Networking Characteristics and Innovation Effects of Complementary Technological Cooperation Among Chinese Cities

This study employs geospatial analysis and social network analysis to reveal the geographical and relational dimensions of complementary technological cooperation among Chinese cities. Furthermore, using a panel negative binomial regression model, we examine the impact of complementary technological cooperation on urban innovation capacity, and compare it with the effects of non-complementary cooperation. Our findings reveal that: (1) The geographical structure of the complementary technological cooperation network has evolved from a “triangular” configuration—centered on Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen—toward a “rhombus-shaped” structure incorporating Chengdu, with a further tendency toward a “hexagonal” spatial pattern. (2) The social structure of the complementary technological cooperation network exhibits a classic “core–periphery” pattern, with the network's core gradually shifting from a dual-core configuration dominated by Beijing and Shanghai to a single-core, multi-centered structure centered on Beijing. (3) Complementary technological collaboration significantly enhances urban innovation capacity and proves more effective than non-complementary cooperation. This advantage stems from the fact that complementary cooperation not only directly improves innovation output capability but also strengthens the technological relatedness density within cities that non-complementary linkages cannot match.