Los Angeles:US authorities arrested a California woman at Los Angeles International Airport as she was attempting to leave for China.

According to Anadolu Agency, Wanying Zhang, also known as 'Heather,' 34, of Irvine, was apprehended by the FBI's Los Angeles field office. She faces a federal complaint charging her with acting as an unregistered agent of the People's Republic of China, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli announced on the US social media platform X.

An affidavit claims that Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 and, under the direction of Chinese officials, surveilled a close relative of a Taiwanese government official. She allegedly sent photos, videos, and license plate information to Chinese officials and coordinated the trip with an associate while using methods to avoid detection.

Zhang is accused of failing to notify the US attorney general that she was acting on behalf of a foreign government. She is expected to make her initial appearance at a federal court in Los Angeles on Monday.