California Realtor Arrested for Spying on Taiwan President's Son
· World · India Today, The Hindu, Reuters
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrested 34-year-old Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, at Los Angeles International Airport before her planned flight to China. Authorities charged the Irvine, California realtor with acting as an unregistered foreign agent for allegedly surveilling Lai Ting-yu, a son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. Prosecutors stated that Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 on instructions from Chinese officials to capture photos, videos, and licence plate details of the Taiwanese leader's son. Zhang is scheduled to appear in a Los Angeles federal court on Monday. Representatives for the Chinese embassy in Washington and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office did not immediately issue statements.
Why it matters
The arrest underscores growing international espionage concerns and intensifies diplomatic friction between Washington, Beijing, and Taipei.
Read the original report — India Today
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