[Objectives]  To investigate the risk of introducing and spreading the alien invasive sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) in Jiangsu province. [Methods]  The principle of agroclimatic analogy was used to analyze the suitability of areas for C. formicarius in Jiangsu. Based on the pest risk analysis (PRA) procedure according to international standards for pest measurements (ISPM) and the relevant PRA model, this study based the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the risk of C. formicarius establishing in Jiangsu on five factors; the distribution of C. formicarius in China and Jiangsu, the potential damage that could be caused by this pest, the economic importance of damaged host plants, the risk of establishment and spread, and the difficulty of management. [Results]  The C. formicarius synthetic risk index is 2.26. In addition, C. formicarius occurs seasonally south of 34.5°N in Jiangsu but only sporadically north of this latitude. It should be noted that there is currently no part of Jiangsu that is absolutely unsuitable for C. formicarius or where the species occurs year-round. [Conclusion]  C. formicarius meets the requirements to be classified as quarantinable pest in China, and Jiangsu is a potential area where this species could establish. Based on this, two risk management strategies are proposed to reduce the risk of C. formicarius establishing in Jiangsu to an acceptable level.