Professor Chiu, who had taught at National Taiwan University and at National Chengchi University in the Republic of China, was a research associate at Harvard Law School for six years.

He has written, edited and is co-author of many books in English and in Chinese and more than 130 articles in the field of international and comparative law and Chinese studies, including The Future of Hong Kong (with Y. C. Jao and Y. L. Wu, 1987) and The Draft Basic Law of Hong Kong: Analysis and Documents (1988); International Law of the Sea: Cases, Documents and Readings (with Gary Knight, 1991) and Modern International Law (in Chinese, 1995, two volumes).

He served as president of the Association of Chinese Social Scientists in North America (1984–86), president of the American Association for Chinese Studies (1985–87) and minister without portfolio (minister of state) of the Executive Yuan (cabinet) of the Republic of China (1993–94). He is President of the International Law Association.

He received a certificate of Merit from the American Society of International Law in 1976 and the First Class Merit Service Medal from the Executive Yuan (cabinet) of the Republic of China in 1994.