FBI arrests ‘Chinese foreign agent’ for spying on Taiwan president’s son

What the report says

The FBI has arrested a California woman accused of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China in a case involving surveillance of Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te’s son. According to Al Jazeera’s report, Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, was detained on Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport before she was scheduled to travel to China. U.S. authorities say the 34-year-old Irvine resident is accused of gathering information on Lai’s son and family and passing it to Chinese officials.

The Justice Department said Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 at the request of Chinese officials and later sent photos, video, and license-plate details to China. The FBI did not initially name the target, but Al Jazeera said it later linked the description to Lai Ting-yu, the Taiwanese leader’s son. Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said Zhang will appear in federal court in Los Angeles.

The case comes amid long-running tensions between Beijing and Taipei. Taiwan’s government says the island is already independent, while China claims it as its territory. The United States does not formally recognize Taiwan diplomatically, but it is legally committed to helping the island defend itself. Al Jazeera noted the arrest alongside recent U.S. arms deliveries to Taiwan, underscoring the broader security rivalry in the region.