Emailed them back yesterday and got the reply today from Manager, Ambassador Specialty Service, Guangzhou Customer Engagement Center. Didn't really offer anything special besides asking me to let them know about my next trip in advance so they can make it special. I made it clear to them in the email I am not trying to renew this year.
So either it's just official copypasta or at least in China the loss of elite membership is serious enough that they might give out another extension. (Lockdown for most of the first half of the year and most likely another one soon)