关键词: 国际技术溢出, 绿色创新绩效, 创新生态要素, 耦合协调

Abstract: Faced with many challenges brought about by the deterioration of the ecological environment, building a green innovation system and driving comprehensive green transformation are the long-term strategy for sustainable development of the Chinese economy. However, the current green innovation performance in China relatively lags behind, and the fundamental reason is that China’s independent innovation foundation is weak, the green innovation model is not coordinated with economic development, and the technology blockade in Europe and America has led China into the dilemma of “low-end lock in” green technology. With the steady advancement of the “going out” and “bringing in” strategies, China’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), absorption of foreign direct investment (FDI), and import trade have shown a rapid growth trend, undoubtedly opening up the international channel for China’s green technology introduction, forming effective factor flow, knowledge diffusion, and technology spillover. In an open economic environment, besides independent research and development to improve green innovation performance, another important way for China is to absorb and utilize international technology spillovers, which is a more cost-effective path for green innovation transformation. So, can international technology spillovers drive the improvement of China’s green innovation performance? Are there any differences in the driving effects of different channels? In addition, China’s green innovation is a systematic ecological innovation model that balances social, economic, and environmental benefits, striving to achieve coupling and coordination of ecological elements such as innovation communities, innovation resources, and technological environment. Generally speaking, international technological elements diffuse and spill over to innovation entities such as Chinese enterprises, universities, and research and development institutions through channels such as investment and trade, strengthening technology transfer and knowledge exchange, and to some extent accelerating the coupling and coordination of regional innovation ecological elements. Therefore, a question worth exploring is: can international technology spillovers steadily improve China’s green innovation performance by driving the coupling and coordination of innovation ecological factors? Obviously, an in-depth exploration of the above-mentioned issues has important practical significance for China to effectively absorb international technology spillovers and achieve improved green innovation performance.
Based on this, this paper is based on panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2003 to 2018, using dynamic fixed effects model, system GMM model, and mediation effects model to empirically examine the impact and heterogeneity characteristics of international technology spillovers on China’s green innovation performance, as well as the transmission mechanism of coupling and coordination of innovation ecological factors. The research has found that international technology spillovers can significantly improve China’s green innovation performance, but there are channel differences. Among them, OFDI technology spillovers have the strongest driving effect, followed by FDI technology spillovers and import trade technology spillovers.At the same time, there is heterogeneity in regional and independent research and development expenditures in this driving effect. OFDI and FDI technology spillovers have a stronger driving effect on green innovation performance in the central and western regions, while import trade technology spillovers are more efficient in empowering green innovation performance in the eastern region. Moreover, in regions with higher independent research and development expenditures, international technology spillovers have a stronger driving effect.In addition, international technology spillovers can indirectly drive the improvement of China’s green innovation performance by guiding the coupling and coordination of innovation ecological factors.The research conclusion indicates that it is necessary to pay attention to the coupling and coordinated development of innovative ecological elements, layout international technology spillover channels based on regional characteristics, and continuously leverage the long-term mechanism of international technology spillovers driving the improvement of China’s green innovation performance.
Although a lot of work has been done, there is still room for expansion in this paper, which is to explore the moderating effect of institutional factors on the empowerment of China’s green innovation performance by international technology spillovers, in order to provide data reference for the efficient institutional design of absorbing international technology spillovers.

Key words: international technology spillover, green innovation performance, innovation ecological elements, coupling coordination