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Presidential journeys overseas have traditionally been an occasion to display the influence of the United States on the world stage. Donald Trump's five-day trip through eastern Asia, on the other hand, has been a demonstration of the power of the president – but also, at points, of that influence's boundaries.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the duration of the first four days were an display in pleasing a sometimes mercurial president. It was an recognition that the leader, with the stroke of a hand, could impose duties and further steps that have the ability to damage the financial systems of export-oriented countries.

His meeting with Chinese leader Xi on the final day, nevertheless, was a completely different scenario.

It was a encounter of peers on the international scene, where the stakes for each country – for their economies, for their international prestige, for the well-being of their citizens – were immense.

With the Chinese, the president may use his pen, but these moves involve consequences. They carry a cost.

• The US president hails 'impressive' encounter with the Chinese leader but no pact reached
• Xi and Trump find short-term ceasefire as China adopts strategic patience

For the opening segment, the president's recent venture into international relations was smooth sailing.

Each stop was punctuated by a mix of conventional commercial discussions – arrangements made under the threat of the president's "equivalent" tariffs – and personal accommodations that at times approached the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump obtained entry to critical minerals and made headway toward completing economic agreements with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a treaty that should alleviate territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace deal" the American president prefers to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, the president's official aircraft soared near a famous structure displayed red, white and blue – with a top in gilded.

Newly elected Prime Minister the Japanese leader outlined $550 billion in Tokyo's funding in the US and offered the US leader a present of 250 cherry trees for the United States' 250th anniversary, and a golf club and case that belonged to the late leader, the killed ex-leader who developed ties with the president in his previous administration.

She also became the latest foreign leader to nominate Trump for his highly-coveted international honor.

Keeping pace, South Korea received Trump with artillery performing a 21-gun salute and a military band that rendered Hail to the Chief and YMCA – the musical group song that has evolved into a presidential event standard.

Leader the Korean president held an "recognition ritual" for Trump during which he awarded the US president his state's top honor and a copy of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Midday meal with the Korean leader contained a "Conciliatory Treat" of gold-covered brownies. Afterward, the South Koreans provided the president fine beverage at an intimate dinner in the president's honour with six world leaders attending the APEC conference.

In the United States, Trump may be the subject of "No Kings" protests by US citizens who disapprove of his boundary-testing increases of executive authority, but during his regional swing he was handled as monarchy.

And like the rulers of history, the president visited Korea demanding payment – in the shape of $two hundred billion in monetary contributions, $20bn a annually, from Korea to the US, to be invested at the direction of the president's government. Consent on the conditions of those payments contributed to that the tariff rate on South Korean products to the US would drop from a quarter to fifteen percent.

The primary focus of Trump's regional visit took place in its concluding phase, though, as he sat down with the Chinese leader.

In that setting, the power dynamic between counterparts of the planet's biggest economic powers was noticeably different than the exchanges the president had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Not present were typical pageantry and the display. Lacking armed forces orchestras, without honour guards, without carefully crafted meal plans celebrating mutual national affection. Instead, the pair of counterparts and their senior advisors were seated across a extended light-colored discussion surface in a unremarkable service structure just off the runway of the city of Busan's air transport hub.

It was possibly a reflection of the significant risks that when Trump shook hands with the Chinese leader in Busan, he seemed