US: FBI arrests woman accused of spying for China

The FBI has arrested a 34-year-old woman, Wanying Z., from Irvine, California, on suspicion of spying for China within the United States, according to officials. Z. was apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport while boarding a flight to China. She faces charges of being an unregistered foreign agent.

According to First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli, Z. traveled to Seattle in 2025 and, under the direction of Chinese officials, conducted surveillance on a relative of a Taiwanese government official. She transmitted photos, videos, and license plate information to those officials. Essayli added that Z. coordinated the trip with an associate and employed techniques to evade detection.

Z. is scheduled to appear in a Los Angeles federal court on Monday. The FBI has confirmed that Z. was spying on the son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. Although the FBI did not disclose the target's name, a New York Post report identified him as Lai Ting-yu, who resides in the United States.

FBI Director Kash Patel lauded the arrest, cautioning foreign adversaries that "America is no longer a safe place to conduct your espionage operations." He emphasized that attempting to spy on a foreign leader's family on U.S. soil and attempting to depart for their home country is not feasible. Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party advocate for Taiwan's unique identity separate from China, a stance that often provokes Beijing, which views the island as Chinese territory.

While the U.S. does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it remains the island's most significant international ally and supplier of weaponry.