Based on the resource base theory and spatial circulation perspective, this study explores the impact of domestic and international cross-regional development on enterprise innovation from the dimension of enterprise cross-regional development. The study finds that (a) both domestic and international cross-regional development can promote enterprise innovation. (b) The intensity of domestic cross-regional development positively moderates the relationship between the scale of domestic cross-regional development and enterprise innovation, while the intensity of international cross-regional development negatively moderates the relationship between the scale of international cross-regional development and enterprise innovation. (c) Mechanism research finds that domestic cross-regional development promotes enterprise innovation mainly through the diffusion effect, while international cross-regional development promotes enterprise innovation mainly through the absorption effect. (d) Industry-specific heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect is significantly stronger in high-tech manufacturing firms than in traditional manufacturing firms, suggesting that firms in innovation-intensive industries benefit more from cross-regional expansion. Country-specific heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect is more pronounced in culturally distant host countries, highlighting the critical role of institutional and cultural contexts in shaping global innovation strategies.
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