Chen was born in Zhuanghe, Liaoning, and joined the PLA in 1968. He was promoted to the position of political commissar of the Nanjing Military Region in 2007. He attained his present rank of lieutenant general in July 2006. He is an influential theoretician in the PLA. He has published article in the PLA Daily, supporting the study and practice of the Three Represents concept in the military. He was promoted to General on 19 July 2010. He was a member of the 17th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.[citation needed]
