Chen made five from five for 153-180-333 and declined his final attempt. 

Meanwhile, everybody else saw red lights - 40 of them compared to 20 whites between the 10 other lifters, none of whom made more than three from six.

Three failed to make a total, Chen’s team-mate He Yueji and Ferdi Hardal of Turkey in the snatch, and Goga Chkheidze of Georgia in clean and jerk.

That left the way clear for Indonesian Eko Yuli Irawan to finish second from the B Group on 146-175-321, clear of third-placed Gor Sahakyan by 9kg.

Defending world champion Francisco Mosquera of Colombia was fourth on total, making 135-176-311 from his two good lifts. 

He took silver in clean and jerk, ahead of the Korean Lee Sangyeon also on 176kg after a 130kg snatch.

Irawan, who is on course to become the first weightlifter in history to win a medal at five Olympic Games, equalled his career-best total at this weight in the B Group despite a minor problem with his left knee.

He was very pleased with his 146-175-321, the same total he made in winning at the IWF Grand Prix in Cuba in June.

It might have been even better as Irawan missed his final attempt in the snatch at 150kg after making a career-best 146kg, and also failed with his final clean and jerk at 181kg.

"I enjoyed it a lot here," said Irawan.

"All the conditions are perfect, the organisation is very good and the athletes feel comfortable here."

Irawan will drop back down to his preferred 61kg category, "probably in time for the IWF Grand Prix in Qatar in December", or at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou. 

He will go at 61kg in Paris where he thinks he has a good chance of a medal.

Armenian 20-year-old Sahakyan, who won the European title in his homeland in April on 320kg, was third behind Chen and Irawan in snatch and total, finishing 142-170-312.