Population ageing is an objective trend in human development, a global issue, and a fundamental national condition for China in the coming long term. Proactively addressing population ageing constitutes China's action plan to meet the challenges of an ageing society, with vital implications for sustainable national economic and social development as well as the improvement of people's wellbeing. Strengthening institutional development is a key initiative in China's active response to population ageing and an essential pillar for implementing the corresponding national strategy. Hence, during this critical period of executing the national strategy on active ageing and advancing Chinese modernization supported by high-quality population development, this paper—based on institutional adaptation theory and the concept of active ageing, and considering the systematic, long-term, adaptive and dynamic dimensions of institution building—innovatively constructs an institutional framework for proactively addressing population ageing. Centered on three core elements, namely “health support,” “social participation,” and “social security,” the framework lays a theoretical foundation for the strategic goals set forth in the National Medium- and Long-Term Plan for Proactively Addressing Population Ageing (2019), which aims to initially establish an institutional framework by 2022, develop more scientific and effective institutional arrangements by 2035, and achieve mature and complete institutional arrangements compatible with a modern socialist power by the mid-21st century.

Moreover, this paper examines the evolution of China's institutional system for proactively addressing population ageing from three dimensions： types of institutional tools, composition of governance actors, and paradigms of institutional objectives. The study finds that the content of these institutions has expanded from basic livelihood security to comprehensive multi-domain governance, while Institutional arrangements have progressed from initial basic living safeguards to lifecycle-spanning strategic responses. This evolution reflects a shift from “reactive coping” to “proactive governance,” from “unilateral governance” to “collaborative governance,” and from “ensuring survival” to “promoting comprehensive development”—a process characterised by “adapting institutions to demographic changes.” Such an evolutionary pathway offers instructive insights for enriching and improving the institutional system of the national strategy during the 15th Five-Year Plan period and beyond.

Looking ahead, implementing the national strategy for proactively addressing population ageing should build on the established institutional framework. It will be essential to strengthen institutional guarantees through legislation, gradually advancing specialised laws for the elderly population. Institutional systematicity should be reinforced to enhance the system's capacity for dynamic response, systemic coordination, and long-term provision. Innovation in institutional implementation mechanisms is needed to improve resilience to demographic transition, economic development, and social transformations. Digital and intelligent reforms in institutions should be promoted to elevate the scientific accuracy of institutional supply. Through these measures, the adaptability of institutional design, the efficiency of institutional operation, and the feasibility of institutional safeguards can be steadily improved.