Variable

Measurement index

Data sources

Expected benefits

Core explanatory variables

China’s scientific research strength

Number of patents in China from 2008 to 2017

The USPTO Database

Positive Correlation

Scientific research strength of countries along the “One Belt and One Road” route

Number of patents in countries along “One Belt and One Road” from 2008 to 2017

The USPTO Database

Positive Correlation

Geographic distance

Bilateral distance multiplied by the weight of the international oil price

The CEPII Database EIA Database

Negative Correlation

Control variables

Innovative capability

The innovation capability index in the “Global Competitiveness Index Report”

“Global Competitiveness Index Report”

Positive Correlation

Bilateral relationship

Valuation of bilateral relations between the two countries

Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Positive Correlation

Economic scale

Gross national product of countries along the “One Belt and One Road” route

The World Bank

Positive Correlation

Virtual variables

Neighboring countries

Whether have borders?

The CEPII Database

Positive Correlation

Language

Whether the language the same?

The CEPII Database

Positive Correlation