An important invasive insect pest, the Indian date palm leaf miner, Javeta pallida Baly (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), has been discovered in Guangxi and Hainan, China. Native to southern India, this species has recently been found to attack the leaves of the date palms Phoenix sylvestris in China. Heavy infestation causes the death of leaflets and threatens a date palms’ health. Date palms of the genus Phoenix Linn. are widely planted in south China and steps need to be taken to prevent the further spread of J. pallida. Descriptions of adults (including male genitalia), larvae and pupae of this pest are provided with color pictures.