Recent problems to obtain visa?

The largest majority of so called recent news are nothing else, but pure lies. Everybody who is eligible for any visa free transit schemes use them without any problem.

Now, just to correct you that a travel through China based on 24 or 144 hour visa free transit is not a visa, but a visa free transit, so there is no visa of any kind at all.

Now, the first thing is 24 hour visa free transit. This type of transit is used by those who travel through China within 24 hours time frame and one very important detail... This transit option does not imply that you will be allowed to leave the airport. It was never an obligation of the Chinese authorities. Their obligation is that you can transit safely through China visa free. People usually interpret this in the way as it pleases them, but I will repeat, there is no such thing as a right to be allowed to exit the airport when traveling on 24 hour visa free tranist. Everybody can apply for temporary entry permit or in other words, to be allowed to leave the airport, but it is on a sole discretion of the Chinese immigration whether they will approve it or not.

As far as 144 hour visa free transit is concerned, this is something else and all those who qualify for this option, as is the case with your second itinerary, is allowed to leave the airport and to explore, stay and enjoy that part of China.