If you have followed China-specific threads on this issue, it has been mentioned (by me) that many Chinese airports are physically set up to be able to do sterile transits. But procedurally, current policy is to not allow it. If you want to split hairs and argue that you meant physical vs everybody else talking procedural, go ahead. But in a practical sense when offering advice to others, there is currently no sterile transit allowed without going through an immigration checkpoint. And this is the main takeaway that readers need to know. Until such time as the Chinese change their policy. FWIW, it has been quite a number of years since sterile airside transit has been allowed; this policy has not been a recent development. Nobody here wants to get anybody in trouble with the Chinese authorities, or have an FT'er denied boarding by their airline. This is why we do our best to keep up to date with the latest information (official and real-time anecdotes) and to keep the FAQ Sticky, Visa section, the repository for continued updates.

Baggage: as I said already, it is under airport authority policy as to whether they require recheck or permit auto-transfer for international transit passengers. Of the major international airports, PVG is the main hassler requiring manual pickup and recheck...most of the time anyway. However, whenever transiting through a Chinese airport, it always pays to ask baggage policy at check-in time, then pray you have been told accurate information. Check your bag receipts.