The sibling of a college student from Ontario detained in an FBI counter-intelligence probe has rejected accusations that her brother is consciously engaged in spying activities for Beijing.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Meixuan Wang stated, “If my sibling is a spy for China, then I’m related to Trump.” Weiheng Zeng, a Chinese national born in 2004 and a student at the University of Waterloo, was arrested last month while trying to cross the U.S. border from Windsor, Ontario, and charged with providing false information. Zeng reportedly confessed to receiving payment for carrying out tasks from an individual he believed to be linked to a Chinese security agency.
The legal complaint, submitted in U.S. District Court in Michigan, contains security footage that seems to depict a man scaling a forklift, attempting to open a locked FedEx truck, and taking photographs from a parking area at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in April. According to court records, Zeng admitted to being directed by his unidentified contact to photograph aircraft and tail numbers for $20-30 US per image. The complaint also alleges that Zeng admitted to trespassing and taking photos at a FedEx facility at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport last year at the request of the same undisclosed individual.
Prosecutor Alyse Wu described the charges as activities resembling espionage during the court hearing in Detroit. Gina Balaya, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, mentioned that the case is still being investigated.
On Zeng’s public Instagram account, where he is known as Billy, he describes himself as a “photography enthusiast” and anticipates graduating from Waterloo’s global business and digital arts program in 2028. His profile showcases images of planes, including Canadian military aircraft apparently captured at an airshow in 2024.
Zeng’s sister, also known as Jade, disclosed to the Globe and Mail that her brother has a passion for airplanes and has autism spectrum disorder. She suggested that Zeng might not have comprehended the severity of his situation when questioned by U.S. border officials. Wang declined an interview request from CBC News.
Zeng is set to appear in court again next week and remains in custody without requesting bond. RCMP spokesperson Camille Boily-Lavoie confirmed awareness of the case but refrained from commenting on the RCMP’s involvement in the FBI’s inquiry. CSIS redirected inquiries to the RCMP.
“I feel somewhat sorry for [Zeng],” commented Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, an advisory board member at the China Strategic Risks Institute. She further noted that China’s Ministry of State Security often leverages students studying abroad to collect information and take photos that could be valuable to Beijing’s intelligence agencies.
An unnamed representative from the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa released a statement denouncing the sensationalizing of the ‘China spy threat’ and unfounded accusations against China. Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former chief of the Asia-Pacific unit for CSIS, explained that individuals who accept payment to perform tasks for intelligence agencies are known in the industry as “co-optees.”
“The question remains whether [Zeng] is a spy or someone recruited to carry out tasks for a spy,” Juneau-Katsuya remarked. “It appears he may fall into the latter category.”
