China’s Innovation Mobility from a Spatio-temporal Perspective

Over the past two decades, China’s innovation capacity has grown significantly, yet regional innovation inequality has worsened, with existing studies largely overlooking the multi-spatial and temporal dimensions of innovation mobility. This study aims to examine the spatiotemporal patterns of regional innovation mobility in China from 2000 to 2020, focusing on national, regional, and provincial levels. Specifically, we address: (1) the spatiotemporal characteristics of regional innovation mobility, (2) how scale-dependent innovation mobility should be measured, and (3) the underlying causes of regional innovation mobility. Using Global and Local Indicators of Mobility Association (GIMA and LIMAs), we find: (1) innovation mobility is highly sensitive to spatial scale, emphasizing the need for multi-scale analysis, (2) increasing provincial innovation inequality suggests the current innovation development model is unsustainable, and (3) changes in innovation rankings are primarily driven by interregional mobility, which is influenced by geographic proximity, institutional support, and spillover effects from more developed regions. This study extends proximity and spillover theories in innovation geography by conceptualizing regional innovation mobility as a dynamic, spatially dependent process. It contributes to the literature by adopting a multi-scale approach to uncover the spatial mechanisms of innovation mobility and offering new insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of regional innovation inequality. To mitigate regional innovation disparities and promote balanced development, a multi-faceted policy approach is recommended, focusing on cross-regional knowledge networks, factor mobility reforms, industrial transformation support, and enhanced policy coordination to optimize resource allocation and address the impacts of disruptive technologies.