Unfortunately, an honest discussion of this topic can be difficult since some posters seek to intimidate others. Such intimidation limits the discussion of information and might lead those who use FT as a source of information to not have the full picture. Usage of the word "troll," for example could be seen by others as a way of intimidating people from commenting on this thread.
That being said, there is a TWOV thread in the China forum with good information, although it may be limited because of the intimidation factor. It appears that in most cases, Chinese immigration authorities interpret the term "transit" differently than the common interpretation. As one of the posters above noted, Timatic has been updated and may be more clear than before.
From a ignoring intimidation perspective, there are occasional reports on FT and elsewhere of people who have had difficulties with TWOV, even though they meet the guidance in the TWOV thread on FT.. Additionally, while most people appear to not have problems, you can find a number of reports where individuals are denied visas or entry to China when they otherwise might appear eligible. For example, working at a media company -- even in a non-reporting capacity -- might result in a denial of a visa or entry.
Thus, if you want to be certain, you should consider simply applying for a visa in advance, Otherwise, there are a couple of posters here who will comment on what usually works.