The　differences　in　the　market　liquidity　of　eight　pilot　emissions　trading　schemes　(ETS)　and　the　economic　development　of　cities　within　the　provincial-level　ETS　raise　carbon　leakage　risks　among　the　pilot　cities.　Utilizing　panel　data　and　DID　models　for　266　prefecture-level　cities　in　China　from　2006　to　2019,　the　empirical　analysis　reveals　several　key　findings.　Firstly,　at　the　provincial　level,　the　Tianjin　pilot　is　found　to　have　significantly　increased　CO2　emissions,　potentially　linked　to　carbon　spillover　from　Beijing.　Additionally,　at　the　prefecture-level　city　level,　certain　cities　in　Guangdong　Province　and　Fujian　Province　exhibit　significant　increases　in　CO2　emissions,　indicating　carbon　transfer　within　the　pilot　ETSs.　Secondly,　all　three　spatial　spillover　effect　tests　demonstrate　a　notable　carbon　spillover　effect　between　pilot　cities.　Lastly,　the　analysis　of　the　moderating　effect　suggests　that　administrative　intervention　within　the　ETS　and　market　mechanisms　have　limited　impact　on　carbon　spillover　between　pilot　cities,　while　administrative　intervention　outside　the　ETS　significantly　enhances　carbon　leakage　between　pilot　cities,　primarily　driven　by　carbon　transfer　resulting　from　state-owned　enterprises＇　support　for　government　emission　reduction　actions.