Arrested in the USA: Woman is said to have spied on the son of Taiwan's president for China

US authorities have arrested a woman who is said to have investigated the son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te in the United States on behalf of China. The 34-year-old was caught on Sunday at the airport in Los Angeles by FBI officials from where she wanted to travel to China, as prosecutor Bill Essayli explained on the online service X.

According to the FBI, the woman, who lives in the US state of California, is said to have followed the activities of Lai's son and his family. She filmed their house and vehicles and transmitted information to the People's Republic. According to Essayli, the woman now arrested traveled to the US metropolis of Seattle in 2025 on behalf of Chinese authorities. From there she sent photos, videos and license plates of the Taiwanese president's son and his family.

In order to avoid detection, the suspect used espionage techniques and did not inform the US authorities that she was acting on behalf of a foreign government. She is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday, prosecutors said.

The Taiwanese presidential office described the suspects' actions as a "typical case of transnational oppression" and thanked the US government for protecting Taiwanese citizens. Taiwan's President Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party are committed to an independent identity for Taiwan vis-à-vis China.

"Our country strongly condemns this barbaric behavior that disregards human rights and the sovereignty of nations," a spokeswoman said in a statement. China's Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Communist China views the democratically governed island state of Taiwan as a breakaway province that should be reunited with the mainland using military means if necessary. Taipei rejects Beijing's claims.