Brian Lewis, Los Angeles
A 34-year-old woman was arrested by the FBI at Los Angeles International Airport as she prepared to board a flight to China, accused of conducting surveillance on relatives of Taiwan’s president on behalf of the Chinese government.
Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, faces charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of California’s Central District. Prosecutors allege that Zhang monitored the Taiwanese president’s son and his family while they were in the United States, taking photographs and videos of her targets and transmitting license plate details to Chinese officials.
Zhang, a licensed real estate salesperson based in Irvine, California, according to licensing and property records cited by KTLA, was taken into custody as she attempted to leave the country. Her nationality has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear whether she has legal representation. She was scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday.
Taiwan’s presidential office confirmed that relatives of President Lai Ching-te were the subjects of the alleged surveillance, describing the incident as “a classic case of transnational repression.” Spokesperson Karen Kuo issued a strong condemnation: “Taiwan condemns in the strongest terms such barbaric acts – which disregard human rights and national sovereignty and aim to suppress, threaten, or even harm individuals advocating for freedom and democracy or their families – as such behavior should not be tolerated in the civilized world.”
The Chinese Embassy in the United States did not immediately respond to requests for comment. China’s Foreign Ministry was closed for a holiday.
The case unfolds against the long-standing tensions between Taiwan and China. The two sides have been governed separately since a civil war in 1949, though Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory. President Lai, elected in 2024, has maintained that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other and that the People’s Republic of China has no right to represent the island. Beijing has labeled Lai a separatist and a “destroyer of peace.”
Since taking office, Lai has prioritized strengthening Taiwan’s defenses, including a pledge to raise military spending from 3% to 5% of GDP and advancing a special budget for a T-Dome air defense system.
