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American leader visits internationally have traditionally been an occasion to showcase the power of the American nation on the global scene. The president's multi-day swing through Asian nations, conversely, has been a demonstration of the power of the leader – but also, at times, of that power's boundaries.

The president's stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the span of the first four days were an demonstration in pleasing a at times mercurial US leader. It was an admission that Trump, with the stroke of a document, could impose duties and further steps that have the capacity to harm the markets of export-dependent nations.

His meeting with Beijing's head Xi on the last day, nevertheless, was something entirely different.

It was a meeting of peers on the international scene, where the risks for each country – for their markets, for their world reputation, for the welfare of their citizens – were enormous.

With the Chinese, the president may use his pen, but such actions entail consequences. They come with a price.

• Trump praises 'remarkable' meeting with the Chinese leader but no agreement reached
• The Chinese president and Trump reach brief pause as Beijing pursues extended strategy

For the opening segment, Trump's most recent entry into global diplomacy was smooth sailing.

Each visit was punctuated by a blend of traditional trade negotiations – deals made under the threat of Trump's "mutual" tariffs – and individual concessions that at times bordered on the obsequious.

In the Malaysian stop, the president secured access to essential resources and made advances toward completing trade arrangements with ASEAN countries. He also presided over a agreement that should alleviate frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "truce" the president loves to tout.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's official aircraft flew past a Tokyo Tower illuminated American colors – with a summit in Trumpian gold.

Freshly appointed Head Takaichi described $550 billion in Japan's financial commitments in the United States and gave the president a gift of two hundred fifty flowering trees for the United States' 250th birthday, and a sports gear and case that belonged to former Prime Minister Abe, the assassinated former prime minister who bonded with the president in his previous administration.

She also became the latest international head to suggest Trump for his highly-coveted international honor.

Not to be outdone, the Korean government received Trump with guns discharging a traditional greeting and a armed forces orchestra that played the leader's song and YMCA – the Village People song that has become a Trump rally anthem.

Head Lee held an "honour ceremony" for the US leader during which he gave the American leader his nation's highest medal and a replica of an historical royal headpiece.

Midday meal with the Korean leader included a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-encrusted chocolate squares. Subsequently, the South Koreans offered Trump fine beverage at an intimate dinner in the president's honour with multiple global figures participating in the regional summit summit.

In the United States, the president may be the subject of "Anti-Authority" protests by Americans who disapprove of his boundary-testing increases of leader's control, but during his regional tour he was handled as monarchy.

And like the kings of ancient times, the president visited the Korean nation seeking tribute – in the shape of $200 billion in monetary contributions, $twenty billion a annually, from Korea to the United States, to be used at the guidance of the president's administration. Agreement on the terms of those contributions assisted in that the tax percentage on host nation products to the America would drop from twenty-five percent to fifteen percent.

The central moment of the president's Asia trip took place in its concluding phase, nevertheless, as he sat down with Xi.

In that setting, the power dynamic between leaders of the global top two markets was noticeably distinct than the meetings the president had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Absent were typical ceremony and the display. Without any service ensembles, no protocol units, missing meticulously designed dining selections marking bilateral friendship. By contrast, the two leaders and their key staff were seated across a large pale discussion surface in a plain service structure just adjacent to the landing strip of the city of Busan's global terminal.

It was possibly a demonstration of the high stakes that when the president shook hands with the Chinese leader in the southern port, he seemed