Beijing - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi announced after talks with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday that the two countries aimed to resume their dialogue on human rights issues.

The two men had met shortly after Steinmeier's arrival from a visit to Afghanistan, in talks coming after a period of coolness in Berlin-Beijing ties amid their differences over the Tibet issue.

Yang said that the resumption of dialogue on human rights issues would be resumed in the second half of this year.

In addition, China and Germany would again take up their "strategic dialogue" taking in such questions as security and economic issues, while also being expanded to questions regarding climate and environmental policy, he said.

Steinmeier's three-day visit comes after a period of frosty ties between Berlin and Beijing after Chancellor Angela Merkel received exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in September 2007.

In a further indication of an improvement in the bilateral atmosphere, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao expressed thanks for Germany's earthquake relief aid amounting to some 20 million euros (31 million dollars) and called Germany "a true friend in need."

Wen went on to say that "cooperation and friendship comprise the main current of relations. Differences of opinion and conflicts are only side currents."

More importantly, differences can be overcome through exchanges and German-Chinese relations were based on a solid foundation which can withstand the "storms" of recent years, he said.

Steinmeier had earlier welcomed China's dialogue with representatives of the Dalai Lama and he expressed hope that those talks would be continued.

The German government was interested in seeing that progress is made towards preserving the culture and religion of the Tibetans, the German foreign minister said.

During the weekend, Steinmeier was due to visit the earthquake- stricken Sichuan province in order to get a picture of the work of German relief workers. (dpa)