The sibling of a student at a university in Ontario who was apprehended in an inquiry by the FBI about counter-intelligence activities has rejected the notion that her brother is intentionally engaged in espionage on behalf of Beijing.
In a post on social media on Wednesday, Meixuan Wang stated, “If my brother is a Chinese spy, then I’m Trump’s father.”
The individual in question, Weiheng Zeng, a Chinese national born in 2004 and a student at the University of Waterloo, was detained while trying to cross the U.S. border from Windsor, Ont., last month and charged with providing false information.
In a legal complaint, Zeng confessed to accepting paid assignments from a person he believed to be linked to a Chinese security agency.
The complaint, lodged in U.S. District Court in Michigan, contains security footage that seems to depict a man scaling a forklift, attempting to access a locked FedEx vehicle, and capturing images from a parking area at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in April.
According to legal documents, Zeng informed investigators that his unnamed contact instructed him to photograph aircraft and tail numbers in exchange for $20-30 US per picture.
The criminal complaint, signed by FBI special agent Robert Holbrook, also states that Zeng described trespassing and taking photos the previous year at a FedEx site at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, at the request of the same unidentified individual.
The accusations involve activities resembling espionage, as per prosecutor Alyse Wu in the Detroit court.
Gina Balaya, a representative for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, mentioned in an email to CBC News that the case remains under investigation.
On Zeng’s public Instagram profile, where he uses the name Billy, he describes himself as a “photography enthusiast” and anticipates completing his studies in Waterloo’s global business and digital arts program in 2028.
His profile includes images of planes, including Canadian military aircraft apparently photographed at an air show in 2024.
Zeng’s Instagram also showcases photos from trips to Chicago, where his sister works as an artist according to her social media profiles.
Wang, also known as Jade, shared with the Globe and Mail that her brother is fixated on airplanes and has autism spectrum disorder. She suggested that Zeng may not have comprehended the severity of his situation during questioning by U.S. border officials.
Wang declined an interview request from CBC News.
Rhonda Brazile, a court-appointed federal defender named as Zeng’s legal counsel, did not respond to requests for comments.
Zeng is set to appear in court again next week, remaining in custody without seeking release on bond.
RCMP spokesperson Camille Boily-Lavoie acknowledged awareness of the case but refrained from confirming any involvement in the FBI’s investigation. CSIS redirected inquiries to the RCMP.
“I feel, in a way, sorry for [Zeng],” commented Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, an advisory board member at the China Strategic Risks Institute. “I’m sure he didn’t realize when he was doing this what he was getting into.”
She mentioned that China’s Ministry of State Security frequently leverages students abroad to gather information and capture photos beneficial to Beijing’s intelligence agencies.
An unnamed representative for the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa disapproved of the highlighting of the alleged ‘China spy threat’ and unwarranted speculations against China.
Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former chief of the Asia-Pacific unit for CSIS, explained that individuals who agree to conduct tasks for intelligence organizations for payment are termed “co-optees.”
“The question remains whether [Zeng] is a spy or someone recruited to perform tasks for a spy,” Juneau-Katsuya noted. “It seems like he may fall into the latter category.”