Originally Posted by bumpme
My guess is that you'll still need a transit visa. China is still a communist country.
But they're a communist country that's opened up quite a bit. It *should* be, and with a bit of convincing the immigration staff - is, possible to transit without a visa.
I agree with you that getting a transit visa could potentially save a lot of hassle though. I also expect that they're stricter with some nationalities than with others.