In 2014, Chen joined the election campaign for magistrate of Penghu County with the slogan,
Leading Penghu, for your and my happiness. His campaign focused on
economic development, calling for initiatives such as winter tourism, restoration of marine resources, revitalization of disused land, elderly care, job creation,
farmers' rights, conservation of cultural heritage, and
teacher and
civil servant benefits. Chen eventually won in the
2014 Penghu County magistrate election held on 29 November 2014, becoming only the second person from the opposition party to secure the post. Chen lost re-election in 2018 to former magistrate
Lai Feng-wei. He ran and won again in 2022 and has served as the magistrate since December 2022. During his election campaign, he summarized his party's agenda "to protect the land and to fight for Taiwan." He emphasized the economic and tactical importance of Penghu, being in the middle of the
Taiwan Strait, as part of this agenda. In April 2023, Chen and
American Institute in Taiwan official Thomas Wong jointly inaugurated the American Shelf at Penghu County Library in
Magong City. The Penghu American Shelf is part of the
United States Department of State's
American Spaces initiative and "features story books and collection for children and youth on the United States as well as information about the study and teaching of
English." Chen supported an ongoing proposal to build the Xiying Bridge (西瀛大橋) between Magong and
Xiyu, which would create a complete loop around Penghu's three largest islands. ==Personal life==