By: China in the World Network (Doublethink Lab)
The latest China Index reveals extensive influence by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) across Sierra Leonean society – spanning politics, military, media, education, and technology. Sierra Leone ranks 49th out of 101 countries globally and 10th in Sub-Saharan Africa for PRC influence.
Published by the Taiwan-based Doublethink Lab’s China in the World (CITW) network, the China Index is the first global initiative measuring PRC influence overseas. It aggregates research from hundreds of experts worldwide using 99 indicators across nine domains: Media, Academia, Economy, Society, Military, Technology, Law Enforcement, Domestic Politics, and Foreign Policy.
Foreign Policy (Global Rank: 15th): Highest-scoring domain, reflecting strong diplomatic alignment through consistent bilateral engagement, support for PRC positions in international forums (including sensitive issues like the South China Sea), and sustained high-level exchanges.
Military (Global Rank: 6th): Notable for deep cooperation including arms transfers, joint training, and defense meetings – potentially shaping Sierra Leone’s strategic alignment and defense policies.
Domestic Politics (Global Rank: 20th): Influence channels include a sister-city agreement (Hefei-Freetown), PRC-funded visits for officials to meet Chinese agencies/think tanks, and documented financial support to domestic political actors.
Rule-making Cluster (Rank 21/101): Combines Military, Law Enforcement, and Foreign Policy. Sierra Leone’s position indicates significant PRC influence over security cooperation, diplomatic engagement, and global norms.
Law Enforcement Concern: National/subnational governments accept PRC-connected law enforcement and judicial training (confirmed per specific indicator response).
Data was provided by regional partner Emeka Umejei (academic/journalist) and reviewed by local experts. Rankings derive from normalized responses to the 99 observable indicators.
China Index 2024 raw data is available [here]. The full report will be released soon. Contact: staff@doublethinklab.org.
About the China Index & CITW:
Established in 2019 by Doublethink Lab, CITW researches PRC global influence and disinformation. The China Index compares PRC influence across countries to raise awareness and strengthen democratic resilience.
About Doublethink Lab:
This Taiwan-based civil society organization studies digital authoritarianism, combining social, behavioural, and computational science to analyze state-funded propaganda and information operations. It builds global networks to bolster democratic resilience.