Five new species of the genus Paederus presumably forming a monophyletic group that cannot be assigned to any of the hitherto known subgenera are described from mainland China: Paederus biacutus sp. nov. from Fujian, Paederus parvidenticulatus sp. nov. from Guizhou, Paederus sinisterobliquus sp. nov. from Hubei, Paederus symmetricus sp. nov. from Guangxi and Guizhou, and Paederus volutobliquus sp. nov. from Guangdong. Given the problems of the higher-level classification of the subtribe Paederina, that is the taxon equivalent to Paederus sensu lato according to some authors, the entire group is reviewed for the territory of China. A regional list of species is updated, and identification keys to genera of the subtribe Paederina, subgenera of the genus Paederus, and five new species of the P. biacutus species-group fauna of China are given.