From January 1, 2013, China  offers 72-hour visa-free transit for foreign visitors with third-country visas and transit at Beijing and Shanghai.

Foreign visitors, who hold passports issued by the countries on the 72-hour Visa-free Transit Policy List and stay in Beijing or Shanghai for transit for up to 72 hours, could apply for a visa-free transit stay in China at the immigration inspection authority at Beijing Capital International Airport or Shanghai Hongqiao or Pudong International Airport. This policy is only applicable for foreign visitors who enter into, stay in and leave from Beijing or Shanghai.

According to the regulations of Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China, foreign visitors who meet ALL the following requirements could apply for the visa-free transit:

Holding passports issued by the following listed 45 countries,
Holding valid international travel documents,
Qualified for the entry requirements of their third destination country,
Holding valid airline tickets with 72-hour validation and making transit through Beijing Capital International Airport to the third country, and Reported to Chinese immigration inspection authority by their airline companies

72-hour Visa-free Transit Policy is valid for passport holders from the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar