Do I need transit visa (G)? Costa Rican Citizen

I am a Costa Rican citizen and have a 7 hours layover in Beijing on my way to Phuket in Thailand. I have a friend in Beijing and would like to leave the airport and see the city for a couple hours. I am not clear whether I need to apply for a transit type or not if I want to leave the airport, in total I will be in Beijing for only around 5 hours. Is the stay permit applicable for Costa Ricans as well? What do I need to do?
Thanks!