The latest edition of the China Index reveals how the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has increased its presence in Ghana through military cooperation, digital infrastructure projects, and sustained diplomatic engagement. Ghana ranks 18th out of 101 countries overall, and is the 5th highest-ranked country in the Sub-Saharan African region in the China Index, the first research effort to measure and compare PRC influence overseas.
The Index is published by the China in the World (CITW) network, an initiative of the Taiwan-based civil society organization, and draws on research by hundreds of researchers and local experts worldwide.
Rankings are determined by summing normalized responses to 99 Indicators, each corresponding to an observable phenomenon of PRC influence. These Indicators are devised by the Index Committee of experts in PRC influence tactics, and divided equally across nine Domains (Media, Academia, Economy, Society, Military, Technology, Law Enforcement, Domestic Politics, and Foreign Policy).
The Military Domain is Ghana’s highest scoring area of PRC influence, followed by Foreign Policy and Technology. Ghana ranks 6th globally in the Military Domain, indicating a strong PRC-Ghana defense cooperation. This includes participating in PRC-led security forums and hosting joint naval exercises, as well as donating military equipment. These activities suggest a stable and well-established relationship and position Ghana as a major partner in Beijing’s military outreach on the continent.
In the Foreign Policy Domain, Ghana’s ranking fell from 16th to 34th, even though its score increased slightly. This reflects Beijing’s intensified global outreach efforts more than changes in Ghana’s diplomatic alignment and cooperation with the PRC, which have remained steady.
Ghana’s Technology Domain score remained relatively stable, despite a dropping in ranking from 16th to 21st. PRC-linked firms continue to play a major role in building Ghana’s digital infrastructure, supporting smart city projects, expanding rural internet access, and investing in local talent. This long-term technological involvement points to a structural dependency on PRC actors for digital development.
Military, Law Enforcement, and Foreign Policy Domains are a part of the Rule-making Cluster, where Ghana ranks 12 out of 101 countries. This cluster measures the PRC’s influence over global norms, security cooperation, and diplomatic engagement. Ghana’s high ranking in this cluster not only reflects participation in PRC-led security and diplomatic initiatives, but also its alignment on international diplomatic norms, including supporting the PRC’s “One China Principles,” and claiming that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and remaining silent on contentious issues like the South China Sea, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong.
A point of concern is PRC’s influence on government norms in Ghana. For example, one Law
Enforcement Indicator reads: “In my country, law enforcement and judicial-related training offered by PRC-connected individuals or entities have been accepted by national or subnational governments” to which the graded response is “Yes”, and the following supporting evidence state: “A significant number of Ghanaian law enforcement officers have been trained in China.”
All evidence is provided by regional partners of the China Index, in this case the academic, journalist, and policy analyst Emeka Umejei, and is subsequently reviewed by local experts.
China Index 2024 raw data is available, allowing interested stakeholders to conduct complementary research. The full China Index research report will be available to download soon. For further information about the China Index and CITW, including in-depth research takeaways and interviews, email alda@doublethinklab.org.
About the China Index
In 2019, Doublethink Lab and its partners established the China In The World (CITW) network to bring together stakeholders researching the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s global influence and disinformation strategies. CITW aims to support and unite these stakeholders, improve global and regional awareness of related challenges, and strengthen democratic resilience worldwide. CITW oversees publication of the China Index, the first cross-regional initiative to measure and compare the PRC’s influence in various countries.
About Doublethink Lab
Doublethink Lab (Doublethink) is a civil society organization devoted to studying the malign influence of digital authoritarianism. Doublethink’s strengths lie in its ability to combine a diverse set of research approaches in the social, behavioral, and computational sciences to study state-funded propaganda campaigns, psychological warfare, and related information operations. Doublethink seeks to foster global networks connecting academics, democracy movements, digital communities, like-minded CSOs, and experts on the People’s Republic of China, in order to strengthen global democratic resilience.
