He co-founded Applause Pictures in 2000, a production company dedicated to creating high-quality films that appeal to both Asian and international audiences.

In 2009, Chan founded WE Pictures, another production company that has focused on bringing Chinese stories to a global audience and continues to produce influential and acclaimed works.

[3] He then worked as a location manager on three Jackie Chan films: Wheels on Meals (1984), The Protector (1985), and Armour of God (1986), all shot overseas.

[5] This period also saw him co-founding the United Filmmakers Organization (UFO) in the early 1990s,[6] which produced several box-office hits, including his own He Ain't Heavy, He's My Father (1993), Tom, Dick and Hairy (1993), He's a Woman, She's a Man (1994), and the internationally acclaimed Comrades, Almost a Love Story (1997) starring Maggie Cheung and Leon Lai.

[7][8] In 2000, he co-founded Applause Pictures,[9] where he spearheaded a drive to make Pan-Asian films for the region’s audiences, resulting in hits such as Jan Dara by Thailand's Nonzee Nimibutr, One Fine Spring Day South Korea's Hur Jin-ho, The Eye by Danny and Oxide Pang and cinematographer Christopher Doyle, The Eye sequals and its US remake.

Continued Success and Advocacy (2010s-Present) In 2009, Chan founded WE Pictures, a production company aimed at supporting, producing and distributing films from a range of Chinese artists.

[13] In 2020, his drama Leap, about the Chinese women's volleyball Olympic team, represented Mainland China and showcased his ability to navigate various genres.

By forming solidarity with notable directors like Kabir Khan, Kiran Rao, and Banjong Pisanthanakun, Chan aims to foster cross-pollination with filmmakers across a wider range throughout the continent, contributing to the growth and diversity of the region's cinema.