China Visa for Connecting Flight to Canada?

I am a Canadian citizen, and this summer I am planning a trip back home to visit Canada.


I have been looking to book plane tickets back home, and for the time I am flying the cheapest tickets available are from China Eastern.


The flight that I would be taking will leave from Hong Kong, have a stop over in Shanghai, and then fly to Vancouver.


The travel agent who was booking my flight seemed to think that because I am a Canadian citizen, I would need a visa for entry into China.


This seems very strange to me. My father recently flew from Vancouver, via Beijing to Hong Kong, and he did not require a visa for the flight.


It does not make sense that I would need a visa when I have no intention of entering China. Since I will not be passing through customs in the airport for the purpose of entering China, I cannot see how I would need a visa.


Nevertheless, the travel agent checked with someone else who works at the travel agency, and he was adamant that I needed a visa.


Can anyone offer assistance?

The airline I was planning on purchasing tickets from is China Eastern. It sounded like I might need a China Visa as a valid travel document to get on the plane. When I phoned the China Eastern branch in Hong Kong, the lady clearly had no idea if I needed a visa or not.


Does anyone have experience with China Eastern Airlines who might be able to tell me?

You do NOT need a visa for transit within 48 hours through Shanghai for citizens of: Republic of Korea, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland.


Details here...other cities in China are 24 hours.


http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t84242.htm


I'm a U.S. Citizen and have transited a few times through PVG without a visa. Make sure you bring a printed copy of your onward e-ticket with passenger name to show immigration who will pull you aside and stamp you a transit visa.