I've never seen it used this way. What I've seen is the term being used to describe leftist authoritarianism, usually by other leftists.
These are not exclusive! My point was that it's used broadly, and is thus not inherently pejorative -- I've leftists use it both pejoratively and non-pejoratively.
I’m only really familiar with it as a term used by democratic socialists for Stalinists, and occasionally Maoists.
(I wouldn’t have thought actual tankies would be too thrilled with the current Chinese regime, anyway.)
(I'm not a tankie and far be it from me to gatekeep who gets called it, but my understanding matches yours re: the Chinese regime.)
It’s used to describe people who support authoritarian left
Honestly even this is wrong, it’s more authoritarian anti-US as they support Putin