California woman arrested and accused of spying on Taiwan president’s son for China

Federal authorities in the United States have taken a California resident into custody on charges of conducting surveillance on the son of Taiwan's president under directions from Chinese officials, according to the FBI.

Federal agents arrested 34-year-old Wanying Zhang, who also goes by the name Heather, on Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport just prior to a scheduled flight to China. Zhang, who lives in Irvine, California, faces criminal charges for acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government without registering with the United States.

Law enforcement officials allege that Zhang tracked and spied on a son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. While the FBI's initial filings did not formally name the target, the bureau subsequently circulated a media report from the New York Post identifying him as Lai Ting-yu, who resides in the United States.

The Justice Department stated that Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 following instructions from Chinese authorities. During that trip, she allegedly gathered intelligence on the Taiwanese leader's son and his relatives, forwarding video recordings, photographs, and vehicle license plate details back to officials in China.

Bill Essayli, the first assistant US attorney for the Central District of California, stated that Zhang employed clandestine techniques to evade law enforcement scrutiny and failed to declare her foreign ties to the federal government as required by law. Essayli noted that Zhang is scheduled to make an appearance in a federal courtroom in Los Angeles on Monday. It was not immediately established if she has retained legal counsel.

Taiwanese officials swiftly denounced the alleged espionage operation. Karen Kuo, a spokesperson for Taiwan's presidential office, labeled the conduct as a classic example of transnational repression and offered gratitude to US authorities for defending Taiwanese nationals living abroad. Kuo added that Taiwan strongly condemns such actions, which she described as violating international sovereignty and fundamental human rights.

The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately provide a response to inquiries regarding the charges.

Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory, a position firmly resisted by President Lai and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, who maintain that the island's future can be decided only by its own citizens. Although the United States maintains no formal diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, it remains the island's primary international partner and chief provider of defensive weaponry.