Population governance is among the core themes of national and social governance. During China's contemporary governance transformation, its population governance transforms from “instrumental” to “inclusive” one. The governance tends to achieve a balance among three factors: national rationality, family discretion, and social autonomy. This tripartite model is a critical feature and a strength. Nonetheless, the governance mechanisms in China are confined to the tradition of adapting population changes to institutions. Certain inertia are hard to overcome and the efficacy is diminishing. To respond to the needs of governance transformation in the new era and adapt to the population changes, we need to adjust the understanding of the relationship between population and development, and also integrate two mechanisms—adapting population changes to institutions and adapting institutions to population changes. To maintain the strength of the tripartite model, we shall further establish a “Chinese approach” of population governance on the basis of new development opportunities.

In the context of rapid demographic transition and socio-economic development,family size in China has been shrinking,family structure has been simplifying,and the traditional family functions have been eroding.These changes have produced considerable impacts on various social policies,raising concerns over revising and improving family policies.Despite the fact that China′s family policies have greatly contributed to population development,family security and gender equity since the reform and opening-up,the policy arrangements tend to be made implicitly that supply deficiency.This paper argues that China′s family policies should be reoriented being explicitly developmental policies.Accordingly,a special government institution of family policy should be established,and family as a whole to be regarded as the basic welfare object,family investment to be aimed at building family capabilities,and family policies to be enhanced to a generalized preferential system with which conflicting policies need to be prevented.