Re-entering the country?

Are you re-entering China (may be OK) or going to another region of China (not OK)? The question isn’t clear at all. You should post your exact proposed route including all landings, and your nationality.

You can't leave one of the 144h areas to go to another area in China.
For example - when you stay in Beijing, you can't fly to Shanghai and back within the 6 days.
You just can stay in one area before you leave China.

We plan to go to Taiwan, then come back to shanghai, but spend a combined total of less than 144 hours in shanghai. Taiwan has different visa rules than china so maybe could be treated as a seperate country in this case?

Michael, if your itinerary is:

UK - Shanghai - Taiwan - Shanghai - UK

And you don't have any additional landings within mainland China, you will be definitely eligible for 144 hour visa free transit in Shanghai twice. This means that you can enjoy 144 hour stay every time you will stop in Shanghai within your itinerary. This is allowed because, as you have correctly concluded, Taiwan is considered as a separate country for visa free transit purposes.

Thank you!

I have a situatiion kinda like Michael, but with different countries, we fly from USA-Canada-Shanghai-Hong Kong-Shanghai-Canada-USA, am i eligible for the 144 he visa on the first stop, and a 72 hr visa on the 2nd stop in Shanghai? I am not sure since we are going to Hong Kong and going back to Shanghai, thanks in advance

Diana, your itinerary is also eligible for 144 hour visa free transit in Shanghai twice. This is the same logic as is in the case with Taiwan. By the way, there is no more 72 hour visa free transit in Shanghai since a couple of years now. It is only 24 and 144 our visa free transit. So, if your stop in Shanghai is less than 24 hours, you will be eligible for 24 hour visa free transit and if your stop is longer than 24 hours for just a minute, you will be eligible for 144 hour visa free transit. As you can see, your situation is also very simple.

My situation is similar.... I fly Canada - Shanhai - Philippines, less than 144hrs in Shanghai. was hoping to come home Philippines-Beijing- Canada (again less than 144hrs). Would that work or do I have to route back through Shanghai a second time? Thanks

That would work if there are no other stops.