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US presidential trips abroad have historically been an chance to demonstrate the power of the American nation on the international platform. The president's multi-day swing through East Asia, by contrast, has been a demonstration of the power of Trump – but also, at times, of that power's limitations.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the span of the first four days were an exercise in pleasing a at times mercurial American president. It was an admission that the president, with the signature of a pen, could enact taxes and further steps that have the potential to devastate the economies of trade-reliant nations.

His meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on the last day, however, was a distinct situation.

It was a encounter of peers on the international scene, where the consequences for the two powers – for their markets, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their populations – were immense.

With China, the US leader may wave his pen, but these moves involve ramifications. They carry a price.

• The US president praises 'impressive' talks with the Chinese leader but no agreement agreed
• The Chinese president and Trump find temporary truce as Beijing pursues extended strategy

For the initial phase, Trump's recent venture into world politics was successful.

Each destination was marked by a blend of standard economic talks – arrangements made under the shadow of Trump's "equivalent" taxes – and individual concessions that at moments bordered on the subservient.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump obtained access to key materials and made advances toward completing economic agreements with ASEAN countries. He also oversaw a pact that should alleviate frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "peace deal" the American president loves to promote.

In Japan, Trump's official aircraft soared near a Tokyo Tower lit American colors – with a peak in Trumpian gold.

Recently chosen Prime Minister the Japanese leader described $half-trillion in Tokyo's funding in the America and offered the US leader a offering of two hundred fifty cherry trees for America's 250th birthday, and a golf club and carrier that came from former Prime Minister Abe, the assassinated ex-leader who bonded with Trump in his previous administration.

She also became the latest international head to nominate Trump for his long-sought international honor.

Matching the effort, South Korea greeted Trump with artillery discharging a honor salute and a armed forces orchestra that rendered Hail to the Chief and the classic tune – the band anthem that has become a presidential event standard.

Leader Lee Jae Myung held an "award event" for the US leader during which he awarded the president his country's premier award and a model of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Noon repast with Lee featured a "Conciliatory Treat" of gilded baked goods. Later that day, the South Koreans served Trump fine beverage at an exclusive gathering in the president's recognition with six world leaders participating in the APEC summit.

In the America, the president may be the focus of "No Kings" protests by Americans who disapprove of his authority-expanding extensions of executive authority, but during his Asian tour he was received as monarchy.

And like the rulers of old, the president arrived in the Korean nation seeking tribute – in the shape of $200 billion in monetary contributions, $20 billion a annually, from the host nation to the United States, to be used at the guidance of Trump's administration. Agreement on the conditions of those contributions assisted in that the duty level on host nation exports to the America would fall from a quarter to 15%.

The central moment of Trump's Asian tour took place in its final hours, however, as he encountered the Chinese leader.

In that setting, the influence relationship between leaders of the global top two markets was decidedly distinct than the meetings the president had with his overseas colleagues in prior visits.

Missing were all the ceremony and the pageantry. Lacking armed forces orchestras, absent ceremonial troops, no carefully crafted meal plans celebrating bilateral friendship. Rather, the both heads and their top aides positioned themselves across a extended light-colored meeting furniture in a plain armed forces facility just adjacent to the landing strip of the southern port's global terminal.

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