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US presidential trips internationally have typically been an chance to demonstrate the power of the United States on the global scene. The president's week-long trip through Asian nations, by contrast, has been a demonstration of the power of the leader – but also, at times, of that authority's boundaries.

Trump's stops in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the course of the opening phase were an display in pleasing a sometimes mercurial American president. It was an admission that Trump, with the stroke of a document, could introduce duties and other measures that have the potential to damage the economies of export-oriented states.

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

It was a session of counterparts on the world platform, where the stakes for both nations – for their economies, for their global standing, for the well-being of their citizens – were enormous.

With Beijing, the US leader may wave his pen, but such actions come with repercussions. They involve a toll.

• The US president hails 'amazing' encounter with Xi but no agreement finalized
• Xi and the US leader reach brief pause as Beijing pursues extended strategy

For the first four days, Trump's most recent venture into global diplomacy was successful.

Each visit was punctuated by a blend of traditional trade negotiations – arrangements made under the shadow of Trump's "equivalent" duties – and individual concessions that at moments approached the subservient.

In Malaysia, the president secured rights to critical minerals and made headway toward finalizing commercial deals with regional partners. He also oversaw a agreement that should reduce frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the US leader prefers to tout.

In Japan, Trump's Marine One soared near a Tokyo Tower illuminated American colors – with a top in Trumpian gold.

Recently chosen Leader the Japanese leader outlined $550bn in Tokyo's funding in the America and presented the American president a offering of two hundred fifty sakura trees for the United States' 250th anniversary, and a golf club and case that was owned by Shinzo Abe, the murdered former prime minister who bonded with the president in his initial presidency.

She also became the most recent international head to suggest the president for his highly-coveted peace award.

Not to be outdone, South Korea received the president with guns firing a 21-gun salute and a military band that performed Hail to the Chief and the classic tune – the musical group tune that has evolved into a presidential event theme.

Head Lee held an "award event" for the US leader during which he awarded the American leader his nation's top honor and a replica of an historical royal headpiece.

Noon repast with the Korean leader featured a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gilded baked goods. Later that day, the Koreans offered the president fine beverage at an intimate dinner in the president's honor with multiple world leaders participating in the regional summit meeting.

In the US, the president may be the subject of "Anti-Authority" demonstrations by US citizens who reject his boundary-testing extensions of leader's control, but during his East Asia tour he was received as monarchy.

And like the rulers of old, the president arrived in Korea requesting contribution – in the shape of $two hundred billion in financial transfers, $20bn a annually, from Korea to the America, to be used at the discretion of Trump's leadership. Agreement on the conditions of those transfers helped ensure that the tax percentage on Korean products to the America would drop from twenty-five percent to under twenty percent.

The primary focus of the president's Asian tour took place in its last moments, however, as he encountered Xi.

In that setting, the authority balance between counterparts of the world's two largest economies was decidedly divergent than the interactions Trump had with his international peers in earlier stops.

Absent were the usual pageantry and the spectacle. Without any service ensembles, no honour guards, missing thoughtfully prepared dining selections marking mutual national affection. By contrast, the both heads and their key staff were seated across a extended light-colored discussion surface in a nondescript military building just adjacent to the landing strip of the city of Busan's air transport hub.

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