Abstract: This paper attempts to figure out the current structure of the U.S. basic research system and explore its main characteristics. The federal government has always been the largest investor in the U.S. basic research system, and the higher education is the major performer. The proportion of capital investment and implementation of the federal government in the basic research system is gradually decreasing, while business and non-profit organizations assume more and more important responsibilities in the basic research activities, and the proportion of capital investment and implementation in the basic research system keeps increasing. To some extent, it shows that the federal government has played a desirable role in guiding and leveraging basic research fundings in the basic research system. Federal agencies mainly provide funds for portfolios in various fields consistent with their missions, so as to reduce the overlap of funding fields and avoid unnecessary waste of resources. The federal government increasingly emphasizes accelerating the transformation from basic research to industrial practical application, and attracts all innovation sectors to jointly promote the research spectrum spanning from basic research to product commercialization. All sectors of the U.S. basic research system attach great importance to the integration of research and talent training, and take international talents as a valuable resource for the country. This paper systematically summarizes the basic stucture and main characteristics of the U.S. basic research system, which offers useful reference for China to further optimize and adjust the governance mechanism, the allocation mode of basic research fundings, and measures of transfer and transformation of the basic research achievements as well as talent training and attraction.