The geography of intercity technological proximity: evidence from China

In the context of a globalizing knowledge economy, cities have become more technologically proximate due to the increasing exchanges of people, information, and knowledge. However, technological proximity at the city level has gained relatively little attention within the vast literature on proximity. Drawing upon detailed address information on nearly 3.6 million invention patents that were applied in China between 2012 and 2016, this paper investigates the geography of intercity technological proximity among 286 Chinese cities. Technological proximity is measured by comparing cities’ technological profiles which are represented by the distribution of different classifications of patenting activity in which cities specialize. The empirical results show that the level of intercity technological proximity among Chinese cities has been generally on the rise. Moreover, there is strong spatial political bias in the geography of intercity technological proximity, with geographical proximity and institutional proximity having played a significantly positive role in facilitating intercity technological proximity. HighlightsMeasure technological proximity among 286 Chinese cities using patent dataThe level of intercity technological proximity has been generally on the riseThe geography of intercity technological proximity has a spatial political biasGeographical and institutional proximity facilitates technological proximity