiwan president’s son | Espionage News
A California woman has been arrested on espionage charges for allegedly acting as an unregistered foreign agent and spying on the son of Taiwan’s president. Wanying Zhang, 34, also known as Heather, was apprehended on Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport as she prepared to depart for China, according to Bill Essayli, the first assistant US attorney for the Central District of California.
Zhang, a resident of Irvine, faces charges for surveilling Lai Ting-yu, the son of Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te. While the FBI did not initially disclose the identity of her target, they later released information confirming his connection to the Taiwanese leadership.
The U.S. Justice Department reported that Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 at the request of Chinese officials. During her surveillance, she is accused of sending photos, videos, and license plate information of the president’s son and his family back to China.
Essayli described Zhang as a “Chinese foreign agent” who employed tradecraft techniques to evade detection. He emphasized that she failed to notify the Attorney General of her foreign government affiliation, which constitutes a federal offense.
Zhang is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday.
William Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party maintain that Taiwan is an independent nation, a stance that contradicts Beijing’s claim of sovereignty over the island. The U.S. does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but it is legally bound to assist the island in self-defense efforts.
Earlier this week, the United States delivered two F-16V Block 70 fighter jets to Taiwan as part of ongoing efforts to bolster its defense capabilities amid concerns over potential aggression from China. In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the goal of “reunification” with Taiwan, asserting that the effort is “unstoppable.”
