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American leader visits overseas have traditionally been an chance to demonstrate the strength of the US on the global scene. The president's week-long tour through East Asia, on the other hand, has been a show of the clout of the leader – but also, at times, of that influence's boundaries.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the course of the opening phase were an demonstration in satisfying a at times volatile US leader. It was an recognition that the president, with the signature of a pen, could impose duties and further steps that have the potential to devastate the economies of trade-reliant nations.

His discussion with China's president Xi on the final day, though, was a distinct situation.

It was a meeting of peers on the international scene, where the risks for both nations – for their financial health, for their international prestige, for the well-being of their people – were significant.

With China, Trump may flick his authority, but these moves come with repercussions. They come with a price.

• The US president describes 'remarkable' encounter with Xi but no agreement reached
• Xi and Trump establish brief pause as China plays longer game

For the first four days, Trump's recent entry into global diplomacy was uneventful.

Each stop was characterized by a mix of conventional commercial discussions – deals made under the shadow of Trump's "equivalent" tariffs – and individual concessions that at moments approached the deferential.

In Malaysia, Trump gained entry to key materials and made progress toward concluding commercial deals with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a treaty that should ease frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "truce" the US leader enjoys to highlight.

In Japan, the president's helicopter flew past a Tokyo Tower lit American colors – with a peak in gilded.

Freshly appointed Head Takaichi outlined $550bn in Japanese investments in the United States and gave the president a gift of a quarter-thousand cherry trees for the United States' 250th anniversary, and a golf club and bag that came from the late leader, the murdered past head who connected with the president in his previous administration.

She also became the most recent foreign leader to propose Trump for his much-desired international honor.

Matching the effort, South Korea received Trump with cannons performing a traditional greeting and a military band that performed Hail to the Chief and the classic tune – the musical group song that has turned into a political gathering anthem.

President Lee Jae Myung held an "recognition ritual" for Trump during which he awarded the US president his state's premier award and a replica of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Midday meal with the Korean leader contained a "Conciliatory Treat" of gilded baked goods. Subsequently, the South Koreans served Trump fine beverage at an private meal in Trump's recognition with six world leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference conference.

In the US, Trump may be the target of "Anti-Authority" rallies by the public who disapprove of his limit-pushing extensions of leader's control, but during his East Asia visit he was treated like royalty.

And like the kings of old, the president visited the Korean nation requesting tribute – in the guise of $two hundred billion in cash payments, $20 billion a per year, from Korea to the America, to be invested at the discretion of the president's administration. Agreement on the conditions of those payments assisted in that the duty level on South Korean exports to the America would fall from 25% to under twenty percent.

The central moment of the president's Asia trip took place in its final hours, though, as he encountered the Chinese leader.

In that setting, the influence relationship between leaders of the planet's biggest economic powers was noticeably divergent than the meetings Trump had with his international peers in prior visits.

Absent were all the pomp and the pageantry. Without any service ensembles, no protocol units, missing thoughtfully prepared meal plans celebrating mutual national affection. Instead, the both heads and their key staff were seated across a long white meeting furniture in a unremarkable armed forces facility just adjacent to the landing strip of the city of Busan's air transport hub.

It was possibly a reflection of the major consequences that when Trump exchanged greetings with Xi in the southern port, he looked