Combining the information of the micro enterprise with the bank competition indicators at the regional level，this paper tests the relationship and action mechanism between the bank competition and the R&D in export firms by using the micro-firm data in China, industrial enterprises database and the financial license information of the national financial institutions from 2001 to 2007. The results show that, in the sample period, a certain degree of bank competition will promote the R&D in export firms while excessive bank competition will have the opposite effect. In terms of region, the impact of bank competition on the R&D of exporting enterprises in the east is lower than that in the central and western regions. Compared with high-tech export enterprises, the bank competition has a significant impact on R&D of non-high-tech export companies. This paper further explores the mechanism of action. The results show that the bank competition has an impact on the R&D of export enterprises mainly through enterprise financing.