Among the factors that influencing the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM), tropical sea surface temperature (SST) is the main reason for the variation of the East Asian summer monsoon system. In recent decades, the studies on the influences of the tropical SST anomalies on the EASM have achieved great progress. From sub-seasonal, interannual to interdecadal timescales, this paper has briefly reviewed the advances in the studies on impacts of the tropical air-sea interactions on the EASM and the associated mechanisms, with focuses on the main progress of the impacts of El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), tropical Indian Ocean and Atlantic. In addition, roles of tropical SSTs in the link between EASM and the East Asian Winter monsoon are also systematically reviewed. Finally, we put forward several related issues that need to be further investigated in the future, for instance, the impact of tropical SST anomalies on the sub-seasonal variation of EASM, tropical SST changes under global warming and its impact on the EASM.