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Presidential journeys abroad have historically been an occasion to display the power of the American nation on the global scene. Donald Trump's five-day swing through East Asia, conversely, has been a demonstration of the power of the leader – but also, at points, of that authority's limitations.

The president's stops in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the span of the opening phase were an demonstration in pleasing a at times mercurial US leader. It was an admission that the president, with the signature of a document, could enact taxes and additional actions that have the capacity to damage the economies of export-dependent nations.

His meeting with Beijing's head Xi Jinping on the last day, however, was something entirely different.

It was a encounter of counterparts on the international scene, where the risks for the two powers – for their economies, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their citizens – were significant.

With Beijing, the president may flick his power, but these moves involve ramifications. They come with a price.

• Trump hails 'amazing' meeting with the Chinese leader but no pact reached
• Xi and the US leader establish brief pause as Beijing plays longer game

For the initial phase, Trump's latest entry into international relations was uneventful.

Each stop was marked by a mix of conventional commercial discussions – agreements made under the threat of the president's "reciprocal" taxes – and special treatment that at points verged on the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, the president secured rights to critical minerals and made progress toward finalizing trade arrangements with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a pact that should reduce border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "peace deal" the president enjoys to promote.

In the Japanese leg, the president's helicopter passed by a landmark tower displayed American colors – with a peak in gilded.

Recently chosen Prime Minister Sanai Takaichi detailed $550 billion in Japan's financial commitments in the America and gave the president a offering of two hundred fifty sakura trees for the United States' 250th birthday, and a sports gear and carrier that came from the late leader, the killed former prime minister who connected with Trump in his initial presidency.

She also became the most recent international head to nominate Trump for his highly-coveted Nobel Peace Prize.

Not to be outdone, South Korea welcomed Trump with artillery discharging a 21-gun salute and a military band that performed the presidential anthem and the classic tune – the Village People anthem that has turned into a Trump rally anthem.

Head Lee Jae Myung held an "honour ceremony" for the US leader during which he gave the US president his state's premier award and a copy of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Lunch with Lee contained a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gold-covered baked goods. Afterward, the South Koreans provided the president premium vintage at an private meal in Trump's honor with six global figures participating in the APEC conference.

In the United States, Trump may be the target of "Anti-Monarchy" demonstrations by Americans who disapprove of his boundary-testing extensions of leader's control, but during his regional tour he was handled as monarchy.

And like the rulers of ancient times, Trump came to the Korean nation seeking tribute – in the shape of $two hundred billion in financial transfers, $20bn a annually, from the host nation to the America, to be allocated at the discretion of the president's leadership. Agreement on the conditions of those transfers assisted in that the tax percentage on Korean exports to the America would fall from a quarter to under twenty percent.

The main event of the president's Asia trip took place in its last moments, nevertheless, as he met with the Chinese leader.

There, the influence relationship between leaders of the global top two markets was decidedly different than the exchanges the president had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Missing were the usual pageantry and the pageantry. Without any service ensembles, without protocol units, no thoughtfully prepared menus honoring mutual national affection. Rather, the both heads and their key staff were seated across a large pale discussion surface in a plain military building just adjacent to the landing strip of the southern port's air transport hub.

It was likely a indication of the major consequences that when the president exchanged greetings with Xi in Busan, he looked