Re: Consumables at 400kg per year
"Perhaps the figures are slightly misrepresented and don't include basics like fuel, water and oxygen?"
I don''t think that can be the case, since from the article "Recovering 95 percent of oxygen and water was cited as the main contributor to the reduction in required supplies." Ergo, oxygen and water are included.
Still, you are correct to question the numbers. "..advanced life support systems that have reduced the mass of consumables needed to sustain the crew – from 8,000kg a year to just 400kg." These numbers have to be per person. If water is 3.2 liters per day that's 700 + 1168 = 1868 kg/person/year. Then 95% of that is a savings of 1775 kg, so I don't see how that can be the "main contributor" to a reduction from 8000 kg to 400 kg.
One assumes the Chinese know how much mass they are shifting to their space station on each launch. We just don't know what the given numbers refer to.