On-Off, PR China opened a lots of war fronts all around it's own border plus some optics and postures to counter USA in different continents. But, those seems manufactured from the false perception of it's new found military superiority and firm financial backbone --- but point is, PR China has no practical and real war experience, but simulation and drills. Last time it lost a war with Vietnam (Despite Vietnam was all just finished their war against USA) and get defeated. Few years back, it had almost a war with India in Doklam sector as it allegedly captured Bhutan sovereign territory (and India being it's protector as historical treaties involved into the confrontation)
Several months each others army positioned in frontline with 2 minutes call to annihilate each other for a barren inhospitable mountainous position. PR China made a secret truce (as it was a zero sum consequence, had been it triggered as flash point -- both nations would have been lost many young lives as well as collateral damage to both of their cities and developed regions (both side capable to strike each others cities with both conventional warheads as well as Nuke). Under (seems) a tacit understanding both side without insulting each other retreated (Xi-Modi private goodwill and personal chemistry worked there; despites hawks were more interested in a full scale war!
Meanwhile, PR China is officially almost in break even point due to President Trump's Trade War. It definitely made PR China more susceptible and venerable than any militaristic adventure by any nation under the sky. Products spiting out of the assembly lines, but no buyers! And no producer ever be interested to increase unsold inventories. Recent motion by CPC through it's proxies in Hong Kong is not more than a strategic move to divert and distract the attention of domestic constituency. PR China is infamous for unilateral obnoxious and self defeating geo political moves (Example - Air Defense Zone Declaration over South China Sea, Tibet, Claims on Far East Russia, Islands of Japan/Philipines and they does those things to test the waters. It was Mao's copy book tactic to claim Big and settle in some discount rather than acceding to others real and factually correct original claim. Another factor, it's foreign reserves depletion and huge stock of FR in Hong Kong, attributed to it's liberal economic model of financial management. Thirdly, 30th anniversary of own miscarriaged suppression of democratic voices both inside in discreet and overt dissidence in Han diaspora all over the world. So, it's not such a long period planning, but contingency to make three destructive vectors which CPC is all awry and confused about. Meanwhile, 300 years of free society habits of Hong Kong in Haka guys seldom domitable and prone to subdued by Red eyes and iron fist --- everything is acceptance and psychological conformation; we are afraid, Hong Kongers would accept Peking aka Beijing's armtwisting and brainwashing progrom. Another important aspect, even Beijing don't want to import free, freedom and liberty obsessed people into it's already passive and conforming 'settled psyches' to get infected by the worldview of democracy.
Overall, it's nothing more than a distraction and diversion act -- not calculated in anticipation; but imposed as damage controller in domestic exhibition.