Review paper
Management of invasive arthropod pests in China
Yang, Nianwan; Man, Xiaoming; Liu, Wanxue; Zhao, Haoxiang; Qian, Wanqiang; Wan, Fanghao; Wu, Kongming
published online: Aug 25, 2026
manuscript accepted: May 22, 2026
final revised version received: May 15, 2026
manuscript revision requested: Mar 22, 2026
manuscript received: Dec 25, 2025
Open Access (paper may be downloaded free of charge)
Abstract
China’s vast territory, diverse ecosystems, and intensive global trade have created conditions for a high baseline of invasive alien species (IAS), severe ecological and economic impacts, and a rapid increase in new invasions under global climate change. To date, 675 IAS have been recorded in China, including 144 invasive insect pests (IIPs), which represent the insect pest subset of IAS and accounting for 21.3% of the total. Diversified introduction pathways have intensified invasion pressure and the risk of new incursions. Since 2015, 19 new IIPs have been recorded nationwide, averaging two new species per year. Preliminary estimates indicate that IIPs cause an annual economic loss of nearly USD 25.5 billion in China. To address these threats, China has established a national governance framework integrating legal and regulatory systems, scientific and technological innovation, technical standards, and administrative management. Based on the invasion processes of introduction, establishment/lag phase, spread, and outbreak, a national management framework has been proposed, emphasizing “Early warning and prevention–Early monitoring and rapid detection–Eradication and spread blocking–Entire mitigation.” For IIPs at different invasion stages – potential introduction, localized occurrence, population migration, and widespread establishment – targeted control strategies have been developed. These include securing national borders, preventing the spread, intercepting migration, and sustainable management. This review summarizes the status of IIPs in China, the national governance framework, and recent practical measures, and discusses challenges and emerging strategies, providing insights for other countries in managing invasive pests.
Keywords
Invasive alien species • biosecurity law • climate change • AI-based monitoring • management strategy • international cooperation • quarantine • early warning & eradication