China′s capability for innovation has remarkably improved, and China ranked 14th in the 2019 Global Innovation Index Ranking. We have paid a price for our success in controlling the COVID-19, guided by the principle of putting life first. The state still guarantees innovation by building science and technology innovation centers and organizing national laboratories and other technological infrastructure. The government should also issue fiscal and taxation policies to encourage invention and creation while at the same time encourage commercialization of the products of creation in the market as quickly as possible. Furthermore, the gap between provinces should be reduced, and coordinated development of provinces should be promoted. Under the control of national policies, a regional innovation system adjusts the development path of the region according to the direction and task of the countrywide development. This is used as a measure to carry out the national innovation-driven development strategy in the region. However, previous studies have focused on the impact of policies on enterprises, and there is a lack of research on the impact of policies at the regional level. This paper focused on understanding the relationship between macro-innovation policies and regional innovation performance from a regional perspective and clarified that the government plays a leading role in the regional innovation system. This paper examined innovation performance at the regional level, quantitatively analyzed innovation policies on a regional basis, and used a cross-level analysis model to analyze the impact of national innovation policies on regional innovation inputs and regional innovation performance. A quantitative analysis was applied to the specific effects and influence paths of national innovation policies on regional innovation performance on our 30 regional innovation systems in China.

First (based on the collation and analysis of relevant literature), this paper proposes a hypothesis regarding regional innovation investment and regional innovation performance; national innovation policy and regional innovation performance; national innovation policy plays a moderating role in the relationship between innovation input and regional innovation performance. This paper collected 853 innovation policies issued by the state and covered the 30 provinces in China, including science policies, technology policies, industry policies, finance policies, and taxation policies from 2013 to 2017. We obtained data on innovation input intensity and the innovation performance of provinces at the regional level from the China Statistical Yearbook and the China Statistical Yearbook on Science and Technology.

Second, according to research needs and hierarchical characteristics of the data, we constructed a random coefficient model, an intercept model and a slope model of regional innovation performance. According to the zero model of regional innovation performance, the applicability of a cross-level model was ensured, and the direct impact of innovation input and national policy on regional innovation performance was verified. Furthermore, according to the regional innovation performance random coefficient model, which contains regional layer variable to analyze the impact of the R&D expenditure intensity and R&D personnel input on regional innovation performance, these effects are significantly different between provinces, and a two-layer structure model needs to be established. A two-layer intercept model and a two-layer slope model were therefore utilized to explain the differences between regions. The research shows that the national innovation policy variables increase the explanatory power of the equation, and its role in the path of regional innovation performance improvement cannot be ignored.

Finally, we carry out the robustness test from the two aspects of replacing the regional innovation performance indicators and considering the lag period of regional innovation performance indicators to ensure the reliability of the conclusions obtained from the empirical analysis. The two test results verify all the assumptions and indicate that the relationship between national innovation policies, regional innovation input and regional innovation performance is robust and reliable.

The study found that: (1) The R&D expenditure intensity and the R&D personnel input in regional innovation investment impacts the regional innovation performance; (2) The impact of national-level innovation policies on innovation performance achieved significant effects; (3) National innovation policy explained the difference between regional innovation investment and regional innovation performance in 30 provinces and cities and played a moderating role in the relationship between innovation investment and innovation performance. 

This study expounds the mechanism of national innovation policy, regional innovation investment, and regional innovation performance and reveals that national innovation policy not only has a direct impact on regional innovation performance but also adjusts regional innovation input and regional innovation performance across multiple layers. National policies are conducive for mobilizing the enthusiasm for innovation in each province. This study presents a new perspective for understanding the relationship between national innovation policy and regional innovation performance and can provide a reference for countries to develop regionally targeted innovation policies.