TAIPEI -- Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung was re-elected to head the body Friday, vowing to boost cross-strait ties during his new three-year tenure to establish a "comprehensive, effective and stable cross-Strait consultation mechanism."

SEF Vice Chairman Kao Koong-lian was also re-elected for a new term at the first meeting of the body's eighth board of directors, who voted to decide the new heads.

"The next three years are crucial for cross-Strait relations, as there are still many issues for the two sides to settle," Chiang said, adding that the SEF will continue to work with Taiwan authorities to seek benefits for the island's people and "gradually defuse some public doubt on cross-Strait policies."

"Twenty years after the establishment of the SEF and the mainland's Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), cross-strait relations have never been better," said Chiang, who was first elected to head the SEF on May 26, 2008.

The SEF and the ARATS are organizations entrusted by Taiwan and the Chinese mainland respectively to handle cross-Strait affairs.

Chiang called on the Taiwan public to cherish the hard-won fruit of cross-Strait relations and continue to support Taiwan authorities' current policies of cross-Strait cooperation through consultation.

Since 2008, the SEF and the ARATS have held seven high-level meetings and signed 16 agreements on cross-Strait economic, medical, educational and financial exchanges.