AUTHOR=Wei Ling , Zeng Bing 

TITLE=The impact of upgrading administrative rank on regional innovation from an agglomeration perspective: a quasi-natural experiment based on the establishment of Chongqing as a province-level municipality

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Political Science

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/political-science/articles/10.3389/fpos.2025.1676094

DOI=10.3389/fpos.2025.1676094

ISSN=2673-3145

ABSTRACT=IntroductionAdministrative rank, as an intuitive manifestation of a region’s political capital, significantly influences regional agglomeration capacity and innovative development.MethodsThis study utilizes Chongqing’s promotion to a province-level municipality as a quasi-natural experiment, employing panel data from 219 counties in Sichuan and Chongqing (1992–2010) and applying the difference-in-differences (DID) method to evaluate the impact of administrative rank upgrades on regional innovation.ResultsThe findings show: (1) Administrative rank upgrade significantly enhances regional innovation with long-term positive effects; (2) Spatial spillover effects follow an inverted U-shape, peaking at 60 km and remaining significant within 30–120 km; (3) Population agglomeration and economic agglomeration are key mechanisms, with economic agglomeration having greater impact.DiscussionThis study provides theoretical insights for optimizing administrative resource allocation, advancing institutional reform, and refining national innovation-driven development strategies.