Research on the Coordinated Development of Innovation Ability and Regional Integration in Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area

Abstract

This paper selects the panel data of 11 cities in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GHMA) from 2010 to 2020, calculates the Malmquist index of urban agglomerations to measure regional innovation, constructs the evaluation system of regional integration and measures the integration index. This paper conducts qualitative analysis and empirical research on the synergistic interaction between regional innovation and regional integration and examines the synergistic development between innovation capability and integrated development from theory and experience. The results show that from 2010 to 2020, the overall level of integration in the GHMA shows a rising trend, and the level of integration between regions has shown a narrowing trend since 2016. Regional innovation capacity is on the rise, and there is a clear gap between regions. Regional innovation ability has a positive impact on regional integration, which decreases first and then increases. Regional integration development has always played a strong role in promoting regional innovation. Accordingly, the regional integration process of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao should be further promoted, and regional innovation should be improved through the regional integration process.