Chinese student in Canada arrested in US over alleged aviation photography; sister says, ‘If my brother is a Chinese spy, then I am Trump’s father’

Weiheng Zeng, a Chinese undergraduate studying at the University of Waterloo in Canada, was arrested in Michigan after US authorities accused him of photographing aircraft and freight facilities for a person he allegedly believed was linked to the Chinese government.

Zeng was arrested on August 23 after crossing the Ambassador Bridge in the same dark blue minivan investigators had linked to an earlier incident at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. He has been charged with making false statements to federal authorities, but not with espionage. The allegations in the FBI affidavit have not been tested in court.

The case began on April 21, when a man was reportedly seen photographing a FedEx cargo facility at O’Hare. Investigators said he climbed onto a forklift and tried to open locked trailers. When Zeng later attempted to enter the United States, border officers questioned him before FBI agents conducted three interviews.

According to the affidavit, Zeng initially said he had travelled to Chicago to photograph aircraft and had told customs officers he was visiting his sister. Agents searching his phone allegedly found images of aircraft, including military planes, as well as photographs of Zeng and others wearing tactical clothing and holding rifle-style firearms. Zeng said the weapons were airsoft guns and that he photographed aircraft models for a flight-tracking website. He denied having military training.

In later interviews, Zeng reportedly said he had photographed planes from a public parking lot before acknowledging that he had gone to the FedEx facility and climbed onto a forklift. The affidavit also alleges that he had previously trespassed at a FedEx facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Investigators say Zeng eventually described a Chinese contact who approached him through an aviation enthusiasts’ website. The contact allegedly provided aircraft tail numbers, paid between $20 and $30 for each photograph, and sent SIM cards for communication. Zeng’s sister rejected the implication that he was a spy, saying, “If my brother is a Chinese spy, then I am Trump’s father.”

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If my brother is a Chinese spy, then I am Trump’s father.