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American leader visits internationally have traditionally been an occasion to display the influence of the United States on the global scene. Trump's five-day trip through eastern Asia, conversely, has been a demonstration of the power of the leader – but also, at times, of that influence's constraints.

The president's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the initial days were an display in pleasing a sometimes mercurial American president. It was an acknowledgement that the president, with the signature of a pen, could introduce duties and additional actions that have the ability to harm the markets of export-dependent nations.

His discussion with Chinese leader Xi on the last day, however, was something entirely different.

It was a meeting of peers on the international scene, where the stakes for the two powers – for their markets, for their world reputation, for the welfare of their populations – were significant.

With Beijing, the president may flick his authority, but those steps involve repercussions. They involve a price.

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For the initial phase, Trump's recent entry into international relations was smooth sailing.

Each stop was punctuated by a mix of standard economic talks – arrangements made under the pressure of Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs – and special treatment that at moments verged on the obsequious.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump obtained rights to critical minerals and made advances toward completing trade arrangements with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a agreement that should alleviate frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "truce" the US leader prefers to promote.

In the Japanese leg, the president's official aircraft soared near a Tokyo Tower illuminated American colors – with a top in Trumpian gold.

Freshly appointed Prime Minister Takaichi detailed $550bn in Japanese investments in the US and gave the president a present of two hundred fifty flowering trees for the United States' 250th birthday, and a sports gear and case that belonged to Shinzo Abe, the murdered past head who connected with the president in his initial presidency.

She also became the newest overseas counterpart to propose Trump for his highly-coveted Nobel Peace Prize.

Not to be outdone, the Korean government greeted Trump with artillery performing a 21-gun salute and a military band that rendered Hail to the Chief and YMCA – the band tune that has evolved into a political gathering anthem.

President the Korean president held an "award event" for the US leader during which he awarded the president his state's highest medal and a model of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Lunch with the Korean leader included a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gold-covered brownies. Subsequently, the Koreans offered the president fine beverage at an private meal in the president's recognition with half-dozen international heads present at the APEC conference.

In the United States, Trump may be the subject of "Anti-Monarchy" demonstrations by Americans who reject his authority-expanding increases of executive authority, but during his Asian swing he was treated like monarchy.

And like the monarchs of history, the president visited the Korean nation requesting payment – in the form of $two hundred billion in financial transfers, $twenty billion a year, from the host nation to the United States, to be used at the discretion of Trump's government. Agreement on the terms of those transfers helped ensure that the tariff rate on host nation goods to the US would fall from 25% to fifteen percent.

The main event of the president's Asian tour came in its concluding phase, however, as he sat down with the Chinese leader.

In that setting, the power dynamic between counterparts of the global top two markets was markedly divergent than the meetings the president had with his international peers in earlier stops.

Not present were the usual pomp and the pageantry. Lacking military bands, absent ceremonial troops, without carefully crafted dining selections marking mutual national affection. By contrast, the pair of counterparts and their top aides were seated across a extended light-colored meeting furniture in a nondescript military building just near the airstrip of Busan's air transport hub.

It was perhaps a reflection of the high stakes that when Trump shook hands with the Chinese leader in Busan, he appeared