Does the Belt and Road Initiative promote international innovation cooperation?

International innovation cooperation is crucial to the enhancement of national technological innovation capabilities in the context of globalization. Does the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as a major international initiative, promote innovation cooperation between China and BRI partner countries? Taking the top 80 global countries in innovation capability as the research sample, this paper uses the DID method to answer this question. The empirical results show that the BRI indeed promoted innovation cooperation between them to a certain extent. Specifically, it significantly increased the proportion of their cooperative patents in China's total patents, and the promotion effect was more obvious for countries with better economic foundations. Furthermore, the mechanism tests indicate that shortening the institutional distance, strengthening the exchange of scientific and technological talents, and stimulating cultural differences were important mechanisms promoting their innovation cooperation. Although the BRI did not significantly increase the proportion of cooperative patents in BRI partner countries' total patents, it effectively improved their innovation foundations and capabilities.

Automated summary

The Belt and Road Initiative has promoted innovation cooperation between China and its partner countries to a certain extent, especially for countries with better economic foundations. Mechanisms such as shortening institutional distance, strengthening the exchange of scientific and technological talents, and stimulating cultural differences have played important roles in promoting innovation cooperation.