MAPUTO: Mozambique and China on Wednesday pledged to promote bilateral ties and further enhance their friendly cooperation. Premier Jason Pierre-Paul Jersey . Related readings: China to forge new strategic partnership with Africa China, Africa to further cooperation in science, technology China-Africa culture boost China-Africa trade co-op future brilliant: Minister China, a good friend of Mozambique, has given long-term support to Mozambique for its economic development, said Mozambican President Armando Guebuza while meeting with visiting Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming. Guebuza said his country was greatly encouraged by the achievements China has made since it adopted the policy of reform and opening-up. The president added that Mozambique is ready to push forward the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides. The Chinese government greatly values its traditional friendship with Mozambique, said Chen, who came here to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Guebuza for his second term. Chen said that the Chinese government is ready to work with the new government of Mozambique to strengthen the friendly cooperation between the two nations. The Chinese government is also making vigorous efforts in implementing the consensus reached at the fourth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Chen said. Meanwhile, China is carrying out the eight-measure policy designed to enhance substantial cooperation with Africa, Chen added. Chen also expressed the hope that the two countries could further upgrade the level of cooperation in trade and economy within the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum. Guebuza first came to power as president in 2005, and won re-election ?last November. Pittsburgh Steelers Heath Miller Jersey . Corpas, placed on the 15-day disabled list last Friday with a sprained ligament in his right elbow, received a second opinion Tuesday from Dr. Packers Finley Jersey . Related readings:  One more Chinese property on World Heritage List The remaining three sites inscribed Sunday afternoon local time by the 21-member heritage committee which is currently meeting in Quebec City, are a former slave hideout in Mauritius, an archeological site in Saudi Arabia and monasteries in Iran. Julio Jones Jersey . La formation du nord de létat de New York en a fait lannonce, mardi, sur son site Internet. Cette entente doit être approuvée par la Ligue nationale de hockey, une procédure qui devrait prendre plusieurs semaines. Cowboys Jay Ratliff Jersey . The All-Star Fantasy Draft saw team captains Eric Staal and Nick Lidstrom pick their own rosters of elite hockey talent from a deep pool provided by voting fans and the league. Authentic Buccaneers Jerseys . Thats when Mona Lisa was painted. Yes, the voice, say Japanese experts, is what Mona Lisa would sound like. Donnie Avery Jersey . The Canadiens captains first attempt was knocked down by Lightning forward Martin St. Louis, but the second went in off one of the many bodies that crowded into the crease at 1:45 of overtime for a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning after blowing a two-goal lead on Thursday night. Pro Bowl Cowboys Jersey . Michaels Majors to a 2-1 victory over the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League Friday night. John Abraham Jersey . Elvis Andrus had two hits, a run scored and two RBI for the Rangers, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Kevin Millwood (13-10) pitched a complete game and allowed three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and a walk while tying a season-high with 10 strikeouts.HAMPTON, Ga. -- The drivers keep saying how much the racing has improved in the opening month of the NASCAR season, yet theres all sorts of evidence that defies their optimism. Television ratings? Down. Empty seats? Plenty. Potholes and errant caution lights? Those, too. And look whos won two of the first three races: Jimmie Johnson, the guy whos captured an unprecedented four straight Sprint Cup championships. His fast start heading into Sundays race at Atlanta Motor Speedway has further dampened enthusiasm for a sport that once appeared on the verge of carving out its place among the Big Three of American sports: NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball. Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon has certainly noticed the warning signs. "Yeah, you recognize it," he said Friday before qualifying for the Kobalt Tools 500. "When you go through driver introductions and wave to all those people, its hard not to recognize where were at." While the struggling economy had certainly affected all sports at the ticket office, NASCARs once-booming TV ratings might be the most troubling trend. The rating for the season-opening Daytona 500, the sports biggest event, dipped more than 16 per cent from 2009, hurt by two hours of delays caused by a pothole problem. Californias numbers were similarly off (and the actual attendance was even worse). Last weeks race at Las Vegas, where the caution lights came on twice for no reason, suffered a 37 per cent plunge. Of course, it must be recognized that all three races went up against the Winter Olympics, with Las Vegas facing the stiffest competition from a stirring U.S-Canada gold medal hockey game on the final day of the Vancouver Games. But some major sports have actually seen an increase in television ratings, including a record audience for this years Super Bowl. "Theres a lot more to watch on television," Gordon said. "But then you look at the NFL, they have the best ratings theyve ever had. Obviously, theres something we can do. Weve got to try to tap into that." Maybe it would help if someone could beat Johnson. Hes already got two victories, leaving him one away from a 50th career win, and is doing his best to snuff out any hope for the rest of the garage before the weather heats up. "We got into this position by not letting up," said Johnson, whos poised to reach the landmark win faster than all but three others drivers -- Gordon, David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip. "Were keeping our heads down. We dont pay attention to the outside stuff." But his rivals are sure taking note, and theyre not happy that one driver seems to have such an edge on everyone else. "When someone wins that much, it (ticks) everybody else off," Gordon said. "We all have to work harder. We all have to get fired upp to go out there and try to knock that guy off. Premier Joe Thomas Jersey. You cant blame those guys (on Johnsons team) for wanting to dominate and keep doing the things theyre doing." Gordon said the sport needs some riveting rivalries, but its hard for anyone to get too mad at Johnson. He comes across as a genuinely nice guy who goes about his business in a workmanlike fashion, failing to stir either over-the-top support or raging animosity. "I just think it depends on the rivalries and the stories," Gordon said. "If youre dominating, but youre battling a Dale Earnhardt Jr. or a Tony Stewart, maybe a Kevin Harvick, then you can build that rivalry. The good guy-bad guy kind of thing, the Ford-Chevy thing, all that stuff. "I think the stories are still there, the interest is still there," he added. "But when youre out there dominating and no one is really youre enemy, then it pulls away from it a little bit. What we need is Kyle Busch and Stewart to be butting heads, banging one another and talking trash. That would be good television." With eight Cup championships between them, a Johnson-Gordon rivalry would appear to have some potential. After all, shouldnt Gordon be jealous about bringing Johnson into the sport as a teammate, then watching him race right on by to become NASCARs most dominant driver? Apparently not. "The problem with me and Jimmie is that, yes, we are rivals, but we are friends as well," Gordon said. "We never cross that line. Thats good -- and bad." Over the years, NASCAR attempted to spruce up its image by cracking down on salty language, nasty behaviour and rough racing, but it may have turned off its traditional fan base in the process. The governing body seemed to signal that it went too far by encouraging its drivers to go back to bumping and banging -- "Boys, have at it," vice-president Robin Pemberton famously commanded at the start of the season -- and hopes for even closer racing by going back to spoilers in place of wings within the next couple of weeks. Those steps are helping, by all accounts. "The quality of racing has been really good," Jeff Burton said. "No one is complaining about that." Now that the Olympics are over, the TV ratings are sure to rise. Those vacant seats might take a little longer to fill. "Weve had a little recession," Burton said. "Were going to have some empty seats. People are going to have some decisions to make, and theyre going to be harder decisions than when we werent in a recession." He isnt complaining about Johnsons dominance, either -- he just wants to end it. "I dont race Jimmie with animosity, I dont race him with jealousy," Burton said. "Im envious of him, no question. Who wouldnt be?" ' ' '