Chen Chien-jen


Early life and education

Chen was born in Cishan, Kaohsiung County, on June 6, 1951. He was the seventh child in a family of eight children; he has six older siblings and one younger brother. His father, Chen Hsin-an, was a Kuomintang official who served as Kaohsiung County Magistrate from 1954 to 1957. His mother, Chen Wei Lien-chih, was the manager of a daycare.
After graduating from Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School, Chen studied forestry at National Taiwan University. In his sophomore year, he transferred departments to study zoology and graduated with his Bachelor of Science in zoology in 1973. As an undergraduate, he was the president of a mountaineering club and founded a Salesian student society. In 1977, he obtained a Master of Public Health from the university. He then worked as a teaching assistant in public health at NTU from 1977 to 1979 and was a lecturer there from 1982 to 1983.
After receiving his master's degree, Chen completed advanced studies in the United States at Johns Hopkins University, where he studied under molecular biologist Pien-Chien Huang and epidemiologist Bernice H. Cohen. He earned his Doctor of Science in human genetics and epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 1983. His doctoral dissertation was titled, "A twin study of blood pressure, serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in Chinese adolescents".

Academic career

He began his medical career by researching hepatitis B, and helped raise awareness about vaccination for the disease in Taiwan. Chen further researched on the liver cancer risk of people with hepatitis B. Chen also discovered a link from arsenic to. The arsenic research lead to the revision of international health standards for arsenic exposure. Between 2011 and November 2015, Chen was a vice president of Academia Sinica.
In January 2026, Chen was named the next president of Academia Sinica and is expected to take office in June 2026.

Political career

Chen served as Minister of Health from 2003 to 2005. As health minister, he was praised for effectively managing the SARS epidemic through quarantine and screening procedures, despite Taiwan's non-membership in the World Health Organization complicating the coordination of research efforts. His successor Hou Sheng-mao credited Chen with reforming the National Health Insurance program. Chen led the National Science Council from 2006 to 2008.

Vice presidency (2016–2020)

On 16 November 2015, Chen was confirmed as the running mate for Tsai Ing-wen in the 2016 Taiwanese presidential election after media speculation earlier in the month. During the campaign, Chen became known by the nickname Brother Da-jen, after a character portrayed by Chen Bolin on the romantic drama In Time with You. Chen is the first Catholic vice presidential nominee in Taiwan. On 16 January 2016, Tsai and Chen won the presidential election in a landslide. Chen took up his post as Vice President on 20 May 2016.
In March 2019, Chen announced that he would not seek a second term as vice president alongside Tsai. Chen received international attention for his role in leading Taiwan's response to the COVID-19 pandemic due to his unique position as both vice president and his epidemiologist background. Days before he stepped down from the vice presidency, Chen stated that he would return to the Academia Sinica as a research fellow and thus forgo the pension connected to his political office.

Support for same-sex marriage

On May 17, 2019, the Legislative Yuan approved the same-sex marriage bill, Chen supported it by writing "The Executive Yuan has courageously assumed its responsibility, exercised its utmost wisdom and patience, and continuously communicated and coordinated with the pro and con sides in an effort to reduce social disagreements, proposing a bill that is consistent with the conclusion of the Justice's interpretation of the Constitution and responsive to the majority opinion of the referendum. In the face of the tensions between the pro and con sides, the legislators still uphold the democratic spirit of accommodating diverse opinions and complete the legislative work of the bill smoothly".

Premiership (2023–2024)

In December 2021, Chen applied to join the Democratic Progressive Party, and formally became a member in February 2022. In January 2023, he rejoined the Tsai administration as premier of Taiwan, taking office on 31 January. Chen and the members of his cabinet submitted their joint resignations on 18 January 2024.

Personal life

Chen is a devout Catholic who was baptized in 1979. He is married to Lo Fong-ping, whose family is from Nanjing. Chen and his wife were invited to visit the Vatican several times by Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. He has been invested as a Knight of the Equestrian of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and a Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great. He has also served on the board of trustees of Fu Jen Catholic University. In April 2025, Chen was chosen to represent Taiwan at the funeral of Pope Francis, and at the Papal Inauguration of Leo XIV in May.

Honours and awards