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US presidential trips overseas have historically been an chance to demonstrate the power of the US on the international platform. Donald Trump's five-day trip through eastern Asia, on the other hand, has been a show of the power of Trump – but also, at times, of that authority's boundaries.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the duration of the initial days were an display in satisfying a occasionally volatile president. It was an recognition that the president, with the signature of a document, could impose tariffs and other measures that have the potential to harm the markets of export-dependent states.

His meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on Thursday, however, was a completely different scenario.

It was a session of counterparts on the global stage, where the consequences for the two powers – for their financial health, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their people – were enormous.

With Beijing, the US leader may flick his pen, but these moves entail repercussions. They come with a price.

• The US president hails 'remarkable' talks with Xi but no agreement agreed
• The Chinese president and the US leader find brief pause as China adopts strategic patience

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

Each stop was punctuated by a combination of standard commercial discussions – deals made under the threat of the president's "reciprocal" tariffs – and personal accommodations that at points bordered on the obsequious.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump obtained rights to critical minerals and made headway toward completing trade arrangements with south-east Asian nations. He also led a treaty that should reduce frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace deal" the president enjoys to highlight.

In Japan, Trump's official aircraft soared near a landmark tower lit red, white and blue – with a top in golden.

Recently chosen Leader Takaichi described $550 billion in Tokyo's funding in the United States and offered the American president a offering of a quarter-thousand sakura trees for America's 250th anniversary, and a golf club and bag that was owned by former Prime Minister Abe, the assassinated former prime minister who developed ties with the president in his initial presidency.

She also became the newest overseas counterpart to nominate the president for his highly-coveted international honor.

Matching the effort, Korea welcomed Trump with cannons firing a honor salute and a military band that performed Hail to the Chief and the classic tune – the band tune that has become a Trump rally anthem.

Leader Lee held an "honour ceremony" for Trump during which he presented the US president his nation's highest medal and a copy of an historical royal headpiece.

Midday meal with the Korean leader contained a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-encrusted chocolate squares. Later that day, the Koreans served Trump vineyard wine at an intimate dinner in Trump's recognition with half-dozen international heads present at the regional summit summit.

In the America, the president may be the focus of "Anti-Monarchy" rallies by Americans who reject his boundary-testing increases of executive authority, but during his Asian swing he was treated like monarchy.

And like the rulers of history, Trump came to the Korean nation requesting contribution – in the form of $200 billion in cash payments, $20bn a annually, from South Korea to the America, to be invested at the direction of the president's government. Agreement on the terms of those payments contributed to that the tax percentage on host nation exports to the US would drop from twenty-five percent to fifteen percent.

The primary focus of the president's Asia trip took place in its concluding phase, however, as he sat down with Xi.

At that location, the influence relationship between leaders of the world's two largest economies was decidedly different than the exchanges Trump had with his international peers in previous days.

Absent were all the pageantry and the pageantry. Lacking armed forces orchestras, absent ceremonial troops, no thoughtfully prepared menus honoring shared goodwill. By contrast, the two leaders and their key staff sat across a extended light-colored meeting furniture in a plain service structure just near the airstrip of the southern port's international airport.

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