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

Key Points:

• Wanying Zhang, a 34-year-old woman from California, was arrested by the FBI at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly spying on the son of Taiwan’s president on behalf of Chinese officials.
• Zhang is charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent and is accused of surveilling Lai Ting-yu, a US resident and son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.
• The Justice Department claims Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 to collect and send photos, videos, and license plate information of Lai Ting-yu and his family to Chinese officials, using covert methods to avoid detection.
• Taiwan condemned Zhang’s actions as “transnational repression” and praised the US for protecting its citizens, while China’s foreign ministry has not commented on the case.
• The incident highlights ongoing tensions as Taiwan asserts its identity separate from China, with the US serving as Taiwan’s key international supporter despite lacking formal diplomatic ties.