Chen Lei, male, Han nationality, is a native of Beijing. He was born in 1954 and joined the CPC in 1980. Chen is a postgraduate of the Department of Irrigation and Water Conservancy of the North China Institute of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric Power.
Chen Lei has held leading positions with the Ministry of Water Resources, in the China Irrigation and Drainage Company, as well as in the Comprehensive Development Management Center. He was appointed vice-minister of the Ministry of Water Resources in 2001.
He was Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources from 2007 to 2018 and he was also a member of the 18th CPC Central Committee.