When it comes to models, you're right that they absolutely can't identify the tornado. However, convective models (like the HRRR) do often indicate the approximate areas where storms will develop a few hours ahead of time. But it doesn't appear models will be forecasting where tornadoes will form with any great reliability for quite a while still.

But in terms of hunting down tornadic storms, convective models, and for that matter any large deal of real-time data, certainly aren't a necessity. People have been chasing storms quite successfully long before all that was available. It's more reasonable than most realize. You choose the climatologically favorable tornado seasons to start, then seek out favorable areas within the large-scale pattern, and then refine your target by interpreting the conditions until you find yourself magically on the southern end of a hook, even without radar help.

For more input, I also suggest Mike Hollingshead's amazing high quality graphic tutorial, with a very useful snippet available on his StormAndSky website.

It looks like tornadoes are quite regular occurrences around China. I know of chasers around Europe, Australia, and South America, but am surprised there aren't more in China. Maybe that is soon to change?