Invasive species pose a major threat to the environment, human health, agriculture and forestry. Due to their climate, tropical areas have been hardest hit by invasive species. Based on a information obtained from a literature review and database data query, this paper reviews the distribution, species, origin and range, of invasive insects in tropical regions of China. There are 72 species of invasive insects in tropical areas of China, mainly in Yunnan (51 species, 70.83%), Hainan (46 species, 63.89%), Guangdong (45 species, 62.5%), and Guangxi (39 species, 54.17%). The dominant orders are the Hemiptera (24 species, 33.33%), Coleoptera (21 species, 29.17%). Asia and South America are the main sources of invasive insects that have colonised tropical regions of China, contributing 26 (36.11%) and 12 species (16.67%), respectively. These results provide a reference for the comprehensive prevention and control of invasive insects and related policy formulation in tropical regions of China.