By Dave Ifebi
US authorities have arrested a California woman accused of
spying on the son of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te for Chinese officials, in
a case likely to deepen concerns over Beijing’s alleged intelligence activities
abroad.
Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, 34, was arrested on
Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport shortly before she was due to
travel to China, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Zhang faces a charge of acting as an unregistered foreign
agent. Prosecutors allege that she worked on behalf of Chinese officials while
secretly gathering information about one of President Lai’s sons.
The son was later identified by the New York Post as
Lai Ting-yu, a US resident. The US Department of Justice said Zhang travelled
to Seattle in 2025 on instructions from Chinese officials to conduct
surveillance.
During that operation, she allegedly collected and
transmitted photographs, videos and vehicle licence plate information involving
Lai Ting-yu and members of his family, US authorities said.
Investigators further alleged that Zhang deliberately took
steps to avoid detection while carrying out the surveillance. She also
allegedly failed to inform 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 the allegations showed deliberate efforts to
conceal Zhang’s activities while she was allegedly working for Chinese
officials.
Zhang was expected to appear before a federal court in Los
Angeles on Monday. It was not immediately clear whether she had obtained legal
representation to respond to the allegations.
Taiwan’s Presidential Office described the alleged
surveillance as an example of “transnational repression” and welcomed the US
response, saying Washington had acted to protect Taiwanese citizens from such
activities.
Karen Kuo, a spokesperson for the office, condemned what she
described as conduct that disregarded human rights and national sovereignty,
while expressing Taiwan’s strongest opposition to the alleged operation.
China’s Foreign Ministry had not responded to requests for
comment when the report was filed. The allegations therefore remain
unchallenged publicly by Beijing, while Zhang faces the case in the US federal
court system.
The case comes against a difficult political backdrop.
President Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party support Taiwan’s separate
political identity, a position that has repeatedly drawn strong opposition from
Beijing.
China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has
consistently opposed moves it believes could strengthen the island’s
independence. Lai, however, maintains that Taiwan’s future should be decided by
its own people.
The allegations also emerge as tensions between Washington,
Beijing and Taipei remain high. Although the United States has no formal
diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it maintains close unofficial ties and
remains the island’s main supplier of military equipment.
The arrest could add to growing US concerns about alleged
Chinese intelligence operations targeting Taiwanese nationals and political
figures overseas, particularly as Washington and Beijing continue to compete
over security and influence in the region.
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