The actual intelligence apparatus in the west is fine and have the full resources of their nations to have intelligence on the PLA far beyond what we know in the public; the issue is more the west's public facing/non-classified thinktank and media space reporting on the PLA.
Occam's razor applies in this case imo until evidence points otherwise.
200 yards is an impressive shot, but for all we know the shooter was aiming for center mass rather than the neck (i.e.: it could have been a "miss"); so I don't think the distance of the shot should be reason for additional suspicion of ulterior motives beyond anyone opposed to him wanting to assassinate him.
