Chen Lai, a native of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, was born in August 1952. He is a member of the CPC. He is one of the representative figures in contemporary new Confucianism, serving as Dean of the Academy of Chinese Learning, Vice Chairman of the Academic Committee and professor and tutor of Ph.D. students of the Philosophy Department of Tsinghua University. He was engaged as a researcher of the CCICH in June 2012.