The FBI arrested a woman at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday in a case involving allegations of espionage on behalf of China.
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Wanying "Heather" Zhang has been accused of acting as a Chinese spy and working on behalf of the Chinese government.
Zhang, 34, lives in Irvine, California, and was reportedly attempting to travel to China when federal authorities arrested her.
Alleged China Spy Accused of Surveilling Taiwanese President's Son
Zhang is accused of acting as an unregistered agent of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Authorities allege that she worked with handlers connected to the PRC to surveil Ting-Yu Lai, the son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of the PRC. Where she surveilled a close relative of a Taiwanese government official.
"We have a problem with Beijing using Chinese-Americans for their own purposes in California," Essayli said.
"They are using them for their own foreign affairs because they are playing the long game to get a competitive advantage over us. She wasn't spying against us, she was allegedly conducting a campaign on behalf of Beijing."
The FBI claims to have obtained text messages between Zhang and other alleged agents discussing the tracking of Ting-Yu Lai in Seattle.
Zhang is accused of sending photos, videos and license plate information to Chinese officials.
Lai reportedly works in Seattle for electronics company Philips.
Wanying Zhang Due to Appear in Federal Court
Zhang worked for a real estate firm alongside her husband, Edric Ding.
Her arrest comes amid continued tensions between China and Taiwan, with concerns surrounding Beijing's intentions toward the island remaining high.
The case also follows another controversy involving California politics. Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, California, was implicated in an alleged propaganda and fake news campaign on behalf of the PRC.
Wang subsequently resigned from office after pleading guilty to acting as a foreign agent.
As for Zhang, she is due to appear in federal court on Monday as the case against her moves forward.
Authorities are expected to reveal further details surrounding the allegations as the legal proceedings continue.
