On febr. 14th I asked about the 144-hour free transit.

You answered very quick that we qualify Flying from Ams to Abu Dhabi, then by cruiseship to Mombai, Cochin, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Naha/Japan, and ends in Shanghai. After a night in an hotel we wil fly from Shanghai to Amsterdam via Abu Dhabi.
The Chinese embassy in The Hague (Netherlands) got your information from me, but they keep telling me that I have to apply for a (expensive) visa.
Can you advise me what to do?