Abstract:Manufacturing innovation is the cornerstone of national science and technology innovation. Based on the data of Chinese and American manufacturing industries, this paper uses statistical analysis, cluster analysis and Granger causal relation test to comparatively study the industrial structure and performance characteristics of Chinese and American manufacturing innovation capability. It’s found that China"s high-tech manufacturing industry is still behind the United States in its development stage. The high-tech manufacturing industry is dominated by traditional equipment manufacturing and pharmaceutical manufacturing, and their R D intensity is only equivalent to the level of US medium-low technology industry, with insufficient investment in R D. The economic output benefits of the technological achievements in the high-tech and medium-high manufacturing industries are significant, but the economic benefits of R D investment are not significant. Compared with the virtuous cycle of the US manufacturing industry, China’s manufacturing innovation system development of R D investment, economic benefits and market competitiveness is larger lagged behind. Finally, suggestions are given to improve China"s manufacturing R D input and technology output performance.