United States authorities have arrested a 34-year-old California woman for allegedly spying on the son of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te on behalf of Chinese officials.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, was arrested on Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport shortly before she was due to travel to China.
Zhang has been charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent, according to the FBI.
US authorities alleged that Zhang surveilled one of President Lai’s sons, later identified as Lai Ting-yu, a United States resident.
According to the US Department of Justice, Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials.
She allegedly gathered and transmitted photographs, videos and vehicle registration information involving Lai’s son and his family.
The authorities further alleged that Zhang took deliberate steps to evade detection during the surveillance operation.
She was also accused of failing to notify the US government that she was acting on behalf of a foreign government.
Bill Essayli, First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California, said Zhang’s alleged activities showed deliberate efforts to conceal her actions.
Zhang was expected to appear before a federal court in Los Angeles on Monday.
It was not immediately clear whether she had secured legal representation.
Reacting to the arrest, Taiwan’s Presidential Office described the alleged operation as a case of “transnational repression”.
The office thanked the US government for protecting Taiwanese citizens.
Taiwanese presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said the country “expresses the strongest condemnation of such barbaric conduct that disregards human rights and the sovereignty of nations”.
China’s Foreign Ministry had not responded to requests for comment at the time of filing the report.
The development comes amid heightened tensions between Washington, Beijing and Taipei.
President Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party have promoted Taiwan’s separate political identity from China, a position that has repeatedly drawn criticism from Beijing.
China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has consistently opposed moves it considers supportive of the island’s independence.
Lai, however, maintains that only the people of Taiwan have the right to determine the island’s future.
Although the United States does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Washington maintains close unofficial relations with the island and remains its major supplier of military equipment.
The allegations against Zhang are expected to intensify concerns in the United States over Chinese intelligence activities and alleged efforts to monitor Taiwanese nationals and political figures abroad.
