Beijing - Lust, Caution star Tang Wei is back in action.

Appearing in public in Beijing for the first time since she was banned for her role in the steamy spy thriller, she attended a fashion show last Saturday with stars such as Maggie Cheung and Shu Qi.

Although the ban has put a brake on Tang's career, she told the press she has kept busy by going to London for acting and English courses for two months.

Asked about her application for a Hong Kong passport, the native of Zhejiang province said: 'I'm Chinese and Hong Kong is part of China. I now live in Beijing and I go where the work is.

'My company is in Hong Kong and the application is more convenient for work.'

She has yet to receive the passport, she added.

Tang, 29, was banned in the Chinese media in March when her commercial for the skincare brand Pond's was suddenly taken off the air.

She was linked to director Tian Zhuangzhuang's big-budget historical actioner, The Warrior And The Wolf, but actress Maggie Q has since stepped into the role.

On the sidelines of the same fashion show last Saturday, Cheung denied rife rumours of her plans to marry architect Ole Scheeren.

'I didn't say I was getting married. The magazines said so,' she said.

The actress, who has been living in Beijing in semi-retirement, added that though she did not miss acting, she missed the camaraderie with co-stars such as Jacky Cheung and both Tony Leungs.

'The only thing I miss is the days when everyone bantered and suffered together.'

According to Apple Daily, Tang was paid 500,000 yuan (S$108,000) for her appearance and Cheung more than 1 million yuan.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Oct 21, 2008.