The impact of airport openings on corporate innovation: Evidence from China

The establishment of airports injects economic vitality into regions and catalyzes for corporate innovation. Drawing on panel data on corporate patent acquisitions in China from 2010 to 2022, this study employs a time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) approach to empirically assess the impact of airport openings on corporate innovation and its underlying mechanisms. The results reveal that the opening of airports significantly enhances the patent output of local firms, primarily through attracting high-skilled talent and facilitating industrial upgrading. Furthermore, the effects exhibit notable heterogeneity across regions and firm characteristics. These findings highlight the pivotal role of airport infrastructure in fostering innovation-driven regional economic development.