UK citizen trying to apply for a chinese tourist visa in turkey / to the east

Hi
I was told today by an agency that being a tourist in turkey i can not apply for a chinese tourist one, this did support 'rumors' i found online. Do you think it is worth going direct to the consulate / if it will be possible to apply the further east i get? (georgia, kazakhstan, elswhere if needs be? perhaps even back to europe?)
Cheers,
James