Background
Mr. Chen was born in Fuzhou, Fujian, China, in 1888.
Mr. Chen was born in Fuzhou, Fujian, China, in 1888.
Chen Shao-kwan graduated from the Naval College, Nanjing, in 1907. He received training as a midshipman on the training ship "Tung-Chi" and later took flying and submarine course in America.
Admiral Chen served in the fleet as instructor, navigating officer, gunnery officer, paymaster, executive officer, commanding officer of torpedo boat, flag lieutenant to the Commander-in-Chief of the navy, and captain of the cruisers "Chao-Ho" and "Hai-Yung" from 1910 to 1916. He investigated navy in Japan, America and European countries, and obtained practical experience on the British surface warships and submarines during the time of the World War. In 1919 Chen Shao-kwan was appointed naval attache to the Chinese Legation in London, and concurrently director of the Chinese Naval students in England, naval technical delegate to the Paris Peace Conference, and naval delegate to the International Hydrographic Conference.
After Mr. Chen returned from abroad he served successively as captain of the training ship "Tung-Chi" and chief of staff to the Commanderin Chief of the Navy as well as chief of staff to the Defence Commissioner of Fujian. He held the post of a captain of the cruiser "Ying-Swei" and was promoted Rear Admiral in 1925. Chen Shao-kwan was appointed commander of the 2nd Squadron of the Navy in 1926, and concurrently member of the Military Council and member of the Wuhan Division of the Central Political Council. He commanded the naval forces in defense of the National Capital during the trouble in 1927, and participated in the punitive expedition against rebellions in 1929.
Chen Shao-kwan was appointed Chief of the Navy Department of the War Ministry in 1928. The following year he was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral, and became Vice-Minister of Navy. At the same time, he was made chief technical delegate to the World Disarmament Conference in Geneva, special secretary of the Military Division of the Central Political Council, and member of the Special Foreign Affairs Commission. In 1932 Admiral Chen was promoted Minister of Navy with the rank of Full Admiral.