Chen occupied a number of ministerial posts during the 1950s: 52-54 minister of Building and from 59-65 minister of Agricultural Machinery. He was a standing committee member of the 2nd and 3rd Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference as well as an alternate member of the 8th Central Committee (elected 1956.)
Like many other Central Government leaders, Chen was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution and was dismissed from office in 1967.
Chen died in April 1972 Beijing. He suffered greatly during the Cultural Revolution but was posthumously re-habilitated in 1980.