FBI treating missing 26 year old Chinese researcher as kidnapping

The FBI has confirmed they believe a missing Chinese student has been kidnapped.

The FBI website page relating to the Zhang Yingying. [Photo: hxnews.com]

26-year-old Zhang Yingying, from Southeast China's Fujian Province, was a visiting researcher with the department of natural resources and environmental sciences at the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois.

A note wrote by Zhang Yingying’s father, Zhang Ronggao. [Photo: peopleapp.com]

On Wednesday, her father Zhang Ronggao released a handwritten note to the media in which he thanked everyone for their efforts in trying to find his daughter, and saying that he was being kept informed on the progress of the search by the Chinese Consulate in Chicago. He also thanked UIUC staff and students for their support.

He said the family would not accept donations in any form, and added that no organizations would be authorized to make payments on Zhang Yingying's behalf, until there was more information from the police. 

26 year old research student Zhang Yingying. [Photo: WeChat]

The Chinese Consulate General in Chicago is currently assisting the Zhang family with visas so they can travel to the United States. 

Zhang Yingying has been missing since June 9. Surveillance video shows she spoke briefly to the driver of a black Saturn Astra, before getting into the passenger side of the car at 1:30 pm that day. 

Zhang was seen on surveillance video getting into a black Saturn Astra on 6 June, 2017. [Photo: police.illinois.edu]

Zhang was due to meet the manager of a house rental office to rent an apartment, but she didn't show up, according to a report in the Beijing News.

The search for Zhang Yingying has been stepped up, with the public urged to come forward with any information.