FBI Arrests Woman at LAX Accused of Spying on Taiwan President's Family

FBI agents arrested Wanying Zhang on Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport. Authorities accuse Zhang of spying on the family of Taiwan's president on behalf of China.

Assistant U.S. State Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed the arrest as Zhang was departing the country. The FBI’s Rapid Response team identified the alleged targets as the son of Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te and his family.

Taiwan's Presidential Office confirmed relatives of President Lai Ching-te were the subjects of the alleged espionage. Reports indicate Lai Ching-te’s son, Lai Ting-yu, works for Philips and holds a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Washington.

The complaint alleges Zhang traveled to Seattle to photograph the president's family and relay information to Chinese officials. Essayli stated on social media that Zhang “coordinated the trip with an associate and used tradecraft to avoid detection.”

Zhang is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday. The incident highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions between China and Taiwan. China's ruling party claims Taiwan as its territory and seeks its unification, by force if necessary. Taiwan separated from mainland China in 1949 and maintains its own government.