Wanying Zhang, the glamorous California realtor accused of spying on the son of Taiwan’s president, made her first court appearance Monday as her husband declined to answer questions about the alleged espionage case.
Zhang appeared before a judge in downtown Los Angeles wearing a high-collared designer jacket, black trousers and highlighted hair. She was shackled as her husband, Edric Ding, watched from the courtroom.
The hearing took an unusual turn moments after it began. Zhang’s public defender, Chad Pennington, requested a sidebar with the judge, prompting a roughly 20-minute recess.
When the proceedings resumed, Zhang was asked whether she understood the accusations against her. She replied, “Yes.”
The hearing was then postponed until Wednesday as Zhang “considered retaining private counsel,” Pennington said.
Ding spent the afternoon waiting in the courthouse hallway and scrolling through his cellphone. As he left the building, he was questioned by the California Post about the case.
Asked whether his wife was a Chinese spy, Ding stared straight ahead and said nothing. At times, he also tried to block The Post’s camera.
The court appearance followed Zhang’s arrest at Los Angeles International Airport, where the USC-educated realtor was accused of spying for China. Zhang, who is also known as “Heather,” was detained Sunday while attempting to board a flight to Shanghai.
Video recorded shortly after the arrest showed several FBI agents escorting Zhang, who was handcuffed, through the airport terminal.
The 34-year-old Irvine resident is accused of working with handlers from the People’s Republic of China to surveil Ting-Yu Lai, the son of Taiwan’s president, Ching-te Lai. Ting-Yu Lai is an engineer in his 30s who lives in the United States.
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Zhang, who worked with her husband at a real estate firm, allegedly traveled to Seattle in September 2025 to monitor Ting-Yu Lai, who is based there.
Surveillance images allegedly showed Zhang sitting in a vehicle with an accomplice while photographing Lai’s home and close relatives.
According to the FBI’s criminal complaint, Zhang and other alleged agents exchanged several text messages in September 2025 about tracking Lai in Seattle, where he works for electronics giant Philips.
In one exchange, Zhang allegedly told a Chinese government official that she had spotted the Taiwanese president’s son. “It’s that young one,” she said.
The official then asked whether Zhang could join an audio call to discuss the matter. Zhang allegedly replied that she was recording video of him.
The text messages detailed in the federal complaint are a central element of the government’s case against the California realtor.
Zhang’s arrest is the latest high-profile case in California involving allegations of Chinese government influence and espionage.
Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, who was disgraced after being accused of acting as a Chinese spy, entered a plea in federal court following a bombshell admission in March.
Former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell also acknowledged a prescription drug-fueled sexual encounter with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese spy also known as “Fang Fang,” according to FBI files released in August.
“We have a problem with Beijing using Chinese Americans for their own purposes in California. They are using them for their own foreign affairs because they are playing the long game to get a competitive advantage over us,” Central District of California AG Bill Essayli said.