A member of the country's governing People's Action Party (PAP), he is currently the Minister for Trade and Industry (since 2018) Minister-in-Charge of the Public Service (since 2015) and Second Assistant Secretary-General of the country's governing People’s Action Party (since 2018) under the current Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party Lee Hsien Loong and the current Deputy Prime Minister and First Assistant Secretary-General of the People's Action Party, Heng Swee Keat.
On 1 October 2015, Chan was appointed Deputy Chairman of the People's Association.
He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency since the 2011 general election.
Prior to entering politics, he served in the Singapore Armed Forces, where he rose to the rank of Major-General and served as Singapore's Chief of Army from 2010 to 2011.