I have a 14 hour layover in Guangzhou requires registration of 72 hr permit at police station?

I have a 14 hour layover in Guangzhou while flying home to Las Angeles from Phuket, Thailand. We would like to explore the city during that time, would that qualify for the 72 hour free transit?

Do we need that visa to get out of the airport?

And if we are not checking into a hotel would we need to stop by a police station to register even though we are staying for such a short time?