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China in general... military and police are a definite no no. They don't take kindly to being photographed. Security guards can be a problem too, even when they're not in the shot, but perhaps feel they have to "be useful" and do something, as if preventing photography was part of their job description.

Not long ago I took a photo of construction workers demolishing a building just down the road from where I lived. The supervisor came to complain - I just explained the hotel had sentimental value which shut him up, but were he to make a fuss I would have ignored him anyways. I was standing on public space (pavement) and photo was of a pile or rubble for crying out loud!

Anyways rant over. Shanghai : I presume you want to be high up? Well Flair, a rooftop bar at the Pudong Ritz Carlton, gives you great views back over the river and of the Pearl Tower. To be even higher up there's the Park Hyatt - but then you'll have the glass in the way despite the fantastic views from the lobby. Back on the Bund - there's New Heights atop Three on the Bund, that has a rooftop portion. You'll find actually many of those buildings have something or other on the rooftop - such as Bar Rouge, or indeed the restaurants at the Peace Hotel. Do a search for rooftop Shanghai - you might find lots of options.