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Presidential journeys abroad have traditionally been an opportunity to display the influence of the American nation on the world stage. The president's five-day tour through East Asia, by contrast, has been a show of the power of Trump – but also, at points, of that authority's limitations.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the span of the initial days were an display in pleasing a occasionally volatile US leader. It was an acknowledgement that Trump, with the flick of a hand, could impose duties and additional actions that have the ability to devastate the economies of export-oriented nations.

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

It was a meeting of peers on the world platform, where the stakes for both nations – for their economies, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their people – were immense.

With Beijing, Trump may use his power, but these moves entail ramifications. They carry a cost.

• The US president hails 'remarkable' talks with Xi but no pact agreed
• Xi and Trump establish short-term ceasefire as China plays longer game

For the first four days, the president's latest entry into global diplomacy was smooth sailing.

Each destination was characterized by a blend of standard economic talks – agreements made under the threat of Trump's "mutual" tariffs – and special treatment that at moments verged on the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, the president gained rights to key materials and made advances toward finalizing trade arrangements with ASEAN countries. He also oversaw a treaty that should reduce frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the US leader loves to highlight.

In Japan, the president's official aircraft flew past a famous structure illuminated red, white and blue – with a peak in Trumpian gold.

Newly elected Leader Takaichi detailed $550 billion in Tokyo's funding in the United States and presented the American president a present of a quarter-thousand sakura trees for the United States' semiquincentennial, and a sports gear and carrier that was owned by former Prime Minister Abe, the killed former prime minister who developed ties with Trump in his first term.

She also became the newest overseas counterpart to nominate the president for his long-sought Nobel Peace Prize.

Not to be outdone, the Korean government greeted the president with artillery discharging a traditional greeting and a armed forces orchestra that played the presidential anthem and the Village People song – the musical group tune that has become a political gathering anthem.

Head Lee Jae Myung held an "recognition ritual" for the US leader during which he awarded the American leader his nation's top honor and a copy of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Noon repast with the Korean leader contained a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gilded chocolate squares. Afterward, the South Koreans offered Trump vineyard wine at an intimate dinner in Trump's recognition with six international heads attending the regional summit summit.

In the US, Trump may be the subject of "Anti-Authority" rallies by the public who reject his authority-expanding increases of executive authority, but during his East Asia swing he was treated like monarchy.

And like the rulers of old, the president visited South Korea requesting tribute – in the shape of $200bn in monetary contributions, $twenty billion a annually, from Korea to the America, to be invested at the direction of Trump's leadership. Agreement on the details of those transfers contributed to that the tax percentage on host nation exports to the America would drop from 25% to fifteen percent.

The main event of Trump's regional visit took place in its last moments, nevertheless, as he sat down with the Chinese leader.

There, the power dynamic between leaders of the planet's biggest economic powers was markedly distinct than the exchanges the president had with his overseas colleagues in previous days.

Absent were typical pomp and the spectacle. Without any service ensembles, no ceremonial troops, without meticulously designed meal plans celebrating bilateral friendship. By contrast, the both heads and their key staff sat across a long white negotiating table in a plain military building just adjacent to the landing strip of the city of Busan's international airport.

It was likely a demonstration of the significant risks that when Trump exchanged greetings with the Chinese leader in the southern port, he seemed