Los Angeles:A California woman was arrested by US authorities at Los Angeles International Airport as she attempted to depart for China.

According to Anadolu Agency, Wanying Zhang, also known as 'Heather,' was taken into custody by the FBI's Los Angeles field office. The 34-year-old resident of Irvine faces a federal complaint for allegedly acting as an unregistered agent for the People's Republic of China.

The allegations state that Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 under the direction of Chinese officials. During this trip, she allegedly surveilled a close relative of a Taiwanese government official, as noted by First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli on the social media platform X.

Zhang is accused of sending photos, videos, and license plate information to Chinese officials. It is claimed that she coordinated the trip with an associate while employing methods to evade detection.

The complaint asserts that Zhang did not notify the US attorney general of her activities on behalf of a foreign government. Her initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday in a federal court in Los Angeles.