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US presidential trips abroad have historically been an chance to demonstrate the strength of the United States on the international platform. The president's multi-day trip through East Asia, by contrast, has been a show of the authority of Trump – but also, at moments, of that influence's constraints.

The president's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the span of the opening phase were an demonstration in satisfying a sometimes volatile US leader. It was an admission that Trump, with the stroke of a document, could introduce duties and other measures that have the capacity to devastate the economies of trade-reliant countries.

His discussion with Chinese leader Xi on the final day, however, was something entirely different.

It was a encounter of equals on the world platform, where the stakes for each country – for their financial health, for their international prestige, for the prosperity of their citizens – were significant.

With China, Trump may use his authority, but such actions come with ramifications. They involve a cost.

• Trump describes 'amazing' meeting with Xi but no agreement agreed
• Xi and Trump establish brief pause as Beijing adopts strategic patience

For the initial phase, Trump's most recent entry into world politics was smooth sailing.

Each stop was punctuated by a combination of conventional trade negotiations – deals made under the shadow of the president's "reciprocal" tariffs – and individual concessions that at points bordered on the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump gained rights to essential resources and made progress toward concluding trade arrangements with regional partners. He also led a pact that should alleviate frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "peace agreement" the American president loves to promote.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's Marine One flew past a Tokyo Tower lit red, white and blue – with a top in gilded.

Recently chosen Head Takaichi described $550bn in Japan's financial commitments in the US and presented the American president a gift of 250 cherry trees for America's 250th birthday, and a golf equipment and bag that came from former Prime Minister Abe, the assassinated former prime minister who bonded with Trump in his previous administration.

She also became the most recent overseas counterpart to nominate Trump for his long-sought international honor.

Not to be outdone, Korea greeted Trump with artillery performing a traditional greeting and a armed forces orchestra that played the leader's song and the classic tune – the Village People tune that has become a Trump rally theme.

Leader Lee held an "honour ceremony" for the US leader during which he gave the US president his nation's premier award and a copy of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Midday meal with Lee included a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-encrusted chocolate squares. Afterward, the South Koreans provided Trump fine beverage at an private meal in Trump's honour with six global figures participating in the APEC summit.

In the United States, the president may be the target of "Anti-Authority" rallies by Americans who reject his limit-pushing increases of presidential power, but during his Asian tour he was treated like nobility.

And like the rulers of old, Trump arrived in Korea demanding tribute – in the shape of $two hundred billion in cash payments, $twenty billion a annually, from Korea to the US, to be used at the guidance of the president's leadership. Agreement on the details of those contributions assisted in that the tariff rate on host nation exports to the America would decrease from twenty-five percent to 15%.

The primary focus of the president's Asia trip occurred in its last moments, though, as he sat down with the Chinese leader.

There, the influence relationship between counterparts of the global top two markets was decidedly different than the exchanges the president had with his overseas colleagues in earlier stops.

Not present were typical pomp and the pageantry. Without any armed forces orchestras, no protocol units, without meticulously designed meal plans marking shared goodwill. Rather, the pair of counterparts and their key staff positioned themselves across a extended light-colored discussion surface in a unremarkable armed forces facility just off the runway of the city of Busan's international airport.

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