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American leader visits internationally have historically been an occasion to display the influence of the United States on the global scene. The president's multi-day trip through eastern Asia, conversely, has been a demonstration of the power of Trump – but also, at points, of that power's boundaries.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the span of the opening phase were an display in catering to a at times mercurial American president. It was an acknowledgement that the leader, with the flick of a hand, could enact tariffs and other measures that have the capacity to damage the financial systems of trade-reliant countries.

His sit-down with China's president Xi on the final day, though, was a completely different scenario.

It was a meeting of peers on the global stage, where the risks for both nations – for their financial health, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their people – were enormous.

With China, the US leader may use his pen, but such actions come with consequences. They carry a toll.

• Trump describes 'amazing' encounter with Xi but no pact reached
• The Chinese president and Trump establish temporary truce as China adopts strategic patience

For the first four days, Trump's recent venture into world politics was smooth sailing.

Each visit was marked by a combination of standard economic talks – agreements made under the threat of the president's "reciprocal" duties – and individual concessions that at points bordered on the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump gained access to critical minerals and made advances toward finalizing economic agreements with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a pact that should alleviate border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "truce" the US leader enjoys to promote.

In Japan, the president's helicopter passed by a famous structure illuminated American colors – with a summit in Trumpian gold.

Newly elected Head Sanai Takaichi detailed $550 billion in Tokyo's funding in the United States and gave the president a gift of two hundred fifty flowering trees for America's 250th anniversary, and a sports gear and case that came from Shinzo Abe, the assassinated past head who developed ties with the president in his first term.

She also became the latest overseas counterpart to propose the president for his long-sought international honor.

Not to be outdone, the Korean government welcomed Trump with cannons firing a 21-gun salute and a military band that played the leader's song and the Village People song – the band tune that has turned into a presidential event standard.

Head the Korean president held an "honour ceremony" for Trump during which he presented the president his country's top honor and a copy of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Lunch with Lee featured a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-covered brownies. Later that day, the Koreans served Trump vineyard wine at an intimate dinner in the president's honor with six global figures attending the regional summit meeting.

In the United States, the president may be the focus of "No Kings" rallies by the public who reject his limit-pushing expansions of executive authority, but during his regional swing he was received as nobility.

And like the monarchs of history, Trump arrived in Korea seeking payment – in the shape of $two hundred billion in cash payments, $20bn a per year, from Korea to the United States, to be invested at the direction of Trump's administration. Consent on the terms of those transfers helped ensure that the tariff rate on Korean goods to the America would decrease from a quarter to under twenty percent.

The primary focus of the president's Asia trip took place in its final hours, however, as he encountered the Chinese leader.

At that location, the authority balance between counterparts of the global top two markets was noticeably different than the meetings the president had with his overseas colleagues in earlier stops.

Not present were all the pageantry and the pageantry. Without any armed forces orchestras, without ceremonial troops, missing thoughtfully prepared menus honoring mutual national affection. Rather, the pair of counterparts and their top aides sat across a long white negotiating table in a plain service structure just off the runway of the southern port's global terminal.

It was perhaps a demonstration of the major consequences that when the president made contact with Xi in the Korean city, he appeared