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US lawmakers are urging Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to counter foreign governments alleged attempts to intimidate and surveil individuals on American soil, following the Federal Bureau of Investigations arrest of a woman accused of acting as an unregistered Chinese agent, The Epoch Times reported.
According to The Epoch Times, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China called on October 6 for the passage of the Transnational Repression Policy Act, stressing that foreign governments must not be allowed to intimidate or monitor people in the United States. The appeal followed the October 4 arrest of Wanying Zhang, a California-based real estate agent and naturalised US citizen also known as Heather. As reported by The Epoch Times, Zhang is accused of conducting surveillance on Lai Ting-yu, the US-based son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, allegedly at the direction of her Chinese Communist Party handlers. A Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit cited by The Epoch Times alleges that Zhang and an accomplice travelled to Seattle in September 2025 and waited outside Lais residence in a rented vehicle. They allegedly photographed and filmed Lai and his family before forwarding the material, along with vehicle registration details, to a Chinese official. The affidavit also reportedly indicated that Zhang may have been tasked with collecting information about residents at an address in Irvine, California, previously linked to a Taiwanese elected official known for opposing the Chinese Communist Party. The Epoch Times reported that Taiwanese Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo described the alleged surveillance as a typical case of transnational repression The proposed legislation, introduced as S. 2525 and H.R. 4829, seeks to strengthen protections against intimidation and surveillance by foreign governments and their agents. US-China relations remain strained by growing concerns over national security, foreign interference and Beijings activities beyond its borders. Washington has repeatedly raised concerns over Chinas alleged efforts to monitor and intimidate individuals critical of the Chinese Communist Party, including people associated with Taiwan. (ANI)
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