In 1998, he returned to his undergraduate alma mater Tsinghua University in Beijing to serve as vice chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering.

[4][5][3] In March 1998, Chen left England to serve as deputy director of the Department of Environmental Engineering at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

[13] Under the Dome was initially promoted by Chinese state media, but all mentions were removed and the film was censored in March.

[16][17] In September 2015, Chen pledged to make eight agencies affiliated with the Ministry independent by the end of next year, or revoke their qualifications otherwise.

[21] In May 2017, Chen was appointed acting Mayor of Beijing, becoming the 17th person to hold the office since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

[27] As party secretary, Chen has visited the CCP's historical sites and repeatedly mentioned Xi Jinping's political theories.

[29] In May 2023, after instructions by Xi, Chen convened a meeting to call for an "upgraded version" of the waste disposal scheme first implemented in 2019.

[31] In July 2023, Chen convened a meeting of the Shanghai Municipal Committee to relay a decision made by the CCP leadership on Beijing to put Dong Yunhu, director of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee, under investigation.

[35] In November 2024, he met with Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, where both sides pledged to increase ties.