The forging manipulator was one of the important equipments in the automatic forging job. In order to design the 20T hydraulic forging manipulator with the performance characteristics of overload, high positioning accuracy and large inertia, the hydraulic control systems for the actuating mechanism of forging manipulator were designed. The hydraulic control systems consisted of driving system, clamp rotation system, parallel lifting system, horizontal buffer system, clamping system and lateral swing system. Mathematical models of manipulator’s key control system (driving system and clamp rotation system) were improved. Based on Matlab／Simulink and AMESim co-simulation technology, simulation and analysis on the dynamic characteristics of driving system and clamp rotation system with fuzzy PID control algorithm were given. The experiments were taken to verify the system performance, and the results showed that the designs of the hydraulic system circuits were reasonable. The accuracy and rapidity of the forging manipulator control system were achieved. The real-time response and robust performance of the driving system and clamp rotation system with fuzzy control strategy are strong and stable.