There are only four episodes left and I think it is safe to assume that all this business with the Chinese will be taken care of within the next three.
I am guessing that the last hour of the season will be spent setting up a little bit for the next season and possibly the movie. Something has got to happen to get Jack back to CTU and employed by them or some other government agency, otherwise another season with him doing their job, but not being employed them, might just be weird.
We also have to hope that Buchanan is brought back in to run CTU, but I don't know what will happen there.
I don't think the Sinister VP is actually all that sinister. I think he more than likely is just acting like someone would if a nuclear weapon was detonated in the US.
Just to warn people, there is a guy out there revealing how all these episodes end thus eliminating suspense. I caught a glimpse of this in a post on the 24 message boards and was very disappointed because it wasn't in the spoilers section. Hopefully what I read was also read by the producers of the show and they will change that minor detail.