🇺🇸🇨🇳 US Charges Woman Over China Spy Case

US authorities arrested Wanying Zhang, 34, of Irvine, California, at Los Angeles airport on Oct 4 and charged her with acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China. According to the FBI, she surveilled Lai Ting-yu, the son of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, collecting photos, video and licence plate information before a planned departure to China.

The Justice Department said Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials and used tradecraft to avoid detection. Taiwan’s presidential office called the case transnational repression, while the episode adds to US-China-Taiwan tensions as Washington maintains unofficial ties with Taipei and remains the island’s main security backer.

Zhang was due to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Oct 5. China’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

#USA #China #Taiwan

@asianomics