What would have been the price of Hong Kong successfully revolting against China's authority with the world watching?
A lot was at play when all this went down. I'm not saying I'm certain it was on purpose, but again the timing was extraordinary.
I will agree to that - But no different than the extraordinary attempts to take over the governments of Australia, New Zealand, Germany, England, Canada, and the US.
No doubt China made what hay they could, but it was too well orchestrated in the West to be a Manchurian operation. The western powers were shaken, not China. With not a whit of profit for China... Outside of whatever may have been quelled in Hong Kong. Years later, and China still has not recovered. No where near it.