The Chinese civ doesn’t need a buff it’s quite balanced. What I wanna see is a DLC (or perhaps 2 DLCs) featuring civs around China. Here’s a list of the civs that I wanna see along with their potential UUs.
East Asian Civs:
Dians (Nanzhao)
Archer and Monk civ
UU1: Luojuzi, an anti-cavalry skirmisher
UU2: Raeuz Tribesman, an infantry unit that can double as a gatherer
For more details please check this thread: Civilization Idea: the Dians/Bo/Baipu (2023 Update) - Age of Empires II: DE / II - Discussion - Age of Empires Forum
Jurchens
Siege Civ
UU idea 1: Thunderclap Grenadier, a siege infantry that throws explosives at the enemy, good against defensive buildings and siege weapons but weak against cavalry and archers.
UU idea 2: Lihuaqiang Firelancer, a siege infantry that carries a fire lance and spews flames at the enemy, good against buildings and siege but weak against everything else.
Khitans
Cavalry or Cavalry Archer civ
UU: Pishi Guardsman, a heavy infantry clad in a suit of heavy lamellar armor and armed with a bar mace and a pavise shield. Its special ability is that it has a stronghold mode, which can be switched from the infantry mode by a click of the mouse. In the stronghold mode it isn’t able to move and is tugged behind the shield, but it receives minus -20% damage from all attacks. Serves perfectly as a meat shield for their cavalry archers.
Tanguts
Camel and Monk civ
UU: Camel Slinger, a slinger riding on a Bactrian camel and uses a slingshot to attack the enemy, good against infantry
Southeast Asian Civs
Chams
Archer and Navy civ
UU: Mangpung or Vijaya Raider, an amphibious infantry unit
For more details please check here: Civilization Idea: the Chams (2023 Update) - Age of Empires II: DE / II - Discussion - Age of Empires Forum
Javanese
Haven’t decided on what type civ this would be, maybe Gunpowder and Navy?
UU: haven’t decided either, maybe the Lantaka cannon and the Djong warship. And they could share a regional unit with the Malays, the Sumpit blowgunner, with poisonous projectiles that cause the targeted enemy to continuously lose HP for X secs, similar effect to the Jungle Bowman of the Incas in AoE 3
Mons
Defensive civ
UU: haven’t decided yet, possibly some type of elephant unit
Siamese
Elephant and Gunpowder civ
UU: Elephant Gunner, an arquebusier mounted on a war elephant, good against infantry and defensive buildings