[4] Chen ended his graduate studies without earning a doctoral degree, to run in the 1991 National Assembly elections.

[5] While a member of the National Assembly, Chen also served as Democratic Progressive Party caucus leader.

[9] Upon stepping down from the National Assembly, Chen served as leader of Yilan County's Civil Affairs Bureau.

[4] He formed an electoral coalition with Chen Tsiao-long, Chiu Kuo-chang, Kang Tai-shan, Liu Yi-te, and Lan Shih-tsung [zh] prior to the 2001 Legislative Yuan elections.

Shortly after taking office as a representative of Yilan County, Chen Chin-te became the first DPP official to visit China since Chinese vice premier Qian Qichen explicitly acknowledged the possibility in 2002.

He supported a Legislative Yuan with approximately 140 members,[12] and formed an inter-party alliance to discuss the issue in May 2002, alongside fellow lawmakers Alex Tsai and Lu Hsueh-chang.

[26][27] Upon leaving the Legislative Yuan at the end of his second term, Chiu served Kaohsiung County Government as leader of the Environmental Protection Bureau.