Abstract: Abstract: The panel data models is employed to conduct the econometric analysis upon the data concerning Total Factor Productivity(TFP) and types of R&D investment, etc. of eastern, central and western regions of China from 1995 to 2007, it is revealed that different types of R&D investment has a positive effect on TFP growth; however, spillover effects of R&D activities are different. The R&D cumulative investment from outside region (technology introduction costs) results in the largest effect on the TFP growth; R&D cumulative investment of universities and institutes leads to the smallest effect on the TFP growth; and the effect of enterprise R&D cumulative investment on the TFP growth lies in the middle between the two poles; The effect of the regional independent innovation on the TFP in the eastern region is larger than that in the central and the western regions; the effect of technical introduction on the TFP in the western region is larger than that in the central region, while the effect on the TFP in the central region is larger than that in the eastern region. At the same time, the R&D activities of the different types interact each other differently in terms of the degree and the direction, provide the reference for formulating policies of science and technology.

Key words: panel data, TFP, R&D cumulative investment