Abstract:   The construction of new digital infrastructure and innovative cities is a key measure to promote the dual strategy of digital China and innovation-driving under the Chinese-style modernization. Previous studies have mostly focused on the internal relationship between unilateral policies and green innovation, but generally ignored the green innovation dividends stimulated by policy coordination. Based on the quasi-natural experiment of ‘double pilot’ of Broadband China and Innovative Cities, this paper applied the panel data of 278 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2020 to empirically examine the potential mechanism of ‘double pilot’ policy synergy to empower urban green innovation. The study found that: (1) The ‘double pilot’ policy can not only directly help the incremental improvement of urban green innovation, but also produce a significant demonstration effect of green innovation in neighboring areas. (2) The ‘double pilot’ policy indirectly contributes to urban green innovation by exerting talent agglomeration effect, financial subsidy effect and entrepreneurial incentive effect. (3) Under the constraints of low financial pressure, moderate economic growth target and environmental competition intensity, the ‘double pilot’ policy has the most obvious effect on the empowerment of urban green innovation. (4) Compared with the single pilot of broadband China and innovative cities, the ‘double pilot’ policy is more conducive to stimulating urban green innovation, and the pilot strategy of broadband China before innovative cities has a better effect on promoting green innovation. The research conclusions will provide some enlightenment for the government to coordinate the release of policy synergy between digital power and innovation power construction under the new development pattern, and accelerate the cultivation of internal power for highquality economic development.

Key words:  digital new infrastructure, innovative city, ‘double pilot’, collaborative empowerment, green innovation