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US presidential trips abroad have traditionally been an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the United States on the world stage. Trump's week-long swing through East Asia, on the other hand, has been a display of the authority of Trump – but also, at moments, of that influence's limitations.

Trump's visits in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the course of the first four days were an display in catering to a sometimes unpredictable US leader. It was an admission that Trump, with the flick of a pen, could impose tariffs and additional actions that have the capacity to devastate the economies of export-dependent nations.

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

It was a encounter of peers on the world platform, where the consequences for each country – for their markets, for their global standing, for the prosperity of their people – were immense.

With the Chinese, Trump may wave his pen, but these moves come with ramifications. They carry a price.

• Trump describes 'impressive' talks with the Chinese leader but no pact reached
• The Chinese president and the US leader find brief pause as China pursues extended strategy

For the initial phase, Trump's latest entry into global diplomacy was successful.

Each visit was marked by a combination of conventional commercial discussions – arrangements made under the shadow of Trump's "equivalent" duties – and individual concessions that at points bordered on the obsequious.

In Malaysia, the president secured entry to key materials and made advances toward concluding economic agreements with ASEAN countries. He also presided over a pact that should ease border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "truce" the president loves to promote.

In the Japanese leg, the president's Marine One flew past a famous structure lit US flag colors – with a summit in Trumpian gold.

Newly elected Leader the Japanese leader detailed $half-trillion in Japanese investments in the America and offered the US leader a present of 250 flowering trees for America's 250th birthday, and a sports gear and carrier that came from former Prime Minister Abe, the assassinated ex-leader who bonded with the president in his previous administration.

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

Keeping pace, Korea welcomed the president with cannons performing a traditional greeting and a armed forces orchestra that played Hail to the Chief and the Village People song – the musical group song that has become a political gathering theme.

President Lee held an "honour ceremony" for Trump during which he awarded the American leader his state's highest medal and a model of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Noon repast with Lee featured a "Conciliatory Treat" of gold-encrusted brownies. Later that day, the hosts offered the president premium vintage at an private meal in Trump's honour with multiple international heads attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference conference.

In the America, the president may be the focus of "Anti-Monarchy" rallies by the public who reject his authority-expanding increases of executive authority, but during his regional swing he was handled as royalty.

And like the monarchs of ancient times, Trump came to Korea requesting tribute – in the guise of $two hundred billion in financial transfers, $20bn a per year, from Korea to the US, to be used at the guidance of Trump's government. Agreement on the details of those transfers helped ensure that the tax percentage on South Korean goods to the United States would drop from twenty-five percent to 15%.

The central moment of the president's Asian tour came in its concluding phase, nevertheless, as he encountered the Chinese leader.

There, the authority balance between heads of the global top two markets was decidedly distinct than the exchanges the president had with his international peers in previous days.

Not present were the usual ceremony and the display. No service ensembles, no honour guards, missing thoughtfully prepared meal plans marking mutual national affection. Instead, the pair of counterparts and their key staff sat across a large pale meeting furniture in a nondescript armed forces facility just off the runway of Busan's global terminal.

It was possibly a demonstration of the major consequences that when the president exchanged greetings with the Chinese leader in the Korean city, he looked