Tokyo - Beijing (via Shanghai) - Europe

I am flying from Tokyo to Beijing on China Eastern MU272. It is not a direct flight, there is a one-hour stop in Shanghai:
Tokyo (NRT) 10:55AM to Shanghai (PVG) 01:25PM
Shanghai (PVG) 02:25PM > Beijing (PEK) 05:20PM
I will stay in Beijing for 48 hours: can I benefit from the 72 hour visa free programme?
Additional question: my passport will have less than 6 months validity when landing in China. Would that be a problem?
Thanks!