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Presidential journeys abroad have historically been an opportunity to showcase the influence of the US on the global scene. The president's week-long trip through East Asia, on the other hand, has been a demonstration of the authority of Trump – but also, at moments, of that influence's boundaries.

Trump's visits in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the duration of the first four days were an display in pleasing a occasionally mercurial president. It was an recognition that the president, with the flick of a pen, could impose taxes and other measures that have the potential to damage the financial systems of trade-reliant states.

His meeting with China's president Xi on the final day, nevertheless, was something entirely different.

It was a session of equals on the global stage, where the stakes for both nations – for their financial health, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their populations – were enormous.

With Beijing, the president may wave his power, but these moves involve consequences. They come with a cost.

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For the initial phase, Trump's latest entry into world politics was successful.

Each destination was characterized by a combination of traditional trade negotiations – agreements made under the shadow of the president's "equivalent" taxes – and personal accommodations that at times bordered on the obsequious.

In Malaysia, Trump obtained entry to essential resources and made headway toward concluding economic agreements with ASEAN countries. He also oversaw a pact that should alleviate frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "peace agreement" the American president loves to tout.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's Marine One soared near a Tokyo Tower displayed US flag colors – with a peak in golden.

Newly elected Head Takaichi outlined $550 billion in Japan's financial commitments in the US and offered the American president a offering of 250 flowering trees for America's semiquincentennial, and a sports gear and case that came from former Prime Minister Abe, the killed ex-leader who connected with Trump in his initial presidency.

She also became the latest overseas counterpart to suggest Trump for his much-desired Nobel Peace Prize.

Matching the effort, South Korea received Trump with guns firing a traditional greeting and a armed forces orchestra that performed the leader's song and the Village People song – the musical group tune that has become a Trump rally anthem.

President Lee Jae Myung held an "recognition ritual" for the US leader during which he gave the US president his state's top honor and a replica of an historical royal headpiece.

Midday meal with the Korean leader included a "Conciliatory Treat" of gilded brownies. Later that day, the Koreans offered Trump premium vintage at an private meal in Trump's honor with multiple international heads participating in the APEC conference.

In the US, the president may be the subject of "No Kings" rallies by US citizens who reject his limit-pushing extensions of presidential power, but during his Asian tour he was received as royalty.

And like the monarchs of old, Trump came to the Korean nation demanding payment – in the guise of $200 billion in monetary contributions, $20bn a year, from South Korea to the US, to be invested at the direction of Trump's leadership. Agreement on the conditions of those contributions contributed to that the duty level on host nation products to the America would decrease from 25% to fifteen percent.

The central moment of Trump's regional visit came in its final hours, though, as he met with Xi.

In that setting, the influence relationship between heads of the planet's biggest economic powers was noticeably distinct than the exchanges Trump had with his foreign counterparts in prior visits.

Not present were typical pageantry and the display. No armed forces orchestras, without ceremonial troops, without thoughtfully prepared menus honoring mutual national affection. By contrast, the two leaders and their senior advisors sat across a large pale negotiating table in a plain military building just near the airstrip of the city of Busan's international airport.

It was possibly a demonstration of the high stakes that when Trump shook hands with Xi in the Korean city, he seemed