According to his family, James Chen was in Beijing on an inspection tour when he became unwell with flu. When he went to hospital for a checkup he was found to have a liver tumor. He received surgery at the famous, top-grade Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital in Beijing. Unfortunately there were complications after surgery and he was rushed to the Military Police Hospital for a liver transplant.
據陳家家屬表示，陳澤寵是因為在北京旅遊考察時，因感冒不適，入院檢查時意外發現肝腫瘤，由北京著名的「三級甲等」中日友好醫院進行手術，不料術後出現併發症，又緊急轉往武警醫院進行換肝，最後仍因多重器官衰竭而不治。