Are we eligible for 72/144 hour visa-free transit policy??

We are British citizens with valid 10 year British passports and will be departing London Heathrow airport on Sunday 11th February 2024 at 21.30 hours, flying to Xi’An Xianyang airport (via Beijing Daxing International airport where we will have a 2 hour layover before catching our connecting flight with the same airline to Xi’An). We arrive at Beijing airport at 15.30 hours on Monday 12th February 2024, and depart for Xi’An airport at 17.30 hours arriving at 19.40 hours on Monday 12th February 2024 . We will be ‘in transit’ at Beijing airport whilst we wait for our connecting flight and will not be leaving Beijing airport in the 2 hours that we wait (both those flights are with the same airline, China Southern Airlines). We have a hotel booked in Xi’An for 3 nights and plan to do sight-seeing in the local area whilst there.

We will then depart Xi’An Xianyang airport on Thursday 15th February 2024 at 07.05 hours, flying to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport arriving there on Thursday 15th February at 10.30 hours, and then we will fly back home to London Heathrow airport on Saturday 2nd March 2024 at 00.15 hours, arriving at 06.20 hours.

I am trying to establish if we are eligible for China’s 144 hour visa-free transit policy (so will not need to apply for a visa) – but as we are not flying direct to Xi’An, I’m not sure?? Are you able to clarify this for me please?
Chinas Visa-Free Transit Policy Extended To 54 Countries, Norway Added (china-briefing)

Thanks in advance, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Carol and Martyn Gunn