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US presidential trips abroad have historically been an occasion to display the influence of the US on the world stage. Donald Trump's multi-day trip through Asian nations, on the other hand, has been a display of the power of the leader – but also, at times, of that authority's constraints.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the course of the initial days were an demonstration in catering to a sometimes unpredictable president. It was an recognition that the president, with the flick of a document, could introduce tariffs and additional actions that have the ability to devastate the financial systems of export-oriented states.

His meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on Thursday, however, was a completely different scenario.

It was a encounter of peers on the international scene, where the stakes for each country – for their financial health, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their populations – were enormous.

With China, the US leader may use his pen, but those steps come with repercussions. They come with a price.

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For the first four days, Trump's recent venture into international relations was successful.

Each visit was marked by a mix of conventional economic talks – arrangements made under the threat of the president's "mutual" taxes – and special treatment that at points approached the subservient.

In Malaysia, Trump gained access to key materials and made advances toward finalizing economic agreements with south-east Asian nations. He also oversaw a treaty that should alleviate territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the American president loves to promote.

In the Japanese leg, the president's official aircraft soared near a famous structure displayed US flag colors – with a summit in golden.

Newly elected Leader the Japanese leader outlined $550 billion in Japan's financial commitments in the America and offered the American president a present of two hundred fifty cherry trees for America's 250th birthday, and a sports gear and carrier that came from Shinzo Abe, the murdered former prime minister who connected with Trump in his first term.

She also became the most recent overseas counterpart to propose Trump for his highly-coveted peace award.

Keeping pace, South Korea greeted Trump with artillery firing a honor salute and a armed forces orchestra that played the presidential anthem and YMCA – the band tune that has become a political gathering anthem.

Leader Lee Jae Myung held an "honour ceremony" for the US leader during which he awarded the American leader his state's premier award and a model of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Lunch with Lee included a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gilded chocolate squares. Afterward, the hosts served the president fine beverage at an intimate dinner in the president's honor with half-dozen world leaders participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference conference.

In the America, the president may be the focus of "No Kings" rallies by US citizens who oppose his authority-expanding increases of presidential power, but during his Asian tour he was treated like monarchy.

And like the monarchs of old, the president came to South Korea seeking contribution – in the shape of $200bn in monetary contributions, $20bn a annually, from Korea to the America, to be invested at the guidance of the president's leadership. Agreement on the terms of those payments contributed to that the tariff rate on host nation products to the US would fall from 25% to fifteen percent.

The main event of the president's Asia trip came in its final hours, though, as he sat down with the Chinese leader.

At that location, the authority balance between leaders of the planet's biggest economic powers was noticeably distinct than the interactions Trump had with his foreign counterparts in prior visits.

Missing were the usual ceremony and the pageantry. Without any service ensembles, without protocol units, no carefully crafted menus marking mutual national affection. Rather, the pair of counterparts and their senior advisors positioned themselves across a large pale meeting furniture in a nondescript armed forces facility just off the runway of Busan's air transport hub.

It was likely a reflection of the significant risks that when Trump exchanged greetings with the Chinese leader in the Korean city, he seemed