Few were surprised by the outcome of the January 17 election in Taiwan, which brought the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) back to power after eight years.

The results of the DPP's presidential and legislative victories will be watched for how they reshape cross-strait relations. While some have expressed concerns that the leadership change will hurt ties, it is important for authorities on the mainland to keep their focus on continued peaceful development and making the most of what has already been accomplished.

Over the past eight years, reconciliation, cooperation and progress have been the main themes of cross-strait relations. Beijing and Taipei have agreed on a regular consultation mechanism and finalized the "three links," namely direct flights, shipping and postal services. Officials on both sides of the strait have signed 23 trade agreements, including the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement. They have also worked to make it easier for mainland tourists to visit Taiwan.

The historic meeting between Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore in November, the first meeting between the top leaders of the two sides in more than six decades, has opened another chapter in cross-strait relations.

But the Kuomintang's stinging defeat has raised two profound questions. Was the vote a comment on the reconciliation efforts that the Kuomintang has championed? Do the results mean that most people in Taiwan are renouncing the principle of peaceful development?

Taking the outcome of the election at face value puts us at risk of misreading the situation. Cross-strait ties are indeed important in Taiwan, but they are not the only issue. The decline in support for the KMT is largely the result of the party's failure to tackle many local issues, including economic stagnation, deterioration of the investment climate and little increase in people's incomes. The party's image has been tarnished by its indecisiveness regarding major policies and by divisions in its ranks.

Meanwhile, the DPP has become more pragmatic about cross-strait relations. Tsai Ing-wen, who took over the leadership of the DPP in 2008, has been ambiguous in her statements about the "1992 Consensus," which put forward the "one-China principle." She has, on many occasions, expressed a desire to maintain the status quo. Her party has also refrained from using provocative rhetoric in dealing with cross-strait issues. During her campaign, Tsai was more prudent in her attacks on the KMT regarding its pro-mainland policies than former president Chen Shui-bian was.

She called for the island to reflect on relying too much on trade with the mainland and called for bolstering consumer demand and investment. Policies on cross-strait relations – which were divisive in the last two elections – took a back seat this time around.

It is commendable that the excitement of the campaign trail has not distracted policymakers on both sides from working to improve ties. The controversial Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement was indeed put on hold, but a deal on commodities trading has moved ahead. Beijing has also responded positively to Taipei's interest in joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and both sides also agreed to set up a hotline for the director of the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office and the head of the island's Mainland Affairs Council.

It is evident that peaceful development is the right formula for moving relations forward. Peace in the Taiwan Strait not only benefits both sides of that body of water, but it also contributes to regional stability. Challenges will arise, but we have good reason to believe that the mainland will demonstrate resolve and sincerity to facilitate this.

Many initiatives are in place to maintain stability, including cultural, educational, sporting and religious exchange programs. Some 45,000 students from Taiwan and the mainland traveled across the strait to study last year. The number of direct flights has grown to 890 every week, and they carry nearly 10 million passengers a year. Cross-strait trade – the cornerstone of relations – hit nearly US$ 200 billion in 2015, and the number of Taiwan-invested projects on the mainland rose 22 percent from a year earlier. Considering the economic stagnation in Taiwan, a win-win relationship will allow for even stronger links to develop, no matter who runs the government in Taipei.

The authorities on the mainland no doubt expected this election outcome and have contingency plans in place. The parties may need some time to adjust to one another, and interactions may decrease in the short term. But the mainland's determination to uphold the country's territorial sovereignty and to oppose separatism is unshakable.

Beijing has done a good job formulating consistent cross-strait policies without losing its vision amid the comings and goings of one particular party or its leader in Taiwan. It will no doubt show the flexibility needed to help maintain stability by reaching out to the other side of the strait. However, mainland leaders need to show more willingness to heed the aspirations of the people of Taiwan, particularly the younger generation, whose growing political clout was demonstrated in this election.

The resurgence of the DPP does not signal an end to cross-strait reconciliation, rather a new beginning in the long process of someday resolving our differences. This will require policymakers to have faith in each other and to make concerted efforts with an effective strategy to move the relationship forward.

Hu Shuli is the editor-in-chief of Caixin Media