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Presidential journeys abroad have historically been an chance to demonstrate the power of the United States on the world stage. The president's week-long trip through eastern Asia, on the other hand, has been a show of the power of the leader – but also, at moments, of that power's constraints.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the course of the initial days were an display in pleasing a sometimes mercurial US leader. It was an acknowledgement that Trump, with the signature of a document, could introduce duties and other measures that have the capacity to damage the markets of export-oriented nations.

His meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the last day, nevertheless, was something entirely different.

It was a encounter of counterparts on the global stage, where the consequences for both nations – for their economies, for their world reputation, for the prosperity of their people – were significant.

With China, the US leader may flick his authority, but these moves entail consequences. They come with a cost.

• Trump praises 'amazing' talks with Xi but no agreement reached
• Xi and Trump establish temporary truce as Beijing pursues extended strategy

For the opening segment, Trump's latest foray into international relations was successful.

Each stop was punctuated by a mix of standard commercial discussions – agreements made under the shadow of the president's "reciprocal" tariffs – and personal accommodations that at times approached the subservient.

In Malaysia, Trump obtained rights to essential resources and made advances toward completing commercial deals with ASEAN countries. He also presided over a pact that should ease frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "peace deal" the US leader loves to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's helicopter flew past a famous structure displayed red, white and blue – with a top in golden.

Recently chosen Leader Sanai Takaichi detailed $half-trillion in Japanese investments in the United States and presented the American president a offering of 250 flowering trees for the United States' 250th birthday, and a sports gear and carrier that belonged to the late leader, the murdered ex-leader who connected with Trump in his previous administration.

She also became the newest overseas counterpart to suggest Trump for his much-desired peace award.

Keeping pace, Korea welcomed Trump with guns discharging a 21-gun salute and a military band that rendered Hail to the Chief and the classic tune – the band anthem that has evolved into a political gathering theme.

President the Korean president held an "recognition ritual" for the US leader during which he gave the American leader his nation's premier award and a replica of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Lunch with the Korean leader featured a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gold-covered brownies. Later that day, the hosts provided the president vineyard wine at an intimate dinner in the president's recognition with six global figures attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the United States, the president may be the subject of "No Kings" rallies by US citizens who oppose his authority-expanding increases of leader's control, but during his East Asia swing he was received as royalty.

And like the kings of ancient times, Trump visited Korea seeking payment – in the shape of $200bn in financial transfers, $twenty billion a annually, from Korea to the America, to be allocated at the guidance of the president's leadership. Consent on the conditions of those contributions helped ensure that the duty level on Korean exports to the United States would decrease from twenty-five percent to 15%.

The main event of the president's regional visit came in its concluding phase, nevertheless, as he met with Xi.

At that location, the influence relationship between counterparts of the planet's biggest economic powers was markedly distinct than the exchanges the president had with his foreign counterparts in prior visits.

Missing were all the ceremony and the display. Without any military bands, no protocol units, missing meticulously designed dining selections celebrating shared goodwill. Rather, the both heads and their key staff sat across a large pale negotiating table in a unremarkable military building just off the runway of the city of Busan's international airport.

It was perhaps a demonstration of the significant risks that when Trump exchanged greetings with the Chinese leader in the Korean city, he appeared