The "guide" I "followed" was this reddit comment: https://old.reddit.com/r/hoi4/comments/15bvcj9/tips_on_how_to_play_communist_china/jtstcri/

alt history: If Hitler hadn't sieged Leningrad but taken it and allied the slavs against communism, he could have won!

alt history: If Mao had declared war on Albania, Italy would have been forced to respond. Thus the western allies would have recognized Mao as an equal military ally when world war 2 started and would help him defeat the illegitimate government led by Chiang Kai Shek. Then Japan wouldn't take any territory in the peace deal but give it all to Mao because it's his cores! Then you just defeat Japan when they declare war again because you don't have a corrupt government.