US Detains Agent Accused of Surveilling Taiwanese President's Son in LA

A Chinese-American real estate agent, Wanying Zhang, was ordered detained in Los Angeles federal court on October 5 for allegedly surveilling the family of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's son, at the direction of Chinese officials. The FBI and Justice Department issued rare, stern statements condemning Beijing's actions as a "transnational repression" plot, while U.S. lawmakers called it a direct national security threat. Zhang was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport attempting to flee to China. The State Department affirmed U.S. commitment to protecting individuals from foreign government intimidation. Zhang faces charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent, with a detention hearing scheduled for October 7.