US accuses California woman of spying on Taiwan president's son for China - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, is led away by FBI agents after her arrest in Los Angeles. (X: Bill Essayli, First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California)

The FBI has arrested a woman at Los Angeles International Airport before she was due to leave the US and accused her of spying on the Taiwanese president's family on behalf of China.

Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, surveilled a son of the Taiwanese president for Chinese officials while in the United States, according to the FBI.

The 34-year-old from Irvine, California, is due to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday, local time.

The FBI says authorities have arrested a California woman and accused her of spying on a son of Taiwan's president at the direction of Chinese officials.

The FBI arrested Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday, local time, before she was due to depart for China, the agency said in a statement.

Authorities charged Ms Zhang, 34, of Irvine, California, with acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Ms Zhang surveilled one of the sons of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, the FBI said.

The agency did not directly name Ms Zhang's alleged target, but later shared a New York Post report identifying him as Lai Ting-yu, a US resident.

Taiwan's presidential office described Ms Zhang's actions as a "typical case of transnational repression" and thanked the US government for protecting Taiwanese citizens.

"Our country expresses the strongest condemnation of such barbaric conduct that disregards human rights and the sovereignty of nations," spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement.

Wanying Zhang was arrested as she was departing for a flight to China. (X: Bill Essayli, First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California)

China's foreign ministry said it was "not familiar" with the situation, and that it had "consistently opposed the sensationalisation of so-called 'Chinese spies' to slander and smear China".

Mr Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party champion Taiwan's separate identity from China, a position that frequently angers Beijing, which views the island as Chinese territory.

Mr Lai says only the people of Taiwan can decide its future.

The Justice Department said Ms Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials and sent them photos, video and license-plate information about the Taiwanese president's son and his family.

Ms Zhang used tradecraft to avoid detection and did not notify Washington that she was acting for a foreign government, Bill Essayli, the first assistant US attorney for the Central District of California, said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether Ms Zhang had a defence lawyer.

She will appear in a Los Angeles federal court on Monday, Mr Essayli said.

Washington does not have ⁠formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but the US is the island's most important international backer and weapons supplier.