Canada and China pledged to expand energy ties on the first day of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trip to Beijing. The countries are “at a new starting point ” after years of tension , China’s premier said. Carney, who meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday, is pursuing a balancing act , though, as he seeks to diversify Ottawa’s export markets in the face of US protectionism without antagonizing Washington. Beijing’s warm reception for Carney also reflects Xi’s attempts to court US allies that have been spurned by US President Donald Trump, analysts noted. The UK and Germany’s leaders are poised to visit China in the coming weeks. But China’s massive trade surpluses with Western economies could hinder its efforts to pull them away from Washington. — J.D. Capelouto