[1] After graduating from Yale University, he assumed a series of governmental positions include Director-General of the Government Information Office from 1972 to 1975, Republic of China Representative to the United States from 1982 to 1988, Chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development from 1988 to 1990, and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1996.

[16] In September 1971, Chien attended the Twenty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly as an advisor to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of China to the UN.

"[15] Two months prior to Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China, Chien interpreted for Deputy Premier Chiang Ching-Kuo during a two-hours long conversation with US Ambassador Walter P.

[15] In March 1972, he met with his counterpart, Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Marshall Green, in Taipei and discussed the after-effects of Nixon's visit to the mainland.

[19] In June 1972, Chien was appointed as the 7th Director-General of the Government Information Office (GIO) by Premier Chiang Ching-kuo, succeeding James Wei.

On March 18, 1975, Chien delivered an address to a Joint Session of the New Hampshire State Legislature, speaking about the friendship between the two nations and ROC's goal towards economic equality.

After President Jimmy Carter's announcement to de-recognize the Republic of China on December 16, 1978, Chien met with US Ambassador Leonard S. Unger and provided six suggestions to the US Government.

According to the Chien, the recommendations included: 1) to protect the Chinese residing in the United States; 2) to safeguard our properties in the US; 3) to refrain from lobbying other friendly government to follow the US lead; 4) to secure the validity of treaties and agreements between us; 5) to set up new offices for continuing all kinds of exchanges (we suggested the name should be 'Republic of China Liaison Office in the United States' as proposed by Senator Edward Kennedy earlier); and, 6) to continue supplying us with defensive weapons as required.

During the joint press conference at Taipei Songshan Airport, Chien stated that the de-recognition "disrupted the traditional friendship and harmonious relations between our two countries and has seriously impaired the peace and security of the Asian‐Pacific region.

"[25] He also declared that "the US government unilaterally yielded to Chinese Communist terms" in severing diplomatic relations and disregarding commitments such as the Mutual Defense Treaty.

[29] In early June 1981, Chien made a trip to Singapore and met with Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and discussed issues around regional stability.

According to AIT Chairman David Dean [zh], Chien was a brilliant and effective envoy, and his term as the ROC representative "was off to a running start and didn't seem to slow down the entire time he was in Washington.

On February 18, only a month and a half after assuming his post, at the introduction of Senator James A. McClure, Chien met with President Ronald Reagan at a Conservative Political Action Conference reception.

Chien also referenced that Taiwan is willing to help the US assist the economic developments in the Central America region and that joint projects with American funds would be undertaken by Taiwanese personnel and technical teams.

[34] On December 1, Mr. and Mrs. Chien were invited by Vice President George H. W. Bush for a welcome dinner at the Alibi Club, where they discussed their studies at Yale University, bilateral relations between the ROC and US, and the effects of high-level visits between the US and mainland China on Taiwan.

[31] Prior to President Regan's April 1984 visit to the mainland, Chien worked with White House Chief of Staff James Baker, NSC's Sigur, and State Department's Wolfowitz to prevent US concessions to China on issues related to Taiwan.

[31] After the death of the Republic of China statesman Wellington Koo at the age of 97, Chien delivered a eulogy for the former Chinese Ambassador to the United States on November 19, 1985, at Manhattan's Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel.

In the same interview, he also added that "[a]ll the meetings (with executive-branch officials) have to be on neutral ground, such as restaurants, hotels and what-not," and "[i]n terms of frequency, it's much more frequent now than before 1979.

[44] The Chiens sourced Chinese calligraphy and paintings through the Director of the National Palace Museum and furniture from the Veterans Affairs Council's associated businesses.

[52] During a meeting with President de Klerk on January 22, the South African leader assured that his government cherished the special relationship with the ROC and that there was no hidden agenda to develop relations with the mainland.

[62][63] Chien cited in the 1992 year-end press conference that while the ROC formally applied for accession to the GATT (under the name of Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu), "the biggest challenge for us...would be re-entry to the United Nations.

Weeks later, on July 29, at the ROC-Central American Joint Cooperative Committee Conference, in San José, Costa Rica, Chien called upon the attendees' nations to speak in favor of the ROC membership in the UN during the UN General Assembly.

[68] At a speech sponsored by the Friends of the East-West Center on August 6, Chien said that close economic, commercial, and technological cooperation is key to avoiding confrontation.

At the joint communique signing ceremony with Foreign Minister Moustapha Niasse, Chien noted that the "establishment of diplomatic ties marks a significant development in our pursuit of pragmatic diplomacy.

In 2001, after the September 11 attacks, Chien was asked by President Chen Shui-bian to visit New York on behalf of the ROC government and to present a $1 million check for the people of the United States.

Chien also serves along with Morris Chang and Lien Chan as a board member for the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange.

Chien, in his capacity as the senior advisor of the Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation, attended and led multiple delegations to the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan.

Carl Chien received an MBA from Georgetown University and now serves as the Vice-chairman Asia Pacific and Senior Country Officer Taiwan for JPMorgan.

Chein's second brother, Shu Chien, is a physiologist and bioengineer, a recipient of the National Medal of Science, and a professor at the University of California, San Diego.

Chien is known as one of the "four princes of Taiwan" along with Lien Chan, Chen Li-an, and Shen Chun-shan, all of whose fathers attained prominence in politics prior to their sons' successes.