The cross-Straits relationship has become a topical issue after Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) came into power. The new Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen, in her inaugural speech, obscured the 1992 Consensus, an agreement incorporated a set of key principles for the cross-Straits ties. Tsai's ascent and the DPP's rule have clouded the prospects of peaceful reunification.

The DPP's return to power has heightened the possibility of Taiwan seeking independence. As the biggest advocate of this cause, the DPP has a notorious history of promoting Taiwan independence.

From 2000 to 2008, the Chen Shui-bian government employed a progressive approach to independence, trying to pursue Taiwan's jurisprudential independence, which pushed the cross-Straits relationship to the brink of war for several times. After Ma Ying-jeou's eight years in power, the pro-independence party staged a comeback.

It is anticipated that no matter how Tsai packages her policies, Taiwan's independence will continue to be the focal point. The pro-independence atmosphere in Taiwan's politics will grow.

The past eight years have seen little solid progress in peaceful reunification, but great achievements in bilateral economic and cultural development.

The mainland and Taiwan have resumed negotiations between the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation.

The mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council has established new communication mechanisms with Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council. The leaders of the mainland and Taiwan, Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou, also had a landmark meeting in Singapore last year. The cross-Straits trade volume has reached about $200 billion, with Taiwan enjoying an over $100 billion surplus. More than 10 million trips occur between the mainland and Taiwan every year.

Despite these achievements and the mainland's favorable treatment of Taiwan, the core political issue has not been touched. So far, there have been no political negotiations between the mainland and Taiwan over ending the state of hostility and signing a peace accord.

Nor are any talks about the future of the mainland and Taiwan. Thus, the process of peaceful reunification has not moved forward.

The Taiwanese, especially the young generations, have shown significant misunderstandings about the "one China" policy.

The mainland lays its hopes to the Taiwanese to generate consensus on reunification, but under the instigation of the pro-independence groups, fewer people in Taiwan agree with the "one China" policy and having faith in reunification. More importantly, the younger generations of the Taiwanese share fewer common views about their "Chinese" identity and reunification.

The trajectory of peaceful reunification has been set and can hardly be reversed, but it doesn't mean there are no drawbacks and twists. Historically speaking, the mainland and Taiwan are shifting from antagonism, misunderstanding and isolation to reconciliation, understanding and integration. The mainland's Taiwan policy is effective and correct in the big picture.

Peaceful reunification depends on the mainland's strength. The precondition should lie in the mainland having an overwhelming advantage over Taiwan, and being even more powerful in every aspect than the US and Japan, which keep driving a wedge between the mainland and Taiwan. The crux of the Taiwan question is China's backwardness and poverty as a whole.

Currently, the mainland government cannot remove the intervention of the US and Japan. So it cannot persuade the Taiwan government to start political negotiations, or win support from the Taiwanese.

Therefore, the key to solving the Taiwan question is the mainland putting more efforts in development. It is only a matter of time that the mainland can develop a dominant advantage in the complicated geopolitical situation.

The author is an assistant research fellow at the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn Follow us on Twitter @GTopinion