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American leader visits abroad have historically been an chance to demonstrate the power of the American nation on the global scene. Trump's week-long trip through Asian nations, conversely, has been a show of the authority of the leader – but also, at points, of that influence's limitations.

Trump's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the opening phase were an demonstration in satisfying a at times unpredictable US leader. It was an acknowledgement that Trump, with the stroke of a hand, could enact taxes and additional actions that have the ability to harm the financial systems of export-oriented nations.

His meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on the last day, nevertheless, was something entirely different.

It was a meeting of peers on the international scene, where the stakes for the two powers – for their economies, for their world reputation, for the welfare of their people – were immense.

With China, the US leader may flick his authority, but those steps involve repercussions. They come with a toll.

• The US president describes 'remarkable' encounter with Xi but no agreement finalized
• The Chinese president and Trump find short-term ceasefire as Beijing pursues extended strategy

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

Each visit was punctuated by a blend of standard trade negotiations – arrangements made under the shadow of Trump's "equivalent" taxes – and individual concessions that at moments bordered on the deferential.

In Malaysia, Trump gained rights to essential resources and made progress toward finalizing commercial deals with south-east Asian nations. He also oversaw a agreement that should reduce frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "peace deal" the American president enjoys to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's helicopter passed by a famous structure displayed red, white and blue – with a peak in gilded.

Recently chosen Head the Japanese leader detailed $550bn in Japanese investments in the US and presented the American president a present of 250 flowering trees for America's semiquincentennial, and a sports gear and carrier that belonged to the late leader, the murdered ex-leader who developed ties with the president in his initial presidency.

She also became the newest international head to suggest the president for his much-desired Nobel Peace Prize.

Matching the effort, South Korea greeted Trump with cannons performing a traditional greeting and a armed forces orchestra that played the presidential anthem and the classic tune – the musical group song that has turned into a Trump rally standard.

President the Korean president held an "recognition ritual" for the US leader during which he presented the president his nation's top honor and a replica of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Lunch with Lee included a "Conciliatory Treat" of gilded baked goods. Afterward, the Koreans offered Trump fine beverage at an private meal in the president's recognition with six international heads participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the America, Trump may be the subject of "Anti-Monarchy" rallies by Americans who oppose his authority-expanding increases of executive authority, but during his East Asia swing he was handled as monarchy.

And like the monarchs of old, the president visited Korea seeking contribution – in the form of $200 billion in cash payments, $twenty billion a per year, from the host nation to the America, to be allocated at the discretion of the president's administration. Approval on the conditions of those contributions assisted in that the tariff rate on host nation exports to the US would decrease from a quarter to fifteen percent.

The main event of the president's Asian tour occurred in its last moments, however, as he encountered the Chinese leader.

At that location, the influence relationship between leaders of the planet's biggest economic powers was markedly different than the interactions the president had with his international peers in earlier stops.

Absent were typical pomp and the pageantry. Lacking military bands, no honour guards, no meticulously designed menus honoring mutual national affection. By contrast, the two leaders and their key staff were seated across a large pale meeting furniture in a unremarkable service structure just off the runway of Busan's air transport hub.

It was perhaps a reflection of the major consequences that when the president exchanged greetings with the Chinese leader in the Korean city, he seemed