The head of a Buddha statue stolen from northern China 20 years ago has been given back to Beijing by a religious leader from Taiwan, in a choreographed gesture designed to smooth cross-strait ties after Taiwanese voters elected a government that is much less friendly to mainland China.

The return of the head, and its display in Beijing, comes as newly elected Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen prepares to take office in May, having soundly defeated the ruling party in January’s elections.

Relations between Beijing and Taipei improved markedly under outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou and China’s previous president Hu Jintao. But close economic ties between the mainland and Taiwan’s business elite alienated many of the island’s younger voters, who were unhappy with growing inequality.