Originally Posted by
samshik88
For Chinese visa, you need a letter "inviting" you to come to the country. Either from a tourist group or business, etc. But as someone mentioned above, you get 24 hrs visa-free entry to Beijing if connecting to a third country (48hrs for Shanghai).
No you don't need an invitation letter like you do for Russian visa. Just fill out the form, and hand it in with photo and fee, you are all set.
The visa free entries to PEK or PVG are conditional on producing an onward ticket to a third country.