Answered by TravelChinaGuide | Nov. 10, 2015 18:54
Yes. You need to apply for the Chinese visa. If you visit Hong Kong during your stay in China, you need to apply for double entry visa as you enter China mainland twice.
However, if you fly to the third country from Canada and transit via China, you can enjoy the 72-hour Visa-Free Transit. For more details, you can check the following page.
www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/intro2.htm