Travellers, who hold passports issued by any of the 45 countries eligible for Beijing’s 72-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy and will remain in Beijing for no more than 72 hours while in transit, may apply to the frontier inspection authority in the Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) for 72-hour visa-free transit stays in Beijing.This policy is applicable to foreigners who enter and exit from Beijing only.
List of 45 Countries Eligible for Beijing’s 72-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the 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, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar.
Requirements:
According to the regulations of the Ministry of Public Security, foreign travellers, arriving at BCIA, must satisfy the following conditions to qualify under the 72-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy:
◆ Travellers must be citizens of one of the 45 countries covered by the policy.
◆ Travellers must hold international travellers’ credentials proving their citizenship.
◆ Travellers must meet the entry conditions of their destination countries or regions.
◆ Travellers must hold continuing air tickets with confirmed dates and seats, indicating their intent to depart from the Beijing Capital International Airport to a third country or region within 72 hours, or hold related certificates.
◆ Arrival and departure airlines must report to the frontier inspection authority. The Beijing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection will authorize 72-hour visa-free transit stays for travellers only if all these conditions are fulfilled.
 
From China Daily