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US presidential trips abroad have historically been an occasion to demonstrate the power of the US on the global scene. The president's five-day trip through eastern Asia, on the other hand, has been a show of the power of Trump – but also, at points, of that influence's constraints.

The president's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the course of the opening phase were an demonstration in pleasing a at times volatile American president. It was an acknowledgement that Trump, with the stroke of a pen, could impose tariffs and further steps that have the capacity to devastate the financial systems of trade-reliant countries.

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

It was a meeting of counterparts on the global stage, where the consequences for the two powers – for their economies, for their global standing, for the prosperity of their citizens – were significant.

With the Chinese, Trump may use his power, but those steps entail ramifications. They come with a price.

• Trump describes 'remarkable' talks with Xi but no pact finalized
• Xi and Trump establish short-term ceasefire as China pursues extended strategy

For the first four days, the president's recent entry into world politics was successful.

Each destination was punctuated by a blend of conventional economic talks – agreements made under the shadow of the president's "equivalent" duties – and special treatment that at times verged on the obsequious.

In Malaysia, the president gained entry to key materials and made progress toward completing economic agreements with regional partners. He also oversaw a treaty that should ease territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the president loves to highlight.

In Japan, the president's Marine One passed by a famous structure displayed American colors – with a summit in gilded.

Recently chosen Head Sanai Takaichi outlined $550 billion in Tokyo's funding in the United States and offered the president a present of a quarter-thousand flowering trees for America's 250th birthday, and a sports gear and bag that belonged to former Prime Minister Abe, the assassinated former prime minister who developed ties with Trump in his previous administration.

She also became the most recent international head to propose the president for his highly-coveted international honor.

Matching the effort, Korea welcomed Trump with artillery discharging a 21-gun salute and a armed forces orchestra that played Hail to the Chief and the Village People song – the musical group song that has turned into a presidential event anthem.

President the Korean president held an "award event" for the US leader during which he gave the American leader his nation's premier award and a replica of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Lunch with the Korean leader featured a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-encrusted brownies. Afterward, the hosts served Trump premium vintage at an private meal in the president's recognition with half-dozen global figures attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the United States, the president may be the subject of "No Kings" demonstrations by Americans who disapprove of his authority-expanding increases of leader's control, but during his regional tour he was treated like monarchy.

And like the monarchs of old, Trump visited South Korea demanding tribute – in the shape of $two hundred billion in monetary contributions, $20 billion a annually, from the host nation to the America, to be invested at the discretion of the president's government. Agreement on the conditions of those payments contributed to that the tariff rate on South Korean goods to the America would drop from twenty-five percent to 15%.

The main event of Trump's Asia trip took place in its final hours, though, as he met with the Chinese leader.

There, the influence relationship between counterparts of the planet's biggest economic powers was noticeably divergent than the interactions Trump had with his overseas colleagues in previous days.

Absent were all the ceremony and the display. No military bands, absent honour guards, no thoughtfully prepared dining selections celebrating shared goodwill. By contrast, the both heads and their top aides were seated across a large pale negotiating table in a nondescript service structure just adjacent to the landing strip of Busan's global terminal.

It was perhaps a indication of the major consequences that when the president made contact with Xi in the southern port, he looked