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American leader visits overseas have historically been an chance to showcase the strength of the United States on the international platform. The president's week-long swing through East Asia, conversely, has been a display of the authority of the leader – but also, at points, of that authority's constraints.

The president's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the span of the opening phase were an display in pleasing a sometimes volatile US leader. It was an admission that the president, with the signature of a hand, could impose taxes and other measures that have the potential to harm the markets of export-oriented states.

His meeting with Beijing's head Xi on Thursday, however, was a distinct situation.

It was a encounter of counterparts on the global stage, where the consequences for both nations – for their markets, for their global standing, for the welfare of their citizens – were significant.

With Beijing, Trump may use his pen, but such actions involve ramifications. They come with a toll.

• The US president describes 'remarkable' encounter with the Chinese leader but no pact finalized
• Xi and the US leader find brief pause as Beijing plays longer game

For the opening segment, Trump's most recent venture into world politics was successful.

Each stop was characterized by a blend of traditional economic talks – arrangements made under the threat of Trump's "mutual" duties – and individual concessions that at moments approached the obsequious.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump obtained entry to key materials and made advances toward finalizing commercial deals with ASEAN countries. He also led a treaty that should reduce border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "peace deal" the American president prefers to tout.

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

Recently chosen Head the Japanese leader outlined $550bn in Japanese investments in the America and offered the American president a offering of two hundred fifty flowering trees for the United States' 250th birthday, and a golf equipment and bag that was owned by former Prime Minister Abe, the murdered past head who developed ties with the president in his previous administration.

She also became the newest foreign leader to suggest Trump for his much-desired Nobel Peace Prize.

Keeping pace, Korea received Trump with artillery performing a traditional greeting and a military band that performed the presidential anthem and the classic tune – the musical group anthem that has turned into a Trump rally anthem.

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

Midday meal with Lee featured a "Conciliatory Treat" of gilded chocolate squares. Later that day, the Koreans offered Trump fine beverage at an private meal in Trump's recognition with half-dozen world leaders present at the regional summit summit.

In the America, Trump may be the target of "No Kings" protests by Americans who reject his authority-expanding expansions of leader's control, but during his Asian tour he was handled as royalty.

And like the monarchs of history, the president arrived in South Korea requesting tribute – in the guise of $two hundred billion in cash payments, $20bn a year, from South Korea to the America, to be invested at the direction of the president's government. Approval on the conditions of those transfers helped ensure that the duty level on South Korean products to the US would fall from twenty-five percent to under twenty percent.

The primary focus of the president's Asian tour occurred in its last moments, though, as he met with Xi.

At that location, the power dynamic between counterparts of the planet's biggest economic powers was markedly different than the exchanges the president had with his international peers in earlier stops.

Absent were all the pageantry and the pageantry. Without any armed forces orchestras, absent honour guards, without meticulously designed meal plans honoring mutual national affection. Rather, the both heads and their key staff were seated across a extended light-colored meeting furniture in a unremarkable armed forces facility just off the runway of the city of Busan's air transport hub.

It was likely a reflection of the high stakes that when the president made contact with Xi in Busan, he seemed