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Presidential journeys overseas have typically been an chance to display the influence of the US on the global scene. Trump's five-day swing through Asian nations, by contrast, has been a show of the authority of Trump – but also, at moments, of that power's boundaries.

Trump's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the opening phase were an display in satisfying a occasionally volatile American president. It was an admission that the president, with the stroke of a hand, could impose tariffs and other measures that have the potential to harm the markets of export-oriented countries.

His discussion with Chinese leader Xi on the final day, though, was something entirely different.

It was a meeting of peers on the global stage, where the consequences for the two powers – for their economies, for their world reputation, for the prosperity of their populations – were enormous.

With Beijing, Trump may flick his pen, but these moves involve repercussions. They involve a price.

• The US president describes 'impressive' talks with the Chinese leader but no pact finalized
• The Chinese president and Trump find brief pause as China pursues extended strategy

For the first four days, the president's recent foray into international relations was successful.

Each destination was marked by a blend of traditional economic talks – agreements made under the threat of Trump's "mutual" taxes – and special treatment that at times verged on the deferential.

In Malaysia, the president obtained rights to key materials and made progress toward concluding commercial deals with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a agreement that should alleviate territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the American president enjoys to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's official aircraft passed by a landmark tower lit US flag colors – with a peak in golden.

Recently chosen Prime Minister the Japanese leader detailed $half-trillion in Tokyo's funding in the United States and offered the president a gift of a quarter-thousand flowering trees for America's semiquincentennial, and a golf club and carrier that was owned by Shinzo Abe, the assassinated past head who bonded with the president in his initial presidency.

She also became the newest international head to propose the president for his highly-coveted peace award.

Keeping pace, Korea received the president with cannons discharging a honor salute and a service ensemble that performed the leader's song and the classic tune – the band song that has turned into a Trump rally theme.

Head the Korean president held an "award event" for Trump during which he awarded the US president his nation's top honor and a replica of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Lunch with the Korean leader included a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-covered baked goods. Later that day, the South Koreans served the president premium vintage at an private meal in the president's honour with half-dozen international heads participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the US, Trump may be the focus of "Anti-Monarchy" demonstrations by US citizens who disapprove of his authority-expanding increases of executive authority, but during his Asian visit he was received as monarchy.

And like the kings of old, the president visited South Korea requesting tribute – in the guise of $200 billion in monetary contributions, $twenty billion a annually, from South Korea to the America, to be used at the direction of the president's leadership. Consent on the terms of those contributions assisted in that the tariff rate on Korean exports to the America would decrease from a quarter to 15%.

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

At that location, the influence relationship between heads of the global top two markets was noticeably divergent than the exchanges the president had with his international peers in previous days.

Absent were typical pomp and the display. Lacking military bands, absent ceremonial troops, without thoughtfully prepared menus honoring bilateral friendship. Rather, the two leaders and their key staff sat across a large pale meeting furniture in a nondescript service structure just adjacent to the landing strip of Busan's global terminal.

It was possibly a demonstration of the major consequences that when Trump made contact with the Chinese leader in the Korean city, he appeared