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Presidential journeys overseas have typically been an occasion to display the power of the US on the world stage. Trump's week-long trip through eastern Asia, on the other hand, has been a show of the authority of the leader – but also, at times, of that power's constraints.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the duration of the first four days were an display in satisfying a at times mercurial president. It was an acknowledgement that Trump, with the stroke of a pen, could enact taxes and further steps that have the ability to devastate the markets of trade-reliant states.

His meeting with Beijing's head Xi Jinping on the last day, though, was a completely different scenario.

It was a meeting of equals on the world platform, where the consequences for both nations – for their economies, for their global standing, for the prosperity of their citizens – were enormous.

With Beijing, Trump may wave his pen, but these moves come with ramifications. They involve a price.

• Trump describes 'impressive' encounter with Xi but no pact finalized
• The Chinese president and the US leader reach short-term ceasefire as Beijing adopts strategic patience

For the initial phase, the president's recent foray into world politics was successful.

Each visit was punctuated by a combination of standard commercial discussions – deals made under the pressure of the president's "reciprocal" duties – and special treatment that at times verged on the subservient.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump gained entry to critical minerals and made advances toward finalizing economic agreements with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a treaty that should reduce territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the US leader prefers to promote.

In the Japanese leg, the president's helicopter flew past a Tokyo Tower illuminated American colors – with a peak in Trumpian gold.

Newly elected Leader Sanai Takaichi described $half-trillion in Japanese investments in the America and offered the US leader a gift of two hundred fifty cherry trees for the United States' 250th birthday, and a golf equipment and carrier that came from former Prime Minister Abe, the assassinated former prime minister who developed ties with the president in his previous administration.

She also became the latest international head to suggest Trump for his highly-coveted international honor.

Matching the effort, South Korea greeted the president with guns performing a 21-gun salute and a service ensemble that played the leader's song and the Village People song – the Village People anthem that has evolved into a presidential event standard.

Head the Korean president held an "award event" for Trump during which he awarded the president his country's top honor and a copy of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Lunch with the Korean leader contained a "Conciliatory Treat" of gold-encrusted chocolate squares. Subsequently, the South Koreans served the president vineyard wine at an private meal in Trump's recognition with half-dozen world leaders participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the United States, the president may be the focus of "Anti-Authority" rallies by Americans who disapprove of his boundary-testing extensions of presidential power, but during his regional swing he was treated like royalty.

And like the rulers of ancient times, the president came to South Korea requesting payment – in the form of $200bn in monetary contributions, $20 billion a year, from South Korea to the America, to be used at the guidance of Trump's leadership. Consent on the terms of those payments contributed to that the duty level on Korean exports to the US would decrease from 25% to fifteen percent.

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

In that setting, the influence relationship between heads of the global top two markets was markedly distinct than the interactions Trump had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Not present were typical ceremony and the spectacle. Lacking armed forces orchestras, no ceremonial troops, no carefully crafted meal plans marking shared goodwill. By contrast, the two leaders and their top aides sat across a long white meeting furniture in a unremarkable service structure just adjacent to the landing strip of Busan's air transport hub.

It was possibly a reflection of the major consequences that when Trump made contact with Xi in the southern port, he appeared