Abstract: This paper used the national tax sampling survey data from 2007 to 2015 to study the impact of the national innovative city pilot policy on the upgrading of the manufacturing industry. We found that the national innovative city pilot policy has significantly promoted the upgrading of the manufacturing industry. mainly through output adjustment and industry entry and exit; This policy significantly enhances the agglomeration of the high-tech manufacturing industry, R&D intensity, and capital deepening, thereby promoting the upgrading of the manufacturing industry; This policy significantly increases the labor, capital input, R&D expenditure, and performance of high-tech industry enterprises. The role of national innovative city pilot policies in upgrading the manufacturing industry is positively affected by the degree of marketization and government efficiency, and negatively affected by the degree of market segmentation; Its role is also influenced by the initial innovation level and the upgrading level of the manufacturing industry.

Key words: National pilot program of innovative cities, Upgrading of manufacturing industry