Thank you everyone who chimed in on my question. I'm pressed to believe that an MA from a Chinese institution would be worth much, given that I'm interested in Chinese nation-branding and media censorship which wouldn't be fully explorable in Mainland China's academia. I have toyed with the idea of getting an MA from a Taiwanese university. I did a year of Mandarin study at NTNU after my BA (at UT Austin) as a recipient of the Huayu scholarship and I really enjoyed my time there. Unfortunately, I'm not sure it would give me a competitive edge. I do have a history of tutoring, which would make me a good fit for TAships, so I really appreciate the tip!
Also, I'm really interested in applying to MA programs in Canada. Not something I seriously considered before, but the cases you all make are really strong. Thank you for the insight!!