I'm going to apply for a student visa in China to study Mandarin for one semester (4 months).

However, after I get the student visa, I would also like to travel to China before my enrolment at the language program. So the schedule might be something like this:

• Get the student visa in December 2017.
• Travel to Shenzhen in January 2018, visa-free.
• Leave China in January 2018.
• Enter Shanghai with the student visa, and stay there for 4 months.

I fear that my student visa would get invalidated when I enter into Shenzhen, and once I leave it on January 2018, my student visa can no longer be used.

In this case, can I enter and exit China without cancelling my visa? I have a Japanese passport so I can stay in China without visa for up to 15 days.