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Presidential journeys overseas have traditionally been an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the US on the global scene. Donald Trump's five-day tour through eastern Asia, by contrast, has been a show of the authority of Trump – but also, at moments, of that influence's constraints.

Trump's stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the duration of the initial days were an exercise in pleasing a occasionally mercurial president. It was an recognition that the leader, with the signature of a pen, could enact duties and other measures that have the potential to damage the financial systems of export-oriented countries.

His sit-down with Beijing's head Xi Jinping on Thursday, though, was a completely different scenario.

It was a meeting of counterparts on the international scene, where the risks for both nations – for their markets, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their citizens – were significant.

With Beijing, Trump may wave his pen, but such actions entail repercussions. They come with a toll.

• The US president describes 'impressive' encounter with the Chinese leader but no agreement reached
• The Chinese president and Trump establish brief pause as Beijing adopts strategic patience

For the opening segment, Trump's latest foray into international relations was successful.

Each stop was punctuated by a blend of traditional commercial discussions – agreements made under the pressure of Trump's "mutual" tariffs – and individual concessions that at points verged on the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, the president obtained access to critical minerals and made progress toward concluding trade arrangements with regional partners. He also led a agreement that should reduce border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace deal" the American president loves to promote.

In Japan, Trump's official aircraft soared near a landmark tower illuminated red, white and blue – with a peak in Trumpian gold.

Recently chosen Prime Minister Takaichi described $half-trillion in Japan's financial commitments in the US and gave the president a gift of a quarter-thousand flowering trees for the United States' 250th anniversary, and a golf equipment and bag that belonged to the late leader, the assassinated former prime minister who developed ties with Trump in his initial presidency.

She also became the newest foreign leader to suggest the president for his long-sought peace award.

Keeping pace, South Korea greeted the president with cannons discharging a 21-gun salute and a armed forces orchestra that rendered the leader's song and the Village People song – the Village People song that has become a political gathering standard.

Leader Lee Jae Myung held an "honour ceremony" for the US leader during which he presented the American leader his state's premier award and a model of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Noon repast with the Korean leader included a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gilded baked goods. Subsequently, the Koreans provided the president vineyard wine at an exclusive gathering in the president's recognition with six global figures present at the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference conference.

In the United States, the president may be the focus of "Anti-Monarchy" protests by the public who reject his authority-expanding extensions of executive authority, but during his East Asia visit he was treated like monarchy.

And like the kings of ancient times, the president visited Korea demanding payment – in the shape of $200bn in financial transfers, $20bn a annually, from South Korea to the US, to be allocated at the discretion of Trump's administration. Agreement on the details of those payments helped ensure that the tariff rate on South Korean goods to the America would decrease from 25% to fifteen percent.

The central moment of Trump's Asian tour came in its last moments, nevertheless, as he sat down with the Chinese leader.

At that location, the power dynamic between leaders of the world's two largest economies was markedly divergent than the interactions the president had with his foreign counterparts in previous days.

Not present were typical pomp and the spectacle. Without any service ensembles, no honour guards, missing carefully crafted menus honoring bilateral friendship. Rather, the pair of counterparts and their senior advisors sat across a extended light-colored discussion surface in a plain armed forces facility just near the airstrip of Busan's global terminal.

It was possibly a demonstration of the major consequences that when Trump exchanged greetings with Xi in Busan, he seemed