Tsang Chiu-for may not be the spy who came in from the cold, but he certainly is a survivor. The former assistant superintendent with Hong Kong police, who is now a Guangdong delegate to the NPC, said modestly: 'I have no special talents.' Mr Tsang has been no stranger to controversy. In 1961, he was deported to the mainland on suspicion of spying for China. He was the highest-ranking ethnic Chinese police officer in the local force at the time. Mr Tsang has never publicly discussed the accusations levelled against him and insisted during the interview that he would not. Mr Tsang's comments on his depth of talent were obviously tongue-in-cheek. Although he said he no longer remembered his age - records show he is 76 - Mr Tsang still teaches English at Guangzhou Jinan University and maintains a busy schedule. His main position now is his job at the Guangdong People's Congress, the provincial law-making body. Since becoming a vice-chairman in the early 1980s, Mr Tsang has helped draft several provincial laws and was once in charge of the process of drafting laws in Shenzhen. His involvement only ended after Shenzhen was authorised to set up its own law-making body. Partly because of his language skills - he was educated in Britain - Mr Tsang said he was frequently asked to accompany foreign guests visiting Guangdong. 'I have my own car, a secretary and everything. Why would I want to go to Hong Kong?' he said when asked if he ever wanted to visit his old beat. Mr Tsang said he had travelled widely and carried a diplomatic passport. He also had no interest in visiting Macau, claiming to have seen it all during the 1950s. He also hinted at security concerns in the enclave. 'Do you know how many gangsters I sent to Macau when I was in Hong Kong?' he asked. But regarding Hong Kong's future, Mr Tsang sounded optimistic. 'There is no need to be frightened,' Mr Tsang said. 'China also has her own share of problems. But we are not afraid. Why? 'Use your brain. You must have faith in your Government, and young people should not be afraid of hardship.'
