On October 8, 2026, 34-year-old Californian woman Zhang Wanying was arrested at Los Angeles airport for allegedly engaging in espionage activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. Her background bears striking resemblance to the notorious spy suspect Fang “Christine” Fang.
Zhang Wanying, a real estate agent in Irvine, is now facing federal charges for allegedly being instructed by Chinese government officials in 2025 to travel to Washington state to monitor Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s son, Lai Ting-yu.
Similar to Fang, Zhang Wanying also studied at the School of International Relations in Beijing, which is managed by the Chinese Communist Party’s intelligence agency and secret police department, the “National Security Department.”
In a criminal complaint submitted to the Los Angeles court, FBI counterintelligence special agent Kevin Holt stated that the Chinese National Security Department “heavily recruited” graduates from the School of International Relations.
Three years ago, Zhang Wanying was seen on the streets of San Francisco celebrating Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States. She was photographed wearing a distinctive red hat and carrying a red banner of the “Southern California Chinese Association.”
Shortly after the photo was taken, pro-CCP individuals attacked protesters against the Chinese Communist regime on the streets of San Francisco. There is currently no evidence linking Zhang to the violent incidents.
Like Fang, she actively participated in groups and activities advocating for the rights of Chinese Americans. She participated in activities organized by the Chinese American Association, aiming to establish close relationships with officials connected to the Chinese government.
President of the Southern California Chinese Association, Cai Chenghua, who also serves as chairman of the American Chinese Association (AACA) and vice chairman of the Overseas Committee and Youth Committee of the Chinese Communist Loved Ones Association.
The Overseas Committee and Youth Committee of the Chinese Communist Loved Ones Association are directly led by the Chinese Communist Loved Ones Association.
In 2022, Cai assisted in organizing an event celebrating the National Day. During the event, the then Consul General of Los Angeles Zhang Ping called on Chinese Americans to oppose “Taiwan Independence” and support the reunification of Taiwan with China.
In November 2023, during Xi’s visit to San Francisco, the Southern California Chinese Association arranged for pro-CCP individuals to travel by bus to San Francisco. Zhang Wanying was among them, and a photo taken shows her standing next to Cai Chenghua.
Cai Chenghua has attended events with former Arcadia Mayor Wang Ailin multiple times, who admitted in May this year to acting as an agent for the Chinese government.
Wang Ailin’s fiancé Sun Yaoning was sentenced to four years in prison for acting as an agent for the Chinese government. In April 2023, following instructions from officials at the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, he monitored the movements of then-Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her transit through Southern California, taking photos of supporters and opponents in real time.
Jacqueline Deal, a consultant at State Armor Company, told CBS News, “Key personnel of U.S. organizations associated with the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party continuously appear in cases involving foreign agents, which is not a coincidence. The mission of these organizations is to assist China and harm the United States.”
Deal stated that at the very least, officials of these organizations should register with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Currently, Zhang Wanying is charged with violating this federal law for failing to register as an agent of the Chinese Communist government.
Cai Chenghua has not been charged with any wrongdoing or crimes. He has not responded to requests for comments.
The FBI stated that they have obtained WeChat chat records between Zhang Wanying and Chinese intelligence officials, indicating their plotting and execution of a secret operation to surveil Lai Ting-yu and his family. At that time, Lai Ting-yu and his family were residing in Seattle, Washington, 953 miles away from Los Angeles.
Investigators obtained surveillance footage from a neighbor’s camera showing Zhang Wanying monitoring the victim.
According to the FBI affidavit, Zhang Wanying traveled to China in January 2025 and met with a Chinese government official who was also her classmate at the School of International Relations.
Two months later, based on records obtained from Zhang Wanying’s iCloud account through a search warrant, the two communicated via WeChat, instructing her to visit an address of a Taiwanese official publicly opposed to the Chinese government. This Taiwanese official was likely the first victim she began monitoring under Chinese instructions.
It is alleged that she visited China again in June and met with a second Chinese official in a restaurant private room. Investigators believe that it was there she received the mission to monitor the son of Lai Ching-te.
She texted her contact in the Chinese government, stating, “I can handle this.”
According to the indictment, Zhang Wanying traveled to Seattle in 2025 as instructed by the Chinese official to surveil a close relative of a senior Taiwanese government official and sent photos, videos, and license plate information to those Chinese officials.
The indictment alleges that she coordinated the trip with an accomplice and utilized spy tactics to evade surveillance. She failed to declare to the U.S. Attorney General that she was acting on behalf of a foreign government, constituting a federal crime.
On Wednesday, Zhang Wanying appeared in court wearing a white inmate uniform and handcuffs throughout the trial, a stark contrast from her first appearance on Monday when she was not in handcuffs, dressed in designer sportswear, and meticulously groomed. Her bail request was rejected, and she must await the next trial in custody.
Her family declined to comment.
After moving to the United States, Zhang Wanying studied at the University of Southern California and obtained her real estate agent license in 2016.
According to Zillow, she handled over 130 properties ranging from hundreds of thousands to over 8 million dollars. Records show that Zhang Wanying and her husband (also a real estate agent at JC Pacific Realty) bought a 6-bedroom, 6,030-square-foot luxury home for $5.65 million in 2024. They sold the property in June this year for $6 million.
She often posts various lifestyle photos on Instagram, Xiaohongshu, and other social media platforms, showcasing herself wearing designer clothing, dining at upscale restaurants, traveling worldwide, and shopping at luxury stores.
Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, released a statement on Monday revealing that the indictment exposed a brazen conspiracy planned by the Chinese (CCP) government to secretly surveil a close relative of a Taiwanese government official in the U.S.
“Zhang Wanying was arrested for allegedly acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese (CCP) government, clearly demonstrating that the authoritarian regime of the CCP will stop at nothing to achieve its goals,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Taiwanese President condemned the “inhumane repression, intimidation, and even harm to the freedom and democracy of the people and their families,” calling it unacceptable in the civilized world.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they were unaware of the case but opposed the U.S.’ “Chinese (CCP) spy” accusations.
The U.S. Embassy in China relayed news of Zhang Wanying’s federal indictment, stating that she was arrested for serving as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China (Communist China).
A Chinese netizen replied, “This news would not dare to be reported in China.”
Another netizen commented, “A small spy, triple political effects. A person can be insignificant, but the stakes may not be small. As for whether it’s a coincidence—politics not only looks at what happens, but also why it happens at this particular time and why you are seeing it.”