Abstract: Outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) has become an important driving force to promote the green growth of China's economy and improve the green total factor productivity (GTFP). Existing studies have mainly investigated the linear relationship between OFDI and TFP, while relatively few studies have analyzed the impact of OFDI on GTFP, and even fewer studies have analyzed the impact from the perspective of spatial spillover. Based on 30 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) panel data in China from 2004 to 2016, the GTFP and its decomposition are measured using non-radial and non-angular SBM directional distance function and Luenberger index. And the spatial Durbin econometric model (SDM) is adopted to empirical research the spatial effect of OFDI on the GTFP. The results show that: (1) There are significant regional differences in GTFP and its decomposition. (2) GTFP, green technology progress and green efficiency change are not randomly distributed, but show significant spatial correlation. (3) OFDI reverse technology spillover has a significant positive impact on GTFP, green technology progress and green efficiency change in all regions of China. (4) OFDI reverse technology spillover in neighboring regions is conducive to improving the level of green technology progress in the region, but has no significant influence on the GTFP and green efficiency change. (5) FDI technology spillover has a significant positive effect on green technology progress. (6) Import technology spillover and independent R&D can significantly promote GTFP and green technology progress, and the environmental regulation intensity has nonlinear effect on China's GTFP.

Key words: outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), green total factor productivity (GTFP), spatial spillover, spatial Durbin model (SDM)