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Presidential journeys overseas have historically been an chance to showcase the power of the United States on the global scene. Trump's week-long trip through Asian nations, on the other hand, has been a show of the power of the leader – but also, at times, of that authority's limitations.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the first four days were an display in catering to a occasionally unpredictable US leader. It was an acknowledgement that the president, with the stroke of a document, could introduce taxes and further steps that have the potential to damage the financial systems of export-dependent states.

His discussion with Beijing's head Xi on the final day, however, was something entirely different.

It was a meeting of peers on the international scene, where the stakes for each country – for their markets, for their global standing, for the prosperity of their populations – were significant.

With China, the president may flick his pen, but those steps entail repercussions. They carry a cost.

• Trump describes 'impressive' encounter with Xi but no pact agreed
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For the initial phase, Trump's most recent foray into global diplomacy was uneventful.

Each destination was marked by a combination of standard commercial discussions – deals made under the shadow of the president's "reciprocal" taxes – and special treatment that at points verged on the obsequious.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump secured entry to key materials and made advances toward finalizing trade arrangements with south-east Asian nations. He also led a agreement that should alleviate frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the American president enjoys to promote.

In Japan, Trump's official aircraft flew past a landmark tower illuminated American colors – with a top in Trumpian gold.

Recently chosen Head the Japanese leader outlined $550 billion in Japanese investments in the US and gave the president a gift of two hundred fifty sakura trees for the United States' semiquincentennial, and a golf club and carrier that belonged to Shinzo Abe, the killed former prime minister who developed ties with Trump in his initial presidency.

She also became the most recent overseas counterpart to propose the president for his long-sought peace award.

Matching the effort, South Korea greeted Trump with cannons firing a 21-gun salute and a service ensemble that performed the leader's song and the classic tune – the Village People tune that has evolved into a political gathering theme.

Head the Korean president held an "award event" for Trump during which he gave the president his state's highest medal and a replica of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Lunch with the Korean leader contained a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-encrusted baked goods. Subsequently, the hosts offered Trump vineyard wine at an private meal in Trump's recognition with six world leaders present at the regional summit summit.

In the US, the president may be the focus of "No Kings" demonstrations by Americans who disapprove of his boundary-testing extensions of presidential power, but during his East Asia swing he was handled as monarchy.

And like the monarchs of old, the president visited the Korean nation seeking contribution – in the shape of $200bn in financial transfers, $twenty billion a annually, from Korea to the America, to be invested at the direction of Trump's leadership. Agreement on the details of those transfers assisted in that the duty level on Korean exports to the America would decrease from a quarter to fifteen percent.

The main event of Trump's regional visit occurred in its final hours, however, as he sat down with Xi.

In that setting, the influence relationship between leaders of the world's two largest economies was decidedly distinct than the meetings Trump had with his overseas colleagues in earlier stops.

Absent were typical pageantry and the display. Without any armed forces orchestras, without honour guards, no thoughtfully prepared meal plans marking bilateral friendship. Rather, the two leaders and their senior advisors sat across a large pale negotiating table in a unremarkable service structure just adjacent to the landing strip of the southern port's air transport hub.

It was perhaps a reflection of the major consequences that when Trump made contact with the Chinese leader in the Korean city, he seemed