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US presidential trips abroad have traditionally been an chance to showcase the strength of the American nation on the international platform. Trump's five-day tour through East Asia, by contrast, has been a show of the power of Trump – but also, at moments, of that influence's boundaries.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the course of the opening phase were an exercise in satisfying a sometimes unpredictable president. It was an admission that the leader, with the signature of a pen, could introduce duties and other measures that have the ability to harm the markets of export-dependent nations.

His discussion with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the last day, though, was a completely different scenario.

It was a meeting of equals on the global stage, where the consequences for the two powers – for their economies, for their international prestige, for the well-being of their populations – were significant.

With China, Trump may use his power, but such actions involve consequences. They involve a price.

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For the first four days, Trump's recent foray into international relations was uneventful.

Each destination was punctuated by a mix of traditional trade negotiations – deals made under the threat of Trump's "reciprocal" taxes – and personal accommodations that at points bordered on the deferential.

In Malaysia, the president obtained access to essential resources and made advances toward finalizing commercial deals with ASEAN countries. He also led a pact that should ease border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the American president loves to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, the president's Marine One flew past a famous structure lit red, white and blue – with a peak in Trumpian gold.

Newly elected Leader the Japanese leader outlined $half-trillion in Tokyo's funding in the US and gave the president a present of a quarter-thousand cherry trees for America's 250th birthday, and a golf equipment and bag that was owned by the late leader, the killed past head who connected with Trump in his previous administration.

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

Keeping pace, South Korea welcomed the president with cannons performing a honor salute and a service ensemble that performed the presidential anthem and the classic tune – the musical group anthem that has become a Trump rally standard.

Head Lee Jae Myung held an "award event" for Trump during which he presented the American leader his state's premier award and a replica of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Noon repast with the Korean leader included a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gilded brownies. Later that day, the South Koreans offered Trump vineyard wine at an intimate dinner in Trump's honor with six international heads participating in the regional summit summit.

In the United States, the president may be the target of "Anti-Monarchy" rallies by Americans who oppose his authority-expanding extensions of presidential power, but during his Asian tour he was treated like nobility.

And like the kings of history, the president came to the Korean nation seeking payment – in the shape of $200bn in financial transfers, $20bn a year, from South Korea to the America, to be allocated at the direction of the president's administration. Agreement on the details of those transfers contributed to that the duty level on South Korean goods to the US would fall from 25% to under twenty percent.

The primary focus of the president's Asia trip came in its last moments, nevertheless, as he encountered the Chinese leader.

At that location, the authority balance between leaders of the world's two largest economies was noticeably different than the meetings Trump had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Not present were the usual pageantry and the spectacle. Lacking service ensembles, without honour guards, missing carefully crafted menus celebrating mutual national affection. Rather, the both heads and their key staff were seated across a long white discussion surface in a plain military building just near the airstrip of Busan's global terminal.

It was likely a reflection of the high stakes that when the president shook hands with the Chinese leader in the Korean city, he looked