Taiwan's Chen on reunification: 'Some things cannot be rushed'

Taiwan president Chen Shui Bian says he is working hard to improve relations with China

TAIPAI, Taiwan (CNN) -- Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian said he is working hard to improve relations with China. But success, he said, "requires efforts on both sides."

Reunification with the People's Republic of China was "not necessarily the only option for the people of Taiwan," Chen told CNN, speaking through an interpreter.

He was reiterating an idea he first expressed publicly in August on a tour of the Caribbean, Central America and Africa.

At the time, China responded by saying Chen was showing a "very dangerous" drift toward separatism for the democratic island nation which Beijing considers a breakaway province.

Drawn back to the subject Friday, Chen said, "The presentation of only one single option, one single goal, rejecting all other possibilities and choices, is undemocratic."

China's communist government has long wanted Taiwan to acknowledge that it is an inseparable part of China that will eventually reunify with the mainland. But since taking office in May, Chen has been reluctant to voice support for unification.

"Some things cannot be rushed," he said. "Especially this complicated, cross-strait relationship issue. This issue remains very serious and important, and we do want to improve relations."

He said he could not be expected to "make a 180-degree change" after just three months in office.

"Our current priority must be to stabilize the cross strait relationship, not to allow it to deteriorate. As long as relations can be stabilized, then we will have a chance to move forward," he said.

Nonetheless, Chen, once a vocal supporter for Taiwan independence, has taken a more conciliatory tone toward China since taking office. He has said he will not declare a formal break unless China attacks the island nation.

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949.

"My responsibility and my obligations are to maintain Taiwan's national sovereignty, dignity and security, and to pursue the well-being of the Taiwanese people," Chen said.

"Only the 23 million people of Taiwan have the right to make the final decision and choice" regarding reunification, he said.

CNN Correspondent Mike Chinoy and CNN.com Writer Jonathan D. Austin contributed to this report.

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